The overall style of your wedding sets the tone for fashion! Uptown chic, romantic elegance or country casual, will determine the formality and color scheme of your fashion choices – lucky for you, the choices are endless!  Today there are beautiful bridesmaid dresses available to fit anyone’s taste and budget, and both discount bridesmaid dresses and designer bridesmaid gowns will please the most scrutinizing bride.

Today it’s increasingly customary to focus on fashion when considering a unique bridesmaid gift idea! Some brides like to contribute towards the cost of the bridesmaid dress or coordinating bridesmaid shoes as bridesmaids gifts that offset the ladies expenses.  Bridesmaid jewelry is a timeless bridesmaid gift that will add sparkle to her neckline (or ears or wrists…) and hopefully be treasured for years to come.  Everyone wants to look their best on the ‘big day’ – why not treat your bridesmaids to salon hair-do’s and make-up application for their bridesmaid gifts?  Of course bridesmaids gifts can be fun and fashionable on or off the wedding day. Trendy t-shirts that label your ladies as ‘bridesmaids’ can be worn at the bachelorette party or an elegant clutch may see repeat use at the wedding and for formal events thereafter.  Whatever you choose for your bridesmaid gifts, make sure the gift will be appreciated.

The Formula to Fabulous Bridesmaid Fashion
Long forgotten tradition requires bridesmaid gowns to match the bridal dress, with the intention of confusing evil fairies who may steal the bride away.  Though the legend has elapsed over time, the tradition remains and thus the search begins for the universally flattering bridesmaid dress that will complement the height, shape, and skin tone of each and every bridesmaid!

Bridesmaid Dresses
There’s no greater challenge than to find a bridesmaid dress that’s both flattering and favored by each and every one of your bridesmaids - which is why dress designers are beginning to offer a variety of options that cater to the most discerning bridesmaid.

Style selections include:
● Identical color of dress with a choice of 2 to 3 dress designs.
● Identical dress design, with 2 to 3 color choices.

Budget options include:
● Inexpensive bridesmaid dresses from retail stores or bridal chains
● Designer bridesmaid dresses from one or two seasons past
● Discount bridesmaid dresses on sale after wedding season
● Give your bridesmaids the option of wearing a long black dress of their choice to accommodate everyone’s personal taste and budget.

Bridesmaid Accessories
It was once customary for bridesmaids to wear matching bridesmaid shoes – today a number of brides ask their bridesmaids to wear the shoe style of their choice but in a neutral color, such as beige.  It was also preferred for bridesmaids to carry matching handbags, but that rule too has relaxed over time and bridesmaids may carry any stylish clutch that complements the bridesmaid’s dress.

Other Style Considerations
● The maid of honor (or matron of honor) may have the option of wearing a slight variation on the style or shade of the bridesmaid dress
● Junior bridesmaid dresses and flower girl dresses can be similar in style and shade to the bridesmaid dress or a white/off-white dress for the younger girls
● A male honor attendant on the bride’s side can wear the same style of tuxedo as the groomsmen but may choose a tie similar in color to the bridesmaid dresses.