Can I share some showroom secrets with you? I have honestly fought back tears on a few occasions and I have had to bite my tongue on other occasions. Why? Here are some honest sentences I often hear when in private with a bridesmaid;

“I am letting the bride down”
“I am too fat for this dress”
“I do not know how I am going to afford this”

On the flip, here are sentences I hear from brides;

“Please convince her that this is too revealing”
“Please help her know she is beautiful”
“I am not worried if they don’t all have the same dress, I want them happy”

The biggest lesson to take away from our real bridal parties is that everyone wants to feel and look their best. Not just for themselves but for you, the bride as well so when you look back on your day, when you watch your wedding video with your kids one day, when you show off your photos on social media you can see that everybody was genuinely happy and celebrating alongside you and your future hubby.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because it is important that you choose bridesmaid dresses that suit them, all of them!

How to Choose Bridesmaids Dresses That Suit All Body Types

Your bridesmaids will walk down the aisle oozing confidence, they will have genuine smiles for all your photos and laugh with sincerity beside you the whole day if they feel beautiful. Your wedding will be a truly joyous memory to them for years to come if they are confident and have fun. All of this simply comes down to how their dresses make them feel, it’s that easy! Your bridesmaids, like you, are in their dresses for the entire day, all while being photographed and stared at. Choosing the right bridesmaids dresses is a pretty big decision while planning your dream wedding. You will want your bridesmaids to feel beautiful and comfortable in their dresses on your special day, so it is important to choose dresses that suit all body types. Here are some tips on how to choose bridesmaids dresses that will look amazing on everyone.

Know Your Colour Scheme

While some colours can make a complexion glow, the same colour can make a complexion look washed out and dull. This is not what you want to see in your wedding photos, trust me! When choosing the colours for your bridesmaid’s dresses, consider what colours look best on each bridesmaid. Some colours may look great on one person and not so great on another person. This can be especially true for different skin tones and hair colours. So start by picking a colour palette that looks good on everyone in the party. It can also be helpful to have your bridesmaids try on a few different colours before you decide which ones you like best. We have a great article on our blog called “The Best Bridesmaid Dress Colours For Your Complexion” that will help and won’t restrict your colour choices at all.

The Best Bridesmaid Dress Colours For Your Complexion

While on the topic of colours, lets touch on a hot topic….trending colours! We all spend a lot of time planning our weddings on social media (how many wedding folders do you have across all the platforms!) and this means we become highly influenced by the latest trends. Hot new colours are exciting and help make your wedding different, but they also date and you have to look at your photos forever! If you are totally fine with this, then trending colours are a lot of fun and absolutely should be explored. Our stylists love seeing new colours so reach out to us to help you style the latest trends on your bridal party in a seamless way. However, if you are the opposite and you already cringe looking at your mum, aunties or grandma’s wedding photos than we would suggest sticking with timeless colours that don’t date. Navy, burgundy and neutral tones are a really good place to start. This doesn’t mean your bridesmaids have to be boring, our stylists can help take these timeless colours and make sure your bridal party looks modern.

Consider Different Fabrics

Not all fabrics are created equal! Different fabrics have different qualities that affect how they fit and look on different body types. For example, some fabrics such as chiffon or lightweight silk may work better for someone with a petite frame while heavier fabrics like crepe, jersey or satin back crepe might suit someone with curves better. Have each of your bridesmaids try out a few different fabric choices so they can see which one looks best and feels most comfortable on them. Here are some real comments from our bridal parties;

Talia Sarah chiffon core range “I love the way the lining sits, it’s slightly firm like a really comfortable pair of spanx and I feel it holds everything in”

Tania Olsen soft jersey “This is the most comfortable bridesmaid dress I have tried on so far. It stretches with me and falls so beautifully”

Jenny Yoo chiffon “ohhh I love the way this hides all the bits I don’t want seen”

Look at Different Styles

A-line dresses are usually a safe bet when it comes to flattering all body types (check out Jenny Yoo’s Inesse), but there are many other styles to choose from as well! You’ll want to find something that works with everyone’s body type without making anyone feel uncomfortable or overly exposed (such as corseted backs or plunging necklines). Consider options such as off-the-shoulder or thicker style straps, midi length skirts, tea length skirts, and v-necklines – all of these features create an elongated silhouette that looks good no matter what size or shape your bridal party members are! You can also now find designer collections that are the exact same colour, fabric and drop skit with different top halves to help keep a matching bridal party but provides options for bridesmaids to find something that compliments their shape.

Here are some of our most popular designer collections that mix and match;

Zara, Chloe, Skye, Mila, Tess and Kira by Talia Sarah
Bianca, Eloise, Sandra, Claire and Gloria by Tania Olsen

Keep Comfort in Mind

Don’t forget comfort! Everyone in the wedding party should enjoy wearing their dress and be confident in how they look in it throughout the entire wedding day (and night!). Make sure everyone tries on their dress before buying it – this way you can ensure that it fits properly and won’t cause any discomfort due to tightness or lack of coverage once the day arrives. Also make sure you pick shoes, jewellery, and other accessories according to each person’s unique needs – some people might need more support than others depending on the style of dress they chose!

We have an In Home Try On service (Try Before You Buy) that allows you to borrow our Brisbane showroom dresses for 7 days and try them on from the comfort of your own home. We love seeing your Insta stories of getting everyone together and making it an experience. This helps give you and your bridal party the confidence and peace of mind to order any of our made to order designs knowing the size and colour suits them.

Budget. How much is too much!

Finally, don’t forget to discuss the budget. While this is your magical day and your bridesmaids will want you to have everything you dreamed of, you do need to be mindful that if they are paying for the dresses it can be a stress point. The best advice we can give is for you to be upfront when you ask them to be your bridesmaids. Let them know your expectations and make it very comfortable for them to be able to say that they do not think they can afford to be in your wedding party. A great way of doing this is by ringing them later, in private. On the flip, if you are paying for the dresses, make it very clear that you have a budget you need them to please stick to.

Caring for every member of your wedding party is key when selecting bridesmaids’ attire; take the time to consider multiple options until you find something perfect for each individual so everyone will look her absolute best during your big day!