Calling all mismatched bridesmaids!

aerinpegadrak

At the request of another Knottie, I'm starting a thread for everyone who didn't have their bridesmaids in matching dresses to share their experiences and pictures.  (I'd suggest that it be a sticky, but we already have so damn many of those.  Maybe a link to this in the FAQ sticky?)

Aaaaaand... GO!

gottahavashorti

Oh, and the BM in the middle did manage to re-wear her dress to another wedding recently.  She would have settled for a dress she was just okay with or couldn't re-wear, kept her eye out for one that she'd be able to wear to another wedding since I was letting them choose their own style, have some veto power in terms of color, and she was attending a ton of weddings this year.

mbcdefg

MOH is the blonde on the left, BM is the brunette on the right.

Both dresses were silk taffetta cocktail dresses from AnnTaylor.com. MOH is in a v-neck dress, BM is in scoop-neck. (They had a choice between those two and a third version, which was strapless.)

I provided the green sashes. I also provided green pashminas and BM elected to wear hers during our ceremony Mass.

They wore black shoes of their choice. MOH is wearing a faux pearl necklace and bracelet, no earrings; BM is wearing a diamond eternity pendant and small hoop earrings. I didn't see any of this until the wedding day. They decided to use the makeup artist I booked for myself, but the three of us each went to a different hair salon.

ehathewa

I don't have pics yet.  But I gave my girls the option of any Apple Red long dress from David's Bridal.  They all chose different styles and I think it will look great! 

Miss_Sophia

I picked out 3 or 4 styles that came in the marine (navy) satin from David's Bridal. My 5 BMs picked the one they liked best. Three of them actually ended up with the same one.

I told them any black shoe, be comfy they're your feet! Plus one of them will be 7 months pregnant on the day of my wedding so I really wanted her to be able to walk. I'm wearing flats why should I force them into 4 inch heels.

I found these pretty pearl necklaces at TJ Maxx but the rest of the jewelry is up to them if they want to wear anything.

stina93446

Here's mine!

Requirements:

Jim Hjelm black dress

Tafetta family

able to put a belt around it

knee length

3 of them have worn them again! It's pretty crazy!

artbyallie

No pictures, since my wedding isn't for another 9 months (almost exactly ), but my bridesmaids are all in different shades as well as styles. MOH is wearing a blue/white print, one girl is in light blue (Capri at DB), one is in Cornflower--she's actually planning to make her own dress, one is in Horizon, and one is in Marine. I've requested that they choose knee-length, doesn't have to be from David's (I sent swatches to match the color), any kind of black shoes, and I'm making freshwater pearl and clear crystal necklaces and bracelets. All of them love their colors, and I think they'll look great.

gottahavashorti

I love the look of same length dresses in a variety of shades of the same color/within the same color scheme.  I haven't seen any posts about that in awhile.  Does anyone still have those pictures saved?  I know buttaflai's bio had some of her BMs in pink and purple dresses, and there were a few other great examples.

aerinpegadrak

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_calling-mismatched-bridesmaids?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:a11a0721-5305-44d5-83c5-fea8c61a3177Post:d896b085-f0f7-440d-a7de-c416c67def92">Re: Calling all mismatched bridesmaids!</a>:
[QUOTE]I love the look of same length dresses in a variety of shades of the same color/within the same color scheme.  I haven't seen any posts about that in awhile.  Does anyone still have those pictures saved?  I know buttaflai's bio had some of her BMs in pink and purple dresses, and there were a few other great examples.
Posted by gottahavashorti[/QUOTE]
Offbeat Bride has some nice ones: <a href="http://offbeatbride.com/2008/09/non-matching-bridesmaid-dresses" rel="nofollow">http://offbeatbride.com/2008/09/non-matching-bridesmaid-dresses</a>

duckie1905

I just had all my BMs pick any black dress.  Everyone was happy and everyone looked amazing!

http://matthewandchristine.shutterfly.com/

Adrini76

I knew what I would be doing with bridesmaids (and who they would be) right off. I have only a few close friends, and one sister I'm really close to. 

We are all history buffs so I'm going to give them some fabric samples, and have told them I want a historic dress of any period. It just needs to the well made and suitable to the level of importance. No repeating colors. It works with the historic venue to! I have been told there's one medieval and one flapper already. One more to go and I have no clue what she'll choose. They seem to be having a blast with it. 

SEWF

I haven't had my wedding yet, but my 4 bridesmaids live in three different states. So I sent them all paint strips of my colors from the hardware store and told them to find dresses in those colors. I want them to get something they can wear again.

nikiandchris

I'm pretty laid back, so I knew from the beginning I was going to let my girls pick their dresses. I told them pick whatever they felt comfortable and beautiful in. They all have different body types so I knew we wouldn't find something that looked great on all of them-- and I didn't want any one of them to feel like they were the one that looked the worst in that style.

We went to David's Bridal together because they have so many options, and they literally just scattered and attacked the racks. Between the 5 of them, I'm pretty sure every style of floor length dress was tried on at least once. It was fun to watch and help them decide. They all picked different dresses and they all look great.

For shoes I told them wear anything black. Wear the pair of shoes you have in your closet, or buy new ones. You can find black in many styles any time of year.

deb84

I also do not have pictures yet as I am not married yet but I am letting them choose.  As long as it is Mori Lee the Affairs collection in grape I do not care at all what dress they wear.  Shoes I also don't care as long as they are all the same color...more than likely black and no flip flops.   People look their best when they are comfortable and happy with what they are wearing!!!!

mmgumbel

We just picked dresses over the weekend... I am very organized and like consistency... I was adamant that the older girls would wear long and the younger would wear short... but they would be the same... A couple of hours later... all 4 have different dresses... My MOH is in a long dress... the other 3 are in short... The consistent element: brooches... My MOH will have brooches on the straps... the other 3 will have a sash with a side brooch... All dresses are graphite with a silver sash....

I wanted them to be able to wear the dresses again... They are all very thin but all different heights and body styles... some look good in pleats... some do not... I am beyond thrilled they are all wearing different dresses!  

I will post pictures in a little over 5 months!  

DavidandAmyClark

I want to see more pictures!!!

I just wanted to thank you for doing this.  I have asked my BMs about what kind of dress they like and all of them love something different and hate something everyone else loves!!
As an artist/teacher I really feel the need to at least have them in the same color!  I am horrified by all of them being slightly different shades of blue.  So I am thinking of picking a fabric, color and designer and letting the girlies have at it.

SO its nice to see them working out, cause i am leaning towards doing this now. 

pinkfleurdelys

i had at first told my sister i didn't want to have a matching dress, but the same color would be okay, but i think now we are going to have the same dress.  since there is only me and one other BM, sis thinks it will look weird.

i thought the same fabric, different shades thing would be cool too, but not with only two girls. 

we are also getting our dresses from aria, because i'm picky and plus size and busty and won't wear a strapless bra. 

i'm not sure if we're wearing matching shoes or not, i think so because our dresses are short. and i'm pretty sure sis decided she wanted our shoes to match our dresses, not be like black or silver, and i think we're wearing purple.  she's not getting married until may, but as soon as she picked her dress she started working on ours, because again, i'm picky.  and in her first wedding i looked like a beached whale and ruined her pics, and refuse to do that again.