Beautiful
Bridesmaids!
Written by Lisa Merton
So, you’re getting married, and you’ve
asked your best friends and sisters to join you on your big
day – but what will they wear? There are so many different
options when it comes to bridesmaids’ outfits these
days … here are some helpful, stress-free ideas to get
your bridesmaids looking superb on your wedding day!
The First Step
Without a doubt, you need to select YOUR outfit first …
no matter what anyone says, you are DEFINITELY priority number
one in the fashion stakes, and until the bride has selected
her gown, the bridesmaids should wait their turn! I have often
seen brides get carried away or distracted by their bridesmaids’
enthusiasm, excitedly buying their dresses first, only to
discover they have to compromise with their own wedding gown
in order to match the bridesmaids! Don’t let this happen
to you! Before you and your partner even begin to look for
wedding outfits, sit down together and discuss the “look”
and “feel” you both want for your wedding, with
location, ceremony, reception, music, food and wine, entertainment,
as well as fashion and colours. Talk about your ideas in depth,
so you both know what sort of theme, mood or setting you are
aiming for. This helps immensely once you have a direction
to head in when it comes to bridal gowns as well as bridesmaids
attire… formal and traditional, relaxed and casual,
exotic or eccentric, colourful or subtle?
Once you have thoroughly researched, looked
around and tried on at least a few different gowns, make your
decision and if you wish, take your bridesmaids along so they
can see your gown and understand the look you will have for
the big day. Try to get a photo or sketch of your wedding
gown, plus a small cutting or swatch of the fabric so you
have a record of colour and texture. Once your gown is confirmed,
you are ready to start looking for your bridesmaids! Have
an informal meal together as a group to brainstorm your ideas,
together with your girls, before you hit the stores. Arrange
a few Saturdays when you can all go and look, at least 3-4
months before the wedding when possible.
Styling
Matching bridesmaids or individual styles … that is
the question! Aussie actress Rachel Griffith was recently
quoted as saying “Grown women should never wear matching
frocks!” There is a lot of truth in that statement,
and these days traditions can be changed to suit the mood
of the day and the taste of the bride and groom. If your bridesmaids
have drastically different figures, heights and colourings,
I thoroughly recommend NOT to dress them in matching outfits,
as it looks old-fashioned and does not do any favours to the
less attractive girls in the group. Instead, you can use the
same colours and/or fabrics, but allow each bridesmaid to
choose a style that suits her personality, figure and hair
colour. Metallic colours are super-hot right now, so selecting
a range of pale gold or shimmery silver evening dresses in
various shapes and sizes would look fabulous on a group of
different-looking bridesmaids. Alternatively, each girl can
be in a different colour, for example a mix of complimentary
pastels such as lilac, pale blue and soft mint green. For
a more exotic beach wedding, bridesmaids in a mix of bright
tropical colours such as hot pink, deep purple and vivid emerald
green can work magic against a sunny blue sky and sparkling
ocean backdrop. Try to think outside the square, and consider
multi-cultural looks such as Asian Cheong-Sam dresses in rich
oriental brocades, or bridesmaids outfits made from ornate
Indian saris … these can work splendidly when mixed
with a well-planned theme that is carried through to the food,
music and decorations. If the bride is wearing a bold coloured
gown, why not dress all the bridesmaids in white or ivory
for a creative, contrasting look!
Strapless bodices and long A-line skirts
have become almost a uniform for bridesmaids these days. For
a different look, try bias-cut satin slip dresses with floaty
crushed wraps, or lace skirts teamed with cute camisoles and
fresh flowers in the hair. Cocktail dresses that fall below
the knee or above the ankle, rather than full-length, can
look funky, modern and fresh, as opposed to the much more
formal full length dress or skirt. Sexiness is always glamourous,
and does not have to be too raunchy … do not over-do
the hair, make-up or accessories and keep it simple to achieve
a classy look. Fifties-style dresses that are strapless and
cinched in the waist, flaring out to mid-calf length are very
“in vogue” right now, and look fabulous done in
pretty colours, worn with pointy-toed sling-back heels and
cute clutch bags. Velvet is another look that works well for
bridesmaids, especially in Autumn and Winter, with “vintage”
styling and accessories to evoke a romantic edge. And for
the truly innovative, perfectly fitting tailored pants with
sassy strapless bustiers and smart cropped jackets create
a feminine “tuxedo style” that works in just about
any colour imaginable!
Head to Oxford St in Paddington to begin
your bridesmaids search … visit Lisa Ho, Alannah Hill,
Charlie Brown and La Bella Donna, to name but a few boutiques,
then wander through Paddington markets on a Saturday morning
before exploring the many smaller boutiques nearby, such as
Chic and Sarah Jane. Then head into the city, and check out
the huge range at David Jones Elizabeth St store, before visiting
the Queen Victoria building and surrounding malls and arcades.
For bridesmaids on a tighter budget, “Kiss” boutique
in Sydney Central Plaza offers a selection of well-priced
separates and dresses, whilst the bigger chain stores Harts
and also Hiltons have good eveningwear basics (both of these
found in suburban malls).
Budgets
Every wedding is unique, and budget plays a big part in determining
how far you can go when it comes to your bridesmaids’
outfits. Your bridesmaids will be contributing financially
throughout their involvement in your wedding- such as hens’
night, shower teas or lunch parties, engagement and wedding
gifts, plus devoting their precious time to help you in every
way they can, so consider their financial positions when you
think about budgets. It is highly recommended you discuss
the proposed budget with your girls BEFORE you start looking
at dresses, to avoid stress, confusion and disappointment.
Generally speaking, most brides contribute
to their bridesmaids’ outfits by around 30% to 50%,
sometimes more. Accessories such as jewellery, shoes, wraps,
gloves, etc should also be added to the fashion budget. And
don’t forget about the beauty elements: hair and make-up
on the day, correct lingerie, fake tan or waxing, facials,
etc….these extra costs can really add up! Most brides
give their bridesmaids a gift on the morning of the wedding,
as a thank-you for all their help and support. This gift could
be jewellery to go with their outfit, or covering the cost
of professional make-up or hair styling…it’s up
to you!
As a general guide for the prices of bridesmaids dresses (not
including accessories), the following categories are helpful:-
HIRE- simply hiring dresses for the day…
costs around $100-$350 per bridesmaid. Outfits need to be
returned on the next business day. Prices usually (but not
always) include dry cleaning costs.
OFF THE RACK- this means purchasing ready-made
dresses in boutiques or department stores, or at markets such
as Paddington, Bondi or Balmain….costs from $100 to
$1000 plus, per girl, depending on budgets. Remember that
if the girls are not standard sizes, alterations may be needed,
and can cost around $30 to $100 extra per bridesmaid.
LOCAL DRESSMAKER- find a ready-made pattern
from Lincraft, or pictures from a magazine, and get a dressmaker,
Mum or friend to copy it. You generally supply all the fabrics
and linings, and give strict instructions on what you want.
The bridesmaids then attend a few fittings to ensure the dresses
are made correctly… costs from approx $300 to $600,
including fabrics, per bridesmaid.
COUTURE- have a designer make the bridesmaids’
dresses, either using a style from their existing range, or
by designing exclusive outfits especially for you. The designer
would generally supply all fabrics and trims, offer a wide
range of colours, and the finished dresses would be of very
high standard in quality and fit. The bridesmaids would need
to attend approx 4 or 5 fittings to ensure a perfect fit…
costs from $600 to $1200 plus, depending on fabrics, styling
and amount of labour involved.
ACCESSORIES AND EXTRA’S
As a rough guide:-
Shoes: $75 - $150 per bridesmaid.
Jewellery: $30- $100 for reasonable necklace and earrings,
per girl.
Wraps or scarves:- if needed, around $40- $100 per bridesmaid.
Lingerie: approx $50 per girl.
Hair styling: from $40 - $100 per girl on the wedding day
Make-up: from $40- $90 per girl on the day
With a bit of creativity, lots of
research and most of all, thoughtfulness and consideration
to everyone involved, selecting dresses for your bridesmaids
should be a fun and stress-free experience. Don’t be
afraid to try something new and different, as it is always
much more memorable and could make the difference between
a “nice” wedding and an “outstanding”
one!
This article has been reproduced on Wedding Central Australia with permission. © Lisa Merton 2003. All Rights Reserved.
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