5 Bridesmaid Dress Shopping Tips From Top Designer Joanna August

By Joanna August

Updated on 5/29/2016 at 9:00 AM

Planning a wedding is a daunting task to begin with, but it can be made that much more difficult if your bridesmaids all have different opinions when it comes to their dresses. Before you get overwhelmed by the prospect, read through these five expert tips on picking out bridesmaid dresses from top designer Joanna August.

Joanna August

Picking out bridesmaids dresses can be a stressful part of the wedding process, especially if your friends are set on pushing their own views and opinions! You want your bridesmaids to be happy, but at the end of the day, it's your wedding and your decision! Follow these dress shopping tips and you can have the best of both worlds.

  1. Be flexible, and keep it modern! The traditional one style for an entire wedding party can come off as old-fashioned. Your friends have different bodies, different personalities, and different quirks – Letting them express themselves through their dress choice is not only going to make for happier bridesmaids, but also for a more unique, modern, and stylish aesthetic.
  2. Set clear parameters for your bridesmaids. We love the trend of letting bridesmaids pick their own dresses, but most brides still want some sense of control over what their bridal party is going to look like! Tell each of your friends to pick her top 2-3 styles and colors, and then make the final decisions yourself. That way, each bridesmaid retains some individuality and self-expression, but you have control over the overall look!
  3. If you decide to go the traditional made-to-order route, order your bridesmaid dresses 4-6 months before your wedding. Make sure you leave enough time for alterations and unforeseen issues – It's better to be safe than sorry! However, there are also now so many places where you can buy dresses off the rack (Shopbop, BHLDN, Nordstrom, etc.), that allow you to purchase dresses much closer to the event. If you decide to go that route, make sure you're open to different color and style options in case the store is out of a particular style/color combination!
  4. Have more than one style option if you have a lot of variation in body type in a wedding party. At the end of the day, one style rarely fits all, and the key to having a happy (and good looking!) wedding party is to make sure each girl feels good, and is wearing a dress that offers the appropriate fit and coverage for her assets.
  5. Pick one element to make all of the dresses come together for one cohesive look. For example, if you like ruffles, make sure each dress has a ruffle detail, or if you like the look of braided straps, incorporate that detail in different ways on each dress. The cohesive element can also be the color! We love the look of bridal parties that choose to wear all different styles but in the same color.