Tag: bridesmaids dress

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Bridesmaids dress shopping: 10 valuable tips

If you thought wedding gown shopping was stressful, just wait till you start looking for your bridesmaids dresses!

Finding the right dresses for all your girls, so they not only fit into the wedding scene beautifully, but are also satisfied with your choice, can be a little too difficult to achieve. It is a challenge alright, but one that is possible to deal with. And, we are here to help you with it today.

Go with these 10 tips listed here, and you will feel the stress of bridesmaid dress shopping lifted in a big way.

#1 Remember that one dress needn’t fit all

Unfortunately, there is no single dress style that will look good on every woman. Women are built differently, and every one of your bridesmaids will have her own unique built, height, size and color. So, choosing a single design for all your girls will usually end with one of them not looking too great. Also, it is no longer the trend to have matching bridesmaids. So, be ready to be flexible with your choices. Keep your mind on the big picture—you want a cohesive look that is interesting and attractive.

We suggest you look at dresses that are similar in two or three aspects and vary the rest of the features. For example, consider the same color and different designs, or different colors with the same design. You can also check out different dresses from the same designer collection. This way, the fabric colors will match, but your bridesmaids will each have their own unique look. One word of caution; don’t give your girls free reign to pick any dress that will fit the idea. This can end up becoming haphazard, and their overall look may not come together. It is better to stick to a certain set of criteria, and let your girls find dresses that suit them, while also meeting these requirements.

#2 Discuss budget upfront

Since your bridesmaids will be paying for the dress, you should discuss the budget with them, before you go shopping. Get a clear idea of what is the maximum they can afford to pay for their dress, and make sure you do not ask them to stretch it any further than that. Remember that the amount they suggest is usually inclusive of alterations and accessories, and it will be good if you can clarify this if you aren’t certain. Then, plan your shopping budget and do your dress research based on these numbers. Once you know the amount that your bridesmaids are ready to shell out for their dresses, you can search online. Look for collections that will give you what you want, in this range. Make the most of sales, discounts and offers.

At Best for Bride, we often offer discount on bulk bookings of more than a certain number of bridesmaids dresses. So, if you search around in advance and place your orders in one go, you will most likely be able to avail of such offers and help your girls get the best deal for their money. Also remember that it isn’t necessary that to use up all the money they are ready to spend. If you find dresses at a better bargain, I am sure they’ll appreciate it if they can keep the extra cash for themselves. So, be a considerate bride. Your bridesmaids will love you for it.

#3 Start early

Just like you spend months researching and planning your wedding day look, you will need plenty of time to find your bridesmaids dresses. So, start early, and do your research several months before the wedding. The benefit of starting early is that you can make the most of any sale or offer that comes up in the months leading up to the wedding. You should have sufficient time if you start seven to eight months before the actual date. Since you will already know what you want, it is just a matter of waiting for a good deal to come up. Research is a lot of fun, when you do it online, as you can see almost every dress that will be available in store, on the boutique website.

Once you order the dresses, you will still need time to have it altered and fitted, so it is perfect in time for your wedding day. 75% of women who buy bridesmaids dresses will need alterations. While this will mostly take just one appointment, it can also take two or more depending on the type of dress chosen. So, have your bridesmaids mark their calendars for dress appointments and alteration sessions well in advance, so everything progresses smoothly.

#4 Ask your girls for their inputs

Your bridesmaids may have ideas of what they would like to wear to your wedding. Welcome their opinions. Whether you take it or not is up to you, but it won’t hurt to ask. You can share your own vision of how you expect them to dress on the day, and then ask them for their suggestions. There are several digital apps like Pinterest and Evernote, where you can share pictures and ideas with each other. So, use this to streamline and collate all the information that your friends would like to share with you.

If there are certain styles that your bridesmaids would rather not wear at all, eliminate these from your selection. Not all girls are comfortable wearing strapless dresses or ones that are too short. So, stay away from such choices unless you know they won’t mind wearing it. The same goes for colors too. Not all colors may look good with all skin tones, and if your bridesmaid is worried that she will look sickly or washed out in a particular hue, it will be good if you choose an alternative that will work. If there are silhouettes that they think would be best on them, you can plan the overall look based on it. When you know their preferences, you can choose a dress that they will get the best out of. Dresses in universally flattering colors and in silhouettes like A-line or with V-necklines look good on most body types.

