The classic trend for bridesmaid dresses that exists for many years now is to use gowns of identical design. Wedding photos look neat when all of the bridesmaids are dressed in outfits in the same color, style, length, with the same embellishments, etc. On the other hand, modern wedding trends allow to add more personality to everything regarding a wedding, so a lot of couples today let their bridesmaids to wear slightly or even very different outfits. What option suits you better? Let’s try to find out.
Pros of matching and mismatched bridesmaid outfits
Pros of having matching bridesmaid dresses:
- you’ll get a classic traditional look;
- nice neat wedding photos;
- less headache with choosing the right style for each bridesmaid (although, you might get more complaints);
- less problems with color matching – it can be hard to get several gowns in different style but exactly the same color, or the colors might look the same in person but differ in the photos;
- the price and material is the same, so no one will get a worse quality dress and it’ll be easier to understand the expenses. If your bridesmaids pay for their own dresses, they won’t be tempted to buy a more expensive gown just to show off;
- it’s guaranteed your bridesmaids will give the same vibe and you don’t have to worry about your bridal party looking chaotic and mismatched in a bad way.
Identical bridesmaid dresses
Bridesmaid dresses tip! If your bridesmaids pay for their outfits, make sure the dress your pick for them costs $200 or less. In case you want really fancy and expensive gowns for your bridesmaids, take care of the expenses yourself – you don’t know their financial situation at the moment.
Pros of having mismatched bridesmaid outfits:
- one style can’t fit everybody, so unless your bridesmaids are twins or something, they won’t look equally good in the same dress design. If their feelings matter to you, think about it;
- when you allow your bridesmaids to have a bit of freedom with their gowns, you get a lot less stress with choosing the right dress. Like, A LOT less stress;
- your bridesmaids will feel comfortable and happy wearing whatever they picked for themselves (of course, it should fit the concept and basic style of your wedding), which means they will try harder to pay you back and make your wedding day perfect for you;
- every bridesmaid can pick a dress that works with her wallet because, again, you don’t know her situation;
- you’ll get a modern, personalized look to your wedding. Some people consider matching bridesmaid dresses to be old-fashioned and even draconian toward your bridesmaids’ feelings. Modern wedding trends tend to be less traditional and less strictly established.
How to make mismatched bridesmaid gowns work?
With matching bridesmaid dresses, everything is clear – you just pick the right size for each person, the rest is identical. But how to make it work with mismatched bridesmaid gowns? How to make your bridal party look neat and give off the same vibe? Here are a few useful tips.
Tip #1
Use same color
You can have option #1. Choose the color for all your bridesmaid gowns and let them pick the style and design of outfits they want. It can even be a pantsuit or jumpsuit instead of a dress – such mismatched outfits, surprisingly, often look great in wedding photos.
Option #2. But usually, people just take the same color, fabric, and embellishments and order gowns with different sleeve length, type of a neckline, maybe length of a hem, and so on. So, just small adjustments to the same general style of a bridesmaid dress. This way, every gown shows the personality of a certain bridesmaid but, in general, they all look tuned.
Bridesmaid dresses in the same style and color but with different top designs
Option #3. Or you can allow your bridesmaids to order a dress in another fabric but the same color. It will probably look a bit different and not as identical as with the same fabric. If this is your choice, ask for a fabric sample so that you could see in person and maybe take some photos – to understand if the outfits will fit.
Tip #2
Use color palette – not single shade but combine several colors
Of course, these colors should be from the same color palette to fit each other. Give your bridesmaids the palette (say, 2-3 colors) and let them pick the shade they look best in. Because very often, it’s not the style of a dress that women complain about but the color – everyone has their skin tone, hair color, eye color, etc.
Very different personalized bridesmaid dresses in one color palette
When you go with this option, it would be wonderful if your bridesmaids had dresses in the same design and fabric. Only the shades should differ. Otherwise, the whole idea of bridesmaid gowns in the same color palette will loose its charm.
Tip #3
Use conjoint element
It can be a certain accessory that every bridesmaid wears. Or a certain element of a dress – off-shoulder gown, specific bow at the waist, long-sleeved dress, and so on. Often, it’s the length of bridesmaid dresses. Gowns of the same length always look better and more consistent, even when the top part if different. So, basically, choose something that will be in common for all your bridesmaid dresses and make it the main accent.
Tip #4
Shop bridesmaid dresses in the same store
It helps a lot to buy your bridesmaid gowns in the same store because usually, the are made more or less in the same style, even when the color is different or they’re accessories differently. If this option is available for you and your bridesmaids, use the same shop. You can even organize a fun gathering to find the right dresses.
