Swatch overload! Bridesmaid dress colors?

helenasue

Okay, so here's the deal. 

We've been working on the bridesmaid dresses, and what we landed on was getting them custom-made with each girl choosing her own dress from the same designer (RenzRags). Even though everyone picked a different dress, we're getting all of them made from the same bolt of fabric so they'll all look coordinated while still representing each girl's personal style. The only exception to that is my MOH, who is ordering from the same designer and in the same *type* of fabric, but getting her own color to stand out as the maid of honor (likely gray, unless everyone else is in gray, and then something different). 

We've got all seven dresses selected, but the tricky part is that I'm still not sure which color to pick! These are the dresses that my bridesmaids chose.

My wedding colors are peachy pastel coral pink (like dress #6), and light sage green (like dress #3). I ordered the swatch book from the designer, and the tricky part is that 'Velvet Chiffon' fabric feels much nicer, and according to the designer, drapes much more nicely, but the '100D Chiffon' has a much better color selection. 

What's more important - material quality or having the right color? 

Which colors would you recommend? Are the bridesmaid dresses constrained to the wedding colors? For the record, my bridesmaids have skin tones ranging from fair white to medium (Indian), so it needs to be a color that looks good on a pretty wide range of skin tones.

I'm hoping for an ethereal look. My first thought was a pastel peachy coral, but I was worried that YIV#11 is maybe *too* nude, and YIV#15 is too pure of a pink. I also really liked the top two greens on the first page. YW#140 (bottom right corner) is perfect, but the material isn't as nice. I'm not married to any of those, though -- if you've got a suggestion that you think is nice, I'm all ears!

Thanks for your help!

helenasue

PS. If anyone has had experience with Etsy's RenzRags and could post pictures of their bridesmaids wearing their dresses, I'd love to see!

geebee908

They don't have good reviews on WeddingBee's vendor page for them. Average 2 out of 5. You really need to be careful when you're looking at online companies making custom dresses.

ernursej

I would look washed out in both the colours you are thinking of. If you are already going with different dresses, I might offer out three or four different colour choices or pick something in a jewel tone. Pastels wash a lot of people out.

OurWildKingdom

Go for fabric quality. Always.

OurWildKingdom

ernursej said:

I would look washed out in both the colours you are thinking of. If you are already going with different dresses, I might offer out three or four different colour choices or pick something in a jewel tone. Pastels wash a lot of people out.

You can also offer a general color, say pink, orange, or green, and your BMs can pick the tint or shade that looks best on them. While your dark-skinned bridesmaids would look fantastic in pastels, your fairer-skinned maids should wear something brighter. 

That's what we're doing. We told our bridesmaids to pick something in blue; while all our bridesmaids are fair-skinned, we have two blondes, two brunettes, two redheads (both very different shades of red), and one with grey hair who wears a head covering most of the time. There's no way they would all look good in the same shade of blue.

helenasue

Do your bridesmaids all have different dresses too? I heard the rule for mix and match was either different dresses, same color or different shades, same dress. I'm worried that different colors will end up looking like a hodge podge.

OurWildKingdom

Here's an example of how fabulous a mismatch can look. Try not to be distracted by the good-looking men in kilts:

http://forums.theknot.com/discussion/1069733/the-world-didnt-end-pointless-post-just-aw-for-my-sisters-bridal-party#latest

OurWildKingdom

helenasue said:

Do your bridesmaids all have different dresses too? I heard the rule for mix and match was either different dresses, same color or different shades, same dress. I'm worried that different colors will end up looking like a hodge podge.

Not necessarily. Different tints in the same color family (say, the light green you picked, emerald green, and hunter green) usually look good together. Also, finding a dress style that flatters everyone is even harder than finding a color that everyone looks good in. Even if you had your bridesmaids all wearing LBDs, the odds are that they would not want to wear the same style, nor would they all look good in the same style.

ILoveBeachMusic

I agree to let them pick out color (within a range) and dress. I would look totally washed out in a pastel but in a more vibrant pinky coral I'm fine. No pastel green for me!

SP29

You really have to be careful with pastels. Not that you can't do it, but I'd be less inclined to pick one pastel for everyone, versus letting each person pick their pastel colour. I agree the nude might be too nude. I also agree a more vibrant coral is going to work generally better than a pastel.

Personally, I would pick a neutral such as navy or grey (or even something like royal blue would go with your colours) for the dresses, then use your wedding colours in the bouquets to give the pop of colour. You could also have your MOH wear one of your wedding colours, but let her pick the colour she prefers.

ernursej

helenasue said:

Do your bridesmaids all have different dresses too? I heard the rule for mix and match was either different dresses, same color or different shades, same dress. I'm worried that different colors will end up looking like a hodge podge.

The best looking mix and match will see similar families of colours and styles of dresses but there are no rules to follow. If your maids are happy and feel comfortable, the photos will look so much better.

I also vote for a neutral dress colour and then use your desired colours for flowers or even a sash.