#5 Go shopping by yourself the first time

This is a simple way of ensuring that your opinions are not side-lined, and you can actually see what is available. Book the first appointment with the salon and attend it by yourself or just with a friend, say, your maid of honor. We think this is essential, because some dresses that you may have shortlisted online, may look entirely different when seen directly.

So, rather than hauling all your girls down and discovering this, it helps if you do a test run yourself and make sure that what you had in mind is what you see in person. If you do not have any specific designs in mind, and intend to go with what is available in shop, you can discuss your ideas one-on-one with the shop assistant, and find out what she has to suggest. Bring the girls in later, and the actual appointment will be a lot easier. Remember that it has to be your decision finally, so prepare for the options and you will make it in a much wiser way.

#6 Ask your girls to mark their calendars, well in advance

Not all your bridesmaids may be the super-organized or easily available. So, every extra inch of time will help you with your bridesmaid dress shopping. Once you have a general idea of what you want, or perhaps have even picked out the lot that your bridesmaids will be selecting from, don’t delay getting your girls to the shop. Fix a date and ask them to make themselves available at the said time.

If you have a relatively large bridal party, with more than 4 or 5 bridesmaids, it may be a good idea to break them up into two lots. This will help you focus on those who are there at each appointment, rather than make it a noisy and busy affair. Our suggestion is that you make your picks during your first appointment session and only show these to the bridesmaids, to choose from. This way, there will be no chances of swaying too far from your opinion, and you will get the cohesive effect you wanted, in the end. Once the dresses are picked, the shop assistant will measure your girls and suggest alterations. So, schedule their fitting appointment right away, so you can get that out of the way.

#7 Delegate duties to your most reliable friends

With a wedding to happen, we know how you will be buried under wedding planning tasks. Remember that you needn’t handle each and every detail by yourself. This is why you have a Maid of Honor and bridesmaids in your team. Delegate the responsibility of getting the girls to their dress fitting appointments, paying their dress bills on time and receiving their dresses in time for the wedding. It will be one job off your shoulders, and you can spend the saved time on something else that deserves personal attention.

If your Maid of Honor isn’t the right person to handle this task, there should be someone else on the bridesmaid team, who can do it for you. Hand over this responsibility to her instead. To be on the safe side, make sure that you check on the arrangements once in a while, so everything progresses as per plan and your bridesmaids all have their dresses in time for the wedding.

#8 Don’t stress too much over your decision

If you are the ultimate perfectionist, we know how you can easily feel overwhelmed by the hundreds of choices out there. Yes, wedding planning is a little monster, where you never know for sure whether the choice you made was actually the best one available. But, don’t sweat it!

At least in some areas, good enough is enough! So, don’t loose sleep over your bridesmaids dress selections too much. Take it light and go with what you think is good without too much deliberation. Make the most of your inspiration boards and what your shop assistant suggests, and it will most likely work out well.

#9 Accessories will complete the look

The overall look will also be determined by the accessories you chose for your bridesmaids. You have to choose bouquets, jewelry and shoes. Reusable choices are the best, as it will help your friends make their money go further. Choose neutral colors and designs that flatter everyone on the team. You can even mix and match them up, so each girl has her distinct look but still blends in well with the rest of the team.

If you feel uncertain about your dress choice, you can always dress it up or down by the apt choice of accessories. If your bridesmaids dresses were expensive, it would be very considerate if you pay for the accessories. This could double up as your bridesmaids gift too. Work with your imagination and draw inspiration from the various pictures you may have seen in magazines and online. Make sure that the accessories, hair and makeup, all come together and look attractive and suitable for your wedding theme.

#10 Remember you cannot always make everyone happy

Your bridesmaids may not always be happy with what you want them to wear. If this is the case, you may feel worried about forcing your choice on them. If you have tried your best by choosing within budget, adjusting your priorities to accommodate their likes and cannot help any further, just stop trying to make it work!

Bridesmaids should realize that it is the bride’s likes that get priority, and that they were prepared to accept it when they signed up for the role. So, don’t feel too guilty as you have to stick to your vision of how the wedding day should look and be. It’s your lifetime celebration after all, and you don’t want it to be different from what you always wanted, just because your friends aren’t too happy with your decision.

At Best for Bride, we have a comprehensive and extensive collection of bridesmaids dresses from several designers. Check it out today, and we are sure you will find dresses for all your bridesmaids in our collection.

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Valentine’s day Wedding Ideas

Valentines day

Valentine’s Day, the official day when love and lovers are celebrated worldwide, is almost here. Could there be a more romantic day for a couple in love to be married on?

