Bridesmaides need attention too!

If you've picked out your beautiful wedding dress, or even if you're not quite done shopping, you've probably already picked out the color for your bridesmaid dresses. But there are always more decisions to be made when planning a beautiful wedding. Later on we'll have some local resources to assist you in finding beautiful bridesmaid dresses for your beautiful wedding. But first, there are some basic questions to ask:

What style will look right on every girl?
It's possible that you won't be able to suit every girl's preference for a bridesmaid dress. Some girls will hate they way they look in green, and others will hate the way a princess waist makes their torso look. When trying to find a style to suit everyone, go with your gut, and keep it simple. If you're going with a strapless look, make sure all of your wedding party feels comfortable with bare arms—otherwise you could suggest that they wear a matching wrap in a pretty fabric on the wedding day. Also, for weddings, temperature is a concern. If you're having an outdoor wedding in the summer heat, why not choose a lighter shade of dress that won't attract so much sun for your girls, or a knee-length skirt rather than a floor-length with several poofy layers underneath. It'll help your bridemaids stay cool and enjoy the day even more. (Keep temperature and wedding location in mind while shopping for your dress, too.)

Will there be a uniform dress, or will every girl standing up with you be able to choose her own style in a certain color? If you have bridesmaids in several different dress sizes and with different proportions, it's possible to let your ladies customize their look and find something they will feel comfortable and beautiful in on your wedding day. Most of the customization will happen in the upper region with variations in the strap choice and bustline. Waistline is also a consideration. For girls with a thicker waist, a dress with a princess waist can look very nice, while ladies with wider hips may look stunning in an A-line dress. Your local bridal shops will be able to give you a better idea of what's available if you stop in or ask for a catalog.

Will your bridesmaids wear different colors, or even go with a more casual look, like a summer sundress? Summery sundresses are becoming more and more popular for a beach wedding. It pays to shop around department stores to save your wedding party some cash and get a unique look that will make everyone happy.

No matter what, the golden rule of choose bridesmaids dresses is that you can't please everyone. Really, if you try to make everyone happy, you may end up sacrificing what you really envision for your wedding day. If you don't care so much about this aspect of the planning, feel free to turn it over to your bridal party, who will most likely be very happy to choose what their group will look like. But if you have something specific in mind, make sure your state that up front with your bridal party.