When the overall look of the bridal party complements the bride’s look, it results in amazing wedding photos and a beautiful wedding scene. All it takes is a subtle link between the bridal and bridesmaids looks to achieve this effect.
The first step to outfitting your bridal party, so their overall look comes together with yours, is finding your wedding dress. Once you have made this important purchase, you are ready to explore different options in bridesmaids dresses and accessories, and choose those that go well with your bridal gown.
The fashion experts at Best for Bride have the following tips to coordinate your bridal look with that of your bridal party.
Perfectly Matching Bridal Party
When you select the same dresses for all your bridesmaids, your bridal party will be highly coordinated. Now, all you have to do is match your look to theirs. For this, keep one focal element in your dress and their outfits the same. The silhouette and neckline are two dress features that are easy to match. You can also have all of them wear the same or a slightly toned-down hairstyle as yours, if you want the total effect to be quite similar.
Choose Fabrics That Are Similar
The fabric choice play an important role in determining the overall look. So, pick bridesmaids dresses in fabrics with similar texture as yours. If your wedding gown is light and airy, choose bridesmaids dresses in light breathable fabric like chiffon for a similar feel. For gowns with lace, have your bridesmaids in dresses with lace accents. You can pair a satin wedding gown with bridesmaids dresses that have a similar lustrous appearance, to pull the look together.
Match The Dress Style to the Formality of the Wedding
Just like your bridal look will reflect the style and formality of the wedding, your bridesmaids dresses should do the same. If you wear an elaborate ball gown, your bridal party outfits should also look opulent and dressy. However, if your dress is relatively simple, tone down the details in your bridesmaids outfits so the impact is similar. Silky and stiff fabrics like charmeuse and taffeta are suitable for formal wedding styles. Soft, flowing fabrics like chiffon suit casual and semi-formal wedding styles. The length of the gown is another important factor. While full-length gowns have a formal look, shorter hemlines are better suited to casual wedding styles.
Consider the Silhouette
It is easy to match both looks when you choose the same dress silhouette for your wedding dress and that of the bridesmaids. When you keep the silhouette consistent, you can experiment with different lengths to find the one that creates the effect you wish to achieve. While the shape will be the unifying factor, the difference in the length of your dress will create a visual contrast and help your dress receive the attention it deserves.
Match the Details
Just like the silhouette, the neckline and sleeve are the other focal points in a dress that can unify your dress and that of your bridal party, style-wise. Although you do not have to choose the same neckline, avoid styles that are too distinct. If you go with the mix and match trend for your bridesmaids dresses, provide specific guidelines for the neckline and/or sleeve, so all the dresses are similar. This cohesive factor will also draw attention to that aspect. So, make sure that you go with a neckline that flatters most of the girls.
Avoid Copying the Signature Details in Your Gown
To ensure that your wedding dress remains special, avoid picking bridesmaid dresses with the same signature details that make your dress memorable. This could be a special neckline, design motif or style of embellishment. When the bridesmaids dresses feature similar elements, they will look like replicas of your dress and cause the wow factor of your dress to diminish.
Accessorize for Impact
The right accessories can easily tie your looks together as well as integrate it to the theme. Highlight the colors in your wedding theme through belts, sashes, flowers, hair accessories and shoes. You can also choose jewelry with colorful accents for your bridesmaids, so it blends with the theme. Bridesmaids dresses in neutral colors like black and navy can be paired with bright and colorful shoes and necklaces for a vibrant touch. Not only is this a practical and budget-friendly way to co-ordinate the looks, it usually translates beautifully in photographs. You can also consider a fun add-on like a shrug or bolero for a similar impact.
Don’t Forget About the Bouquets
Bouquets are powerful accessories that can make or break the entire wedding party look. The easiest way to do it right is to choose miniature versions of your own bouquet for your bridesmaids. Or you can keep their bouquets simple, while highlighting the color of their dresses in your bouquet and tie the overall look together. It is wise to consider the size and shape of the bouquets. For best results, go with a similar shape and arrangement for both. If you will be customizing bouquets for each bridesmaid to match individual dresses, make sure that the bouquets have a unifying factor so they aren’t too disjointed.
Best for Bride is a wedding dress chain that has served brides in Canada and worldwide for over a decade. They specialize in designer wedding dress collections, and also have an impressive selection of dresses for the entire wedding party. For more information, visit their website.
