I am one of the bridesmaids for my 6th-grade best friend’s wedding coming up in August. I am very excited about her engagement, upcoming wedding, and the dresses we picked out. Since my friend is getting married, and I went dress shopping with her, I was reminded about being in my cousin’s wedding back in 2008. So because of this, I have a few tips for making your wedding memorable, for all the right reasons.
First tip: Bridesmaid dresses. The best thing I can suggest is to have only a loose idea of the kind of dress you want. Have a color and a style you like, but at the same time, be open to changing that idea. The easiest way to make your bridesmaids miserable is to force them to wear a specific dress with a specific color, without allowing them to have input in the choice made. My friend, whose wedding I am in, had a rough idea for the color and style of dress she wanted. The style was a simple A-line dress with a lacy top and no sleeves, and the color was called “seafoam.” But, when we helped her pick out her dress, the color no longer worked with the dress, so we decided on “wine” for the color of the dresses. The style was changed to have only one sleeve, mainly because we could not find the style she had originally picked, because it was online only. We discussed a bit on the dress style and changed it because two of the four bridesmaids were uncomfortable buying a bridesmaid dress online because of sizing issues. (I was one of those two.)
Second tip: Bridal gown. If you have a general idea of the bridal gown you want, you are less likely to find ones that won’t fit your personal style. If you have a general idea of the color and style you want, then let your bridesmaids know because they can help pick out the gowns in your size and style. The bridesmaids you choose just want you to look your absolute best, and letting them help pick the dress will achieve just that.
Third tip: Do not say “wedding.” I have read many articles about failed weddings or wedding tips. And the one tip unanimously agreed upon throughout each article is “Don’t drop the word wedding.” You can pay less money for the wedding as long as you don’t say what you are getting is for a wedding. Most wedding cake prices are jacked up high for some wedding-style cake plate, or a “cake tasting,” despite being hundreds of dollars more expensive.
Fourth tip: Decorations. Weddings need decorations, and white, or off-white, is the most popular color. So, picking colors to go with white or off-white is essential for making the decorations look nice. And one thing about decorating is deciding on the theme of the decor. You don’t want to mix together patterns that do not go together—like mixing flower arrangements with balloon bouquets or ribbons with lace. Overloading the different decor patterns used can also ruin the vibe of the wedding.