This article on History.com discusses the many legends about St. Valentine. One of them suggests that this day is celebrated in memory of a saint who defied Emperor Claudius’ rules that outlawed marriage of young soldiers. He took it upon himself to conduct the weddings of young lovers in secret, thus defying the law. So, you do understand that there is a tale that associates this day with weddings. Nonetheless, it is undeniable that this is one of the most romantic days ever, and you do not need a reason whatsoever, to get married on this special day.

If you are indeed planning, or even considering getting married on Valentine’s day, here are some ideas to perfect your special day. So, here we go.

Continue reading Valentine’s day Wedding Ideas

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Oops! That’s Awkward—Our guide to navigating 7 awkward wedding planning situations

I like to compare wedding planning to a mine that’s waiting to explode. The potential for problems is huge! Every couple faces at least a few awkward moments when planning their wedding. Many assumptions may be made that you cannot oblige to, you may have to say no on occasions, and where people are concerned there is no saying who can feel offended about what!

Here are 7 real sticky situations that you will most likely have to handle during your wedding planning process. We’ve also included the best possible solutions you can consider to make it as easy as possible.

#1 Tell a friend or relative that they are not in the wedding party

It could be that everyone thinks you are fond of them. Add that to the fact that  you have a huge friend circle and an equally big family, it is likely that there may be at least a friend or relative who assumes they will be in the wedding party. If there are on the wedding party list, fine! If you haven’t included them, you have a situation to handle!

It isn’t easy telling someone that they are to be a guest and not in the wedding party. The best way to handle the problem is to take care of it as soon as you doubt your friend or cousin assumes they are in without you ever mentioning it. Tell her directly that as much as you would love to have her in the party, the situation is such that you would prefer to have her enjoy the wedding as a guest instead. You could offer a valid explanation, like you want to keep the wedding party small. (Only if this is a fact! It will harm your relationship even more if she ends up seeing a dozen bridesmaids on the day, and she alone isn’t one). Make it clear that you value your relationship with her a lot, and would love to have her involved in the wedding in any other way possible. Stress that you would not want this to harm your relationship in any way, and be genuine with your words. We are sure she’ll understand if she is a sensible and reasonable girl.

#2 When you’d rather have cash

Many couples struggle with telling their guests that they’d rather have cash or gift coupons, than gifts that wouldn’t help them. This could be because money would help them pay off a loan, or they could use it on their honeymoon, or because they would like to buy an expensive item like a vehicle. In all these cases, money would really help.

If you are in any of these situations, we know how you could be whether you ought to or not  convey this message to your guests. Well, we think you should! First step, set up your wedding website, where you will be sharing your wedding registry information. Next, add a “gift cash towards xxx” as one of the top options in the registry and link it to your bank account. Share the website wedding registry with your contacts, so they are directed towards the page that prioritizes what you’d like to have, in a specific order.

The other option is to link your wedding registry to sites like Tendr , that allows guests to pick cards and send it with their well wishes to the couple. Now, if a guest were to ask you in person about your preferences, they would ideally be asking because they really want to get you something you want. So, don’t hesitate to tell them that you are saving up for whatever you are. If they are comfortable giving you cash, you can hope they will once they know of this.

#3 Telling your parents (or in-laws) that you want something different

Isn’t it funny how so many parents and their children fight over how the wedding should be held or planned, from the moment the planning is in progress? It is not too often that we see couples who want a modern, relaxed wedding with interesting and unique elements, while their parents would rather have a traditional-style formal wedding that can never go wrong. If the parents on either side are sharing the expenses, we know how quickly tempers can soar and all those involved can end up in a foul mood.

Rather than locking horns with your families, we suggest that you handle such situations tactfully. First, consider if you can do anything to accommodate your family’s ideas. If not the whole thing, if you can incorporate at least a few ideas, they will feel a lot better. Then, decide upon the things that you refuse to compromise on. When you present your final idea to the family, first tell them which of their suggestions will be included in the wedding. This will calm the atmosphere to a great extent. Then tell them what the rest of the plans are, and also that it is your wedding and you wouldn’t really be happy if these details weren’t part of it. So, request them to understand and convey how grateful you are for all they are doing.

#4 When a relative wants to take over as a wedding vendor

Yes, we’ve all been there, when a budding photographer in your family wants to be in-charge of the wedding photography, or an enthusiastic aunt wants to bake the wedding cake. It may be a bad idea to hand them the job unless these people are professionals. Now, even when they are professionals who are used to doing these for weddings, you may not agree with their style of work or may not be happy about giving them the responsibility for a range of reasons.

