How to pick their dresses?

LDYGTR13

I have absolutely NO idea how to go about picking bridesmaid dresses. The girls have all given me their opinions but I dont want their dresses to not be cohesive with mine obviously - how in the world do I do this? Is there some sort of protocol?? Yeah, I'm totally oblivious. Thanks for the help!

bablingbrooke

You have a few options:

1.  Go shopping together and pick something out.  If this is at all feasible, I highly recommend it--much fun.

2.  Give them guidelines (length/designer/color/fabric) and ask them to pick something out on their own but ask them to run it by you first before they buy.  

3.  Pick out several dresses in their price range and tell them they can wear any of them.

4.  Pick something out for them.  Not recommended because a) you never know how the dress will actually look on them and b) BMs may really dislike it and that will show in the photos.

I wouldn't worry about "cohesion" with you beyond the dress(es) matching the formality of the wedding.  

jagore08

I did Brooke's #2 suggestion.  It was nice because my girls are all different heights, shapes, and sizes.  They were all able to find something they felt comfortable in.

stefani103

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_pick-their-dresses?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:d20b8dad-fb9a-420f-b87f-7a2c0f586d84Post:55c1a2bb-b45f-4282-8c97-17c749d83ace">Re: How to pick their dresses?</a>:
[QUOTE]You have a few options: 1.  Go shopping together and pick something out.  If this is at all feasible, I highly recommend it--much fun. 2.  Give them guidelines (length/designer/color/fabric) and ask them to pick something out on their own but ask them to run it by you first before they buy.   3.  Pick out several dresses in their price range and tell them they can wear any of them. 4.  Pick something out for them.  Not recommended because a) you never know how the dress will actually look on them and b) BMs may really dislike it and that will show in the photos. I wouldn't worry about "cohesion" with you beyond the dress(es) matching the formality of the wedding.  
Posted by bablingbrooke[/QUOTE]

I recommend Option 1. If not feasible, go with 2 or 3. Don't dress them, they're not your dolls, for exactly the reasons Brooke stated.

I get the cohesion thing. But you also want them to look nice in their dresses, right? And, more importantly, you want them to feel good in their dresses.

suz62984

First you need to decide what you want. Long or short? Color? Strapless? All the same or different styles?

If your dress is simple you need them to have a simple dress. If your dress has lots of beading, lace, etc. you can have something with more detail. Get your WP's budgets up front and then start looking around online to see what you like.

I figured out what I wanted, got the budget and then picked 3-4 dresses. I emailed each to my BMs, they tried them on at their convenience (all OOT) and let me know which ones they liked.  Out of 5 BMs all picked my top pick as their #1.

stina93446

I did Brooke's #2 choice. It was GREAT and everyone loved the process, especially me!

mbcdefg

I e-mailed each of them for their budget before I started looking around. I knew I wanted black dresses, possibly with green sashes, and when I tossed that idea around with my two BMs in the beginning they agreed.

AnnTaylor.com was running a sale on Cyber Monday, so I found three knee-length, silk taffeta dresses with different necklines. I e-mailed them to the girls and asked what they thought. MOH bought one, liked it and kept it; BM bought two, returned both (didn't like one, and the style she liked didn't fit properly) and purchased the one she liked in a new size. I gave them green sashes I had previously bought and asked them to try them on with their dresses, and said we could nix that idea if the sashes weren't flattering, but both said that the sashes would be fine.

From the time I sent out the "What do you think of these dresses?" e-mail, to the time that they each had a properly-fitting dress in their hands (before alterations, which they'll get at local tailors of their choice), was about a week and a half. VERY easy process. They are wearing any shoes and jewelry they want - I bought the sashes, pashmina shawls and clutch purses for them.