They say that picking out a wedding dress is one of the toughest decisions a bride can make in the wedding planning process. We don't know who “they” are, but they've clearly never been faced with the monumental task of figuring out how to choose bridesmaid dresses that complement the bride.

Let's face it – choosing bridesmaid dresses for your squad is hard enough without factoring in your own bridal look. Your attendants probably all have different body shapes, style preferences and budgets, which can make bridesmaid shopping an absolute beast of a task.

On top of all that, you've also got to figure out how to create a cohesive bridal party look that perfectly complements your wedding dress. Sounds impossible, right?

Maybe, maybe not. Plenty of brides have done it before, so why can't you? Here's how to choose bridesmaid dresses that complement the bride—no bridal stylist required.

1. Keep money in mind

Hopefully before it comes to the point of shopping for dresses, you would have discussed with your bridesmaids which items you and your partner will be covering, and which items you will need them to pay for themselves. This dilemma is further explained here.

If you are footing the bill for the dresses, you will know what will fit within your budget. But if the ladies are paying for their dresses, it is important to talk to them about what their limits are so you don’t set your heart on something that is outside their price range.

You could also take a tip from the guys, who often rent suits for weddings, and rent the bridesmaid dresses too. Open communication means a happy outcome for everyone!

2. The color factor

If you have a wedding theme that includes specific colors, like autumn russets or spring pastels, then bridesmaid dress colors will be pretty easy to pick. If your color options are more open, you can go with a shade that will flatter your wedding gown or complement your flower choices. You can also choose colors that reflect the year's wedding trends.

The color factor can be taken as the most crucial factor to consider when choosing your dresses. When choosing between your dress or dress colors, consider the rest of the wedding theme. For bridesmaids to be a good fit for a wedding theme, they should match its other elements.

Similarly, suppose you want your bridesmaids to wear different dresses. In that case, you can create a harmonious look by sticking to the same color scheme throughout your wedding. You can make a range of different colors look beautiful by opting for a monochromatic look.

Let bridesmaids express their personal style by selecting a color and asking them to choose dresses in the same shade. When you lead with color, it can solve a number of potential problems while still pulling everything together effectively.

3. The fabric factor

Choosing dresses can be a bit overwhelming because there are so many colors and fabrics to pick from. From lace to chiffon to silk to jersey, there are endless options, and they all give off a different vibe.

If you’re having a casual wedding, stick to casual and low-key fabrics, such as chiffon and jersey. If you’re planning a lavish, elegant event, fabrics such as satin, sequins, and crepe have a more formal look and feel.

The season and time of year should also guide your fabric and color choices. Dark colors in heavier fabrics, such as faille, velvet, and crepe back satin are best for fall and winter weddings, while pastel chiffon dresses are ideal for spring and summer celebrations.

Want your bridesmaids to buy a dress that they can actually wear again? Casual fabrics are the way to go. They also tend to cost less!

4. Go Mismatched

Choosing a style is one of the biggest challenges in the choice of bridesmaid gowns. Because body types can vary so much, it may be hard to find a single dress style that will flatter every woman on your list.

Mismatched wedding parties aren't just one of the hottest wedding trends. When executed correctly, mismatched bridesmaids dresses will help your crew stand out. We love this idea for a few reasons: It takes the pressure off of you to pick the perfect bridesmaid dress, it empowers each member of your wedding party to find a hue, cut and fabric that perfectly suits them, and your 'maids can pretty much set their own budget. If you go this route, be sure to provide guidelines like color and fabric, so your attendants have some direction. If all else fails, black dresses are always a safe bet.

5. Consider Your Venue

The location of your wedding probably helped to dictate your wedding attire as well your decor, so it follows it should also influence how to pick bridesmaids dresses. Keep your venue in mind when choosing dress silhouettes, fabrics and accessories. For example, if you're tying the knot in a sunny seaside locale, opt for breathable bridesmaid dresses and skip the heavy frocks with sleeves. The opposite goes for a wedding in cooler temps. Don't opt for strapless silhouettes and expect your crew to shiver it out in the cold. If you're in love with strapless or sleeveless styles for a late fall or winter wedding, make sure to provide wraps or cover ups. Finally, if you're getting married on uneven terrain (like on the beach or grass) encourage your 'maids to wear block heels, wedges or flats that will give them added stability, or have heel protectors on hand if they're in heels. These may seem like minor details, but they can make a world of difference where your crew's comfort is concerned.

Conclusion

The perfect bridesmaid dresses are out there, and they’ll be easy to find if you keep these simple tips in mind.

So start gathering some inspo, ask your girls about their budget, and start making some decisions regarding fabric, color, formality, and silhouette. With so many dresses to choose from, you can be sure that your girls will look absolutely gorgeous and help you pull off your wedding day vision to perfection.

Just be sure to keep your bridesmaid dress timeline in check. If your wedding is less than six months away, you need to place those dress orders as soon as possible!

More than a quarter of couples in the US report going into debt to pay for their weddings. You don’t have to be one of them!
Your marriage is about your love and your partnership, and beginning your life together in the red is not ideal. The more money you trim off your wedding expenses, the more you’ll have to launch your happily ever after.
If you don’t have a large budget for your wedding, you can still host a fun and memorable celebration at an affordable wedding venue without dipping into your savings or maxing out your credit cards. Read on for low-cost planning strategies, and tips to help you start your life as a team on sound financial footing.

1.Seek out cheