As mentioned before, I’m not dictating a particular dress for our female attendants—just giving them a paint chip and letting them pick whatever they’d like. After a few trips to different dress stores, I’ve begun to see how this will come together—there’ll be a melange of different styles and some (hopefully slight) differences in color. Here’s Heather in the dress style she’s chosen, which will be purchased in their burnt orange color:
photo by me
As she put it, it’s got just enough ‘funky’ to appease her and just enough ‘classic’ to make me smile. She says she can imagine wearing it again to parties and other events, which is a great relief to me. And just look at how cute she is in it!
Heather’s the only person for whom I have actual photos of them in their dress, but I can show you some of the other styles that have been decided upon:
Celanie (who will also wear burnt orange) has fallen in love with this retro little number:
Photo via Watters.
She looks amazing in it, like she just stepped off the set of “Mad Men,” and most importantly, she adores it—she didn’t want to take it off in the dress shop! Celanie is the very definition of style maven, so I know that she’ll wear it again and again, and it’ll look fresh and different and stunning each time. Score!
Julie purchased this simple but pretty dress in cornflower blue:
Photo via Ann Taylor.
She’s all about accessories, so I can’t wait to see what she’ll pull together to wear with this. I’m sure she’ll make it her own in a charming, memorable way.
The other four girls have yet to choose, but I’m crossing my fingers that someone will decide they want one of these beautiful dresses by Aria:
Photo via Aria.
Finally, a dress picture in one of my actual wedding colors! :) That notched neckline and the tapered straps just kill me; I’d love to wear this dress to a party or a fancy dinner out.
I also love this one, which I think would look especially nice alongside Celanie’s dress:
Photo via Aria.
Boatnecks are so great for showing off your throat and clavicle (which I personally feel beats showing your cleavage every time), and this has a really darling back as well.
Whatever makes the girls happy makes me happy, but if I was dictating dresses, they’d definitely all come from Aria. They’re so simple and clean, but stylish and well-put-together. All of their dresses are made in the US, so there’s no guilt about sweatshop labor. The dresses are a way better value in terms of quality and craftsmanship than your typical David’s Bridal/Alfred Angelo items, and you can choose the length and the type of skirt you want. They even have seperate tops and skirts available. Everybody wins!
i love this…my fiancee & i are going to do the same thing. we’re telling our bridesmaids to get a ‘little black dress’ & the groomsmen to get black button downs & khaki slacks.
we’re going to gift them accessories (ties for the fellas & ribbon-y belts/jewelry for the ladies) that are our wedding color to tie them all together.
i want everyone comfortable & able to re-wear thier duds. i’ve been a bridesmaid enough & hate the waste that goes into getting someone’s idea of a perfect bridesmaid dress…only to wear it once.
kudos to y’all!
Thanks, Susan! I’m sure all of your attendants will breathe a sigh of grateful relief when you tell them your plans. Good luck and happy planning!
I also choose colors and said pick a dress you will wear again. I think it might have been easier to just pick a specific dress. Also Aria is a really sweet company.
Yeah, I hear you– the beauty of dictating a dress is that there’s so much less legwork involved! Have you bought anything from Aria in the past?
I agree about the cleavage. One of my good friends (and both of our sisters) often congratulate ourselves on our sexy clavicles. Glad to hear we’re not alone.
Emily Kate, heck yeah! I deliberately picked a dress that draws attention to mine. Va-va-voom dresses have their place for sure, but I like my less-is-more gown and think our attendants feel the same way.