The Bridesmaid Dress Dilemma

So you just got engaged and now the task ahead of you is HUGE! There are so many decisions to be made and opinions to take into account, and mothers and grandmothers to please, etc (you get the point.) I wanted to share some thoughts and trends on picking your bridal party attire. The days of boring wedding gear are out. Today's bridal parties are sleek and stylish. No longer do you need to order 8 plain, a-line dresses that you yourself would never wear again. In fact, brides are becoming more bold in their choices, and this is leading to more brand names, patterns, and fun in the bridesmaid dress department.

In 2009 I will personally be in 3 weddings and I think that number is climbing with some many of my friends getting engaged. So with all this love in the air and weddings to attend I have been researching wedding attire. To create a more modern look for your bridal party here are some stores that you might have never thought about to look for bridesmaid dresses. Anthropologie is a wonderful resource to find dresses with personality. They have an array of different styles, colors, and patterns that will cater to your personality and desires. Also try Nicole Miller! This designer's dresses are absolutely flawless. While these dresses can be expensive their quality and fit are truly something to rave about. There is a section devoted to bridesmaids, but I think all of her dresses would work nicely. Obviously Jcrew is always a crowd pleaser, classy and chic. They always have simple, stunning numbers that are sure to be easy on the eye and a little easier on the wallet than Nicole Miller. Do you have a "beachy" theme for your wedding, Lilly Pulitzer's dresses might be the perfect way to incorporate bright colors and cool patterns.

There are also a few bridal companies that are producing more modern cocktail dresses. Dessy is one of my favorites. They have so many different styles to choose from and almost any color you can think of. They have a few different collections so make sure your search is extensive on their websites. Dessy dresses are usually only available at bridal stores or formal wear stores.

If you have a certain color in mind but trust your friends to pick out something fabulous, give them a color swab so that everyone's "bright red" matches. You can go to Home Depot and grab paint samples of your color and then pass them out to your bridal party. This is a cost effective way to keep your bridesmaid's on the right track. Remember to give some specifications, such as "knee length", or "empire waste" so there is a sense of cohesiveness.

The whole purpose of this post was to suggest some out of the box ideas for your wedding party. What will best fit your vision? Don't be afraid of doing something in a less traditional way! Ultimately your bridesmaids will be extremely happy to be a part of your wedding, but think how confident they will feel in a dress that they love as well and will wear again.