Brides have to make hundreds, if not thousands, of decisions when planning a wedding. Choosing bridesmaid dresses, though, has to be one of the trickiest. Finding a dress that an entire group of women agrees on can be a feat.

Bridesmaid dresses should be pretty, fit the theme, and complement the bride without upstaging her. But navigating different body shapes, dress styles, and budgets can make the task feel impossible.

Don’t let choosing the bridesmaids’ dresses stress you out, though. With the right preparation, the process can be smooth for brides and bridesmaids.

Make Some Decisions First

Whether you have three bridesmaids or nine, you can bet you’re going to hear a lot of opinions. Everyone has different style preferences and that influences what they like.

As the bride, it’s a good idea to make some decisions before you open the floor to hear what your bridesmaids have to say.

Here’s where you’ll also want to decide who’s paying for the dresses. Regardless of if you or the bridesmaids are paying, you want to be mindful of the budget, which can be a sensitive subject for many.

You may know exactly what you want or only have an idea, but making some decisions about the bridesmaids’ dresses beforehand will help guide the selection process.

To Match or Not to Match

In recent years, mix and matching bridesmaid dresses have become popular. The dresses may be different styles but the same color or the same dress in different colors.

Or they may be completely different dresses that complement each other. Regardless, you’ll want to decide how much you want the bridesmaid dresses to match each other.

Matching ensures that everyone looks cohesive. But choosing to mix and match can look visually interesting. It depends on your wedding preference.

Factor in Color

The colors for your bridesmaid dresses are typically the colors of your wedding. Your bridesmaids could be dressed in all one color, in various shades of a single color, or in multiple different colors, depending on your preference.

Whichever color scheme you decide to go with, it’s a good idea to get a sample of the color or colors you like on the fabric you’re considering.

The same color can often look different on different fabrics, so getting a sample can prevent minor tonal differences you wouldn’t have known about.

Style Details

The style of the dress is often where people raise the most concern. With different body shapes and sizes, your bridesmaids likely want to complement some body parts and hide others. And often not the same ones.

Season can also affect some style details. Warmer weddings often feature shorter or backless options, while the colder months may opt for dresses with sleeves. Click for more bridesmaid dresses with sleeves.

Consider your bridesmaids and what style details, such as backless, sleeves or no sleeves, length, neckline, and silhouette, will look on everyone. Because of this, mixing and matching dresses can ensure everyone is comfortable.

Bridesmaid Dresses Everyone Loves

Getting an entire group to agree on something can be a challenge, no matter what it is. When it comes to clothing, people can have strong opinions. So choosing bridesmaid dresses everyone loves can feel like an uphill battle.

Brides have enough wedding stress as it is and choosing bridesmaid dresses shouldn’t add it is. But if you go into the process knowing what you want and ready to make decisions, you’ll come out with dresses everyone loves.

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