ordering bridesmaid dresses without actually seeing one?

LilyAnna06

Has anyone ordered their bridesmaid dresses without  actually seeing the dress?I am down to the last minute when it comes tto getting them ordered. I thought this would be easy- I only have 3 bridesmaids, and they're all 5'1'' to 5'4'', and size 8 and under. My color is blue, and I had the hardest time finding a light blue that wasn't totally hideous. The only other requirement that I really had was that the dress had straps, and NOT spaghetti straps (requirement of our church that they had enough coverage), and finding a dress with straps seems next-to-impossible. I finally found a beautiful, flattering dress by Jim Hjelm that I loved, and two of my BMs looked beautiful in.... except for the MOH with her DD boobs. There was just no way to make it work on her.I really couldn't stand the thought of going back to square one, plus we get a 25% discount for ordering them from this store. I wanted to pick another dress by the same designer so I could stay with my fabric/color choice, but I didn't like any of the other  dresses they had in stock, so I picked another one I like from the website. I called every boutique in the area that carries this line, but none have it in stock.The boutique tells me it will be fine since they really just order them by measurements anyway, but I'm really nervous... anyone else done this before? Did it turn out OK? Is this a terrible idea?This is the dress- it's pretty basic:http://www.jlmcouture.com/Jim-Hjelm-Occasions/Bridesmaid/Additional/Style-5671

LilyAnna06

btw- I'm paying for the girls' dresses, so while I do want them to be happy with the way they look, I think that gives me the final say. Also, the dress that did not fit my large-chested bridesmaid was a V-neck that didn't give her enough coverage, I'm hoping this dress has corrected this problem...

mbcdefg

The important thing is what your MOH thinks of it. Did you show her this dress yet? If so, what did she say?I also don't think it's very fair for you to just pick out a dress on her behalf, especially if she can't try it on. (This is assuming that you just chose this off the website and will tell her, "This is what you're wearing" - if I'm wrong then please correct me.)I would just tell her to pick a dress from Jim Hjelm in the fabric, color and length of the other BMs' dress, and that has suitable straps, and ask her to send you the link so you can approve it. I don't think you should pick a dress out FOR her. If she picks another style then maybe it will be available to try on at a local salon.

bablingbrooke

I would give her the color, length, and designer and let her find something that works. It sounds like she tried on the other one so she should know what the general look is that she's going for. You could even have the other BMs do the same thing so she isn't singled out. It's asking for too much trouble to order something and have it not fit--the alterations may cost more than the dress if you have to make a lot of changes. What's more, even though you're paying, that doesn't mean the BM should have to wear something that makes her look ridiculous. And that would defeat the purpose of this whole exercise, since you're doing it specifically so that she will look good in the dress.

leeshab1982

What are your MOH's thoughts on this issue?  I understand you're paying (that's very generous of you), but she is the one who has to wear it.  I don't think it'd be fair to just order her a dress and force her to wear it, no matter who is paying for it.  Imagine a bride's parents offering to pay for her dress...does that mean they should get to pick it out for her??  Can you show her the dress that you're considering and then let her browse around for similar styles?  She might be able to find something that she thinks would work well for her body.  Maybe some stores would have that style in stock, too.  If she does like the dress you've picked out, then you guys need to decide together if it'd be okay to order online without seeing it.  Maybe you can find a similar dress (maybe a different designer) in a store for her to try on.  Personally, I'd be very nervous about ordering something that I've never seen in person or tried on.  In any case, I think it needs to be a joint decision between you and your MOH, not just something that you decide on your own.Good luck! 

anniechu10

How much is the dress anyway, if you don't mind me asking? I just happen to like the dress..Re: your question, if the person you're conflicted about is your MOH, then the solution is rather easy. MOH's often have different dresses than the bridesmaids. Ask her to find a style you can both agree on, in the same color and fabric. Plus, you're paying for it so.. I think it's fair.

mbcdefg

Another option, if a Jim Hjelm won't work out, would be to allow her to get a complementing dress from someplace else in your opposite wedding color. Like PP said, a lot of brides have their Maids of Honor in a different style and/or color.

TheFutureMrsM-LoungingBeachside

I ordered mine sight unseen of Nordstrom's website (they were $50 off the original price so under $100....but also no longer available in stores).  They turned out to be awesome dresses but ran a bit small (which would have been nice to know ahead of time if we could have tried them on in the store).  Since they were off the rack I was able to order plenty of extra dresses and return the unneeded ones.  I'd be thrilled to be using them except we have now decided to have each girl in a different dress.  One of MOH's is still wearing the original dress though.

LilyAnna06

I actually don't know how much that dress is because I have yet to find a boutique that actually sells it But the other floor-length Jim Hjelm dresses in that fabric ran $250 - $280.  However, I live in a really cheap midwestern city and I'm not sure how those prices hold up anywhere else.

mbcdefg

Contact PearlsPlace.com for a quote on the Jim Hjelm dresses. A girl on my local got her BMs' dresses through them, and it was $100 less (per dress) than it would've been in her salon. The site is legit - it's an actual store in Louisiana. You're just paying the wholesale price rather than a salon's marked-up price.

aerinpegadrak

Clothing is the one thing I refuse to order online.  Even if all the measurements are right, there's still no guarantee it will look the same way on me as it does on the model.  It would suck if the dress arrived and your MOH hated the way it looked on her.

stahlop

I showed my girls the dress I liked online, they all loved it, but only the MOH got to try it on beforehand, and it was too small, so we really couldn't get a good idea of what it would look like.  We decided to order them anyway and they all look great (or will with some altering, we ordered way too big on two of the girls, those size charts suck).  But we basically didn't get to try it on beforehand.  The sample size was too small for 2 of the girls and too big for the other two.