Boy, do we have a treat for you today!  We’re welcoming the ladies of LulaKate to give us some pointers on choosing the perfect, Southern bridesmaids dresses for each and everyone of your lovely maids.  Trust me, you (and your girls) will be happy you read this…

It’s no question that when planning a wedding, the bride is faced with hundreds of crucial decisions to make. From color scheme to cake flavor, each decision is an extension of a bride’s personality and directly affects the most special day of her life! One huge checkbox on the proverbial list is finding the perfect dress for the bridesmaids. With so many designers, colors, and fabrics out there to choose from, it’s no surprise that this task tends to be an exciting, yet sometimes difficult one to check off the list.

We’ve got some pointers that may be helpful for brides that are beginning the search for their bridesmaid dresses. To keep it simple, we call these tips the 5 Cs.

Image via Juliet Elizabeth

Color

Obviously this plays a huge role in deciding which dresses will be best for the maids. Be sure to factor in the skin tones and coloring of your bridal party. Your rustic, barn wedding sets the perfect scene for the all so elegant and trendy neutral color palette, right? However, since you asked your three fair-skinned cousins from Alaska to stand by your side, it may be wise to steer away from lighter, skin-toned colors. Try choosing a color that each bridesmaid can pull off and that also goes with the season in which you’re tying the knot. Seek out collections that offer wide arrays of colors so you can get as close as possible to the shade you’ve been envisioning. LulaKate has over 190 colors from which to choose! Also be sure to bring inspirational pictures of your color scheme to any appointments to help you better narrow down your choices. If you are unable to see the dress in the color you’ve chosen, ask the retailer or manufacturer for a swatch of the fabric or for any pictures of real life weddings featuring bridesmaids in the color. The more evidence you can see of a color and how it was used in a wedding, the better!

Image via Juliet Elizabeth

Cut

So your sister-in-law just had a baby, your MOH is a supermodel/size 000, and your college roommate has curves that would make Beyonce jealous? Very rarely is it easy to find a style that will universally flatter the wide array of body types in your wedding party. Finding the perfect cut can be one of the trickiest hurdles to jump over when trying to please your bridesmaids. Try seeking out collections that allow for some customization or mix-and-match-ability so that each bridesmaid can pick out a style in which they will be comfortable wearing for 8+ hours. Here at LulaKate, all of our bodices, waistbands, and skirts are interchangeable, meaning that bridesmaids can ultimately build a dress that is most flattering for their figure. Many brides opt to give their bridesmaids free reign when it comes to picking out their style of dress, as long as they are all in the same color and fabric.

Image via Reese Moore Weddings

Cohesiveness

You’ve finally found “the one”: a spunky, striped, tea length wedding dress complete with a vintage, birdcage veil that is going to look amazing amid the farmhouse backdrop of your wedding ceremony! That means it’s probably best to pass on the floor length, beaded designer bridesmaids dresses that you initially dog-eared in your Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. Make sure the dresses your maids are wearing are ones that complement your wedding dress. Cohesiveness never goes out of style, so be sure to consider this when weighing your options for the bridal party. Bring a picture of your wedding gown with you when picking out bridesmaids dresses, and ask your consultant what he or she thinks about the two together.

Image via Rochelle Mort Photography

Classic Continuity

We’ve all seen those pictures from our parents’ 1978 wedding and asked ourselves “Floral Print? Velvet? WHAT were they thinking?!” Sure, in theory it’s fun to express your inner fashionista through the medium of your bridal party, but remember that you will be looking back on these photos for years to come. You can never go wrong with classic lines, colors, and fabrics that won’t cause your grandkids to giggle while looking through your wedding album one day.

Image via Paul Johnson

Cost

This is a big C that can sometimes be awkward to bring up among your bridal party but is definitely something that should be considered when asking your friends and family to be a part of the big day. Take a simple poll among your bridesmaids and ask what their budget is for a dress. Nowadays brides are helping out by putting money towards the dresses and including that as part of their gift to the bridesmaids. If you are worried the price isn’t right, don’t be shy to ask the retailer whether they provide any group discounts, payment plan options, or if they are having a Trunk Show in the near future.’

Image via Reese Moore Weddings

When taking all or some of the 5 Cs into consideration, you’ll be sure to find great bridesmaid dresses that will not only represent your personal taste but will also make for a happy and comfortable bridal party! Happy hunting!

For any additional information regarding this post or LulaKate, feel free to contact the ladies via email hello@lulakate.com or via phone 843.805.7193.