After all, working with a relative or friend is not the same as working with a vendor who you’ve hired for the job. You have to be cautious about everything you say, as you two have a relationship that could be hurt. In worst cases, they may disagree with what you want and even do things they think best. But, it may sometimes be a good idea, if they will offer you a discount or if you are really fond of the way they handle things. Unless this is the case, you should learn to say “No” to their offer diplomatically.

You can tell them you would love to have them handle the job, but you have already decided on another vendor. Or, the better option is to tell them that you don’t want to hire them for your wedding as you want them there as a guest, and not working all day and unable to participate or enjoy the wedding as they should. This clearly conveys that you value their presence, and if they appreciate it genuinely, this should put an end to the discussion.

#5 Saying No to guests you cannot afford to have

There’s this scene in the sitcom “Castle”, where Castle and Beckett mention to his mother that they were working on the guest list for the wedding, expecting her to suggest how they reduce it. In the blink of an eye, she rushes off to bring out her own guest list for the wedding!

Don’t be startled if you find the same thing happen in your case! Many couples are faced with the tough decision of saying no to guests that they cannot have at their wedding. If parents are paying, or if friends are pushovers who must invite people on their behalf, the situation is anything but pleasant.

We suggest that you be honest when you tell your parents, relatives or friends why it simply isn’t feasible to have any more guests than you have planned. Since your parents will anyway be inviting at least a few people, please give them a specific number beforehand. They can then prioritize who goes on the list and who can be left out. Make your mind up about how far you can stretch with any extra additions, and make sure you stick to it. After all, your wedding is all about having the people who matter the most to you. It is not about having a huge party where you hardly know half the faces there, or is it?

#6 Planning your bridesmaid’s dress budget

One of the reasons many women dread being asked to be a bridesmaid, is the financial burden that comes along with it. Let’s face it, bridesmaids have to pay for a dress that they may not like at all, pay for the accessories, spend on the bachelorette, bridal shower and gift for the bride. All this will take a chunk out of their savings. It is worse if they are still in college or have their financial constraints.

So, the best thing you can do is be reasonable when deciding what your bridesmaids should wear. Our suggestion is to be flexible, and consider a range of choices in dresses, so your bridesmaids can pick the easiest one on their pockets. Instead of having them dress up in matching outfits, think out of the box, and go with the mix ‘n’ match trend. This gives them the freedom to choose from the choices you have shortlisted. It is also likely that they will pick a dress that they can use again.

A good friend would also consider easing their financial burden by paying for the bridesmaid accessories or hair and makeup. Now, if you have been a bridesmaid at all these girls’ weddings previously, and they weren’t half as considerate, we think it is up to you to decide how to handle the situation. It wouldn’t be wrong if you kept their expenses similar to what you had to incur if this is the case. Else, think of what you can do to help out, maybe make use of sales and discounts or keep your dress selection reasonable so they do not begrudge you for your choices later.

#7 Talk money with your parents or in-laws

You think you’ve heard your parents mention sometime in the past, that they’ve put aside a certain amount for your wedding expenses. But do you ask for it once you are engaged and planning the wedding? Is it appropriate to bring up the topic? Well, it’s mom and dad, and if you are certain there’s money set aside for you, it shouldn’t be wrong to confirm so you can plan the wedding accordingly.

Ideally, they should bring the topic up if they have any such plans. So, it may not always be best to bring up the topic yourself. If they are quiet, it may be because something’s changed and not because they’ve forgotten about it. Never assume that they will pay, and go about planning your wedding based on this assumption. If they disagree, don’t feel entitled to it and have your plans go bust. Instead, share the wedding plans you have in mind and the quotes you collect from vendors. They will be more comfortable mentioning what they want to contribute when you do it this way.

If there is no talk about the money at all, you can either ask them what happened to the fund they put aside (that is, if you are sure they have), or ask them if they could help and you could repay it later.

As we said earlier, weddings are tricky events that can cause so much stress to any bride and groom. Nevertheless, it is important always to keep the big picture in mind. When you think of the priorities in your life and how you can celebrate the event that brings you and your partner together forever, you can tide over any awkward situation and leave it out of your mind forever.

To help you with everything you need for your wedding, including your wedding dress, attire for your wedding party, accessories, décor, cakes and even flowers, visit us at Best for Bride. We have everything you need.