Bridesmaids Choose Their Own Dresses - Will This Work?

[Maggietron]

I live thousands of km from my bridesmaids. At best, I might get one trip to see them a year before the wedding. I'm not particularly fussy about what they wear, as long as they are comfortable and look good together. I'd like them all to wear the same colour if possible, but I'm not about to pick the dresses out for them and expect them to buy a $200 dress from a wedding store. I'm considering just arranging for them all to go shopping together and ask them to send me pics if they find something they all agree on. I don't care if they are even the same style. Has anyone sent their bridesmaids to pick out their own dresses without you being there? Is this just a disaster waiting to happen?

[calgarybride2015]

Sorry I don't have any advice.

If you think they have good taste and trust them, then I don't see why not.  I think most BM's know that brides get the final say.

My coworker left it to them.  She gave them shades to aim for if I remember correctly.  Her wedding is in 2 weeks, so when I see the pictures I can let you know.

 

2 of my 3 bridesmaids are 12 hours away and we won't see eachother either.

Sooooo me and my 1 BM here went out and picked our top three. We sent them the pictures and they picked the one we purchsed (I picked the color of course).   They sent me their measurements and David's Bridal helped pick their sizes.  They are special order/no return dresses and we picked their sizes! omg!   It's a huge gamble but we couldn't find anything else - I looked countless hours for cheap pink dresses and we found nothing we liked.   Hope their alterations aren't over the top.

[kmk2016]

I was in a wedding where the bride told us to choose a dress that made us feel pretty- and as long as it was in the cream/nude shade she was happy. It was soooo stressful and I swore I would never do that to my BMs! If you are going to have your girls go and pick out their own dress- I would suggest giving them more direction.... Like specific color (supply them a paint chip or swatch if possible), fabric and length.

 

Another idea is J Crew online.. They have great BM dresses! And everyone can order in the color you choose!

[calgarybride2015]

I was in a wedding where the bride told us to choose a dress that made us feel pretty- and as long as it was in the cream/nude shade she was happy. It was soooo stressful and I swore I would never do that to my BMs! If you are going to have your girls go and pick out their own dress- I would suggest giving them more direction.... Like specific color (supply them a paint chip or swatch if possible), fabric and length.

 

Another idea is J Crew online.. They have great BM dresses! And everyone can order in the color you choose!

J Crew, while pretty, is super pricey!   I didn't realize. I thought they were more like the Gap.

We don't have them in Canada, that I am aware of, so don't know too much about them.

[Maggietron]

 They sent me their measurements and David's Bridal helped pick their sizes.  They are special order/no return dresses and we picked their sizes! omg!   It's a huge gamble but we couldn't find anything else - I looked countless hours for cheap pink dresses and we found nothing we liked.   Hope their alterations aren't over the top.

 

Eek! That's nerve wracking!

[kmk2016]

J Crew, while pretty, is super pricey! I didn't realize. I thought they were more like the Gap.

We don't have them in Canada, that I am aware of, so don't know too much about them.

I'm in Canada- use the online catalog. And there are 40% salsa all the time.

 

Just an idea!

[calgarybride2015]

Eek! That's nerve wracking!

 

Didn't know what else to do? Can't ask them to pay to fly here for a weekend you know.... I guess they could have went into their bridal store and atleast had an idea.

But....  David's Bridal took my measurements and my other BM and worked out our size for us and they were bang on, so here is to hoping!  Nothing we can do now.

[Maggietron]

J Crew, while pretty, is super pricey!   I didn't realize. I thought they were more like the Gap.

We don't have them in Canada, that I am aware of, so don't know too much about them.

 

Yikes! $424 for a bridesmaid dress???!?!?!

[kmk2016]

I have seen them as low as $90... If you have to time the sales but when they are on sale they have a ton of dresses around $100 shipped! Their bridal gowns can be that prices can be good too (on sale)

Edited July 30, 2014 by kmk2016

[Lilian84]

@@Maggietron That is a dilemna I am dealing with as well. My bm are all far away from each other and range in age and  size. When my sister got married she bought material and all 7 of us had them made which ever style we wanted, the only rule was a knee length dress. It looked really nice and everyone was comfortable. We had a seamstress that was pretty good and affordable.