Wedding Wednesday: Mastering Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses

One of the things I knew while planning my wedding, was that I wanted my girls in different dresses. Not only different styles of the same color, but varying shades of one color and dresses that were completely different. Being a bridesmaid is a big deal. You are in photos that the couple will have plastered on their walls (both Facebook & physical) and Instagram feeds forever. You have to walk down an aisle with all eyes on you and then stand in front of 100+ people for a good chunk of time. You have to stay in whatever you are wearing until (usually) the wee hours of the morning. Lastly, bridesmaid dresses aren’t cheap. I wanted each girl to choose a dress that was a price they were comfortable spending. All that being said, you want to be comfortable and confident in what you are wearing. So I wanted my girls to choose a silhouette and shade that they felt best suited them. Some of my tips for executing this well are outlined in this post!

1. Set some ground rules.

When I asked my bridesmaids to be in my wedding, I gave them a card with paint color swatches from Home Depot for inspiration (yes I went in and stole like 40 paint swatches, sorry Home Depot). While this wasn’t a strict “you must choose one of these colors” rule, it showed the range of what exactly I had in mind. I also told everyone they had to get a color and dress style approved through me, mostly to be sure no one chose the same dress or same color if they were standing directly next to each other. My only big rule was no long sleeves (because of my dress being long sleeved).

2. Be flexible.

It may not be a Pinterest-perfect color range, but don’t stress it. It will look beautiful and your girls will be happy because they feel their best. That’s what matters!

3. Choose a color with a large range that is sold widely.

This one is kind of obvious. But some color ranges aren’t ideal. Wine is a tough one because there is not much wiggle room for multiple dresses. Another tough one is green. There is a spectrum of lime to hunter, but those colors won’t go together on a range of dresses.

Pink is really the best color for this in my opinion, while champagne & purple are also good for this. Blush and deep pink really play well off of each other so you have a wide range. Pink & champagne also are widely sold in stores so it is easy for girls to find multiple silhouettes of dresses.

4. Think outside the box.

Most people think of bridal stores when they think bridesmaid dresses, but online is actually one of your best bets. I like Lulu’s because their dresses are affordable and high quality and they have a lot. Asos is also amazing because of free 2-day shipping and great prices. You can always return what colors/styles look different in person.

5. Place girls dependent on their shade.

The order girls walk and stand at the front can be changed depending on the color range. If someone falls in love with a color, let them have it and put them in the line accordingly. 2 people love blush? Put them staggered in the line so they don’t stand directly next to each other. Not rocket science — but hey, things to think about!

Hope these little tips and tricks helped those of you who want to try to execute the mismatched dress trend. I truly loved the way mine turned out!

xoxo,

Savannah Jayne

Photos by the incredible Laura Memory Photography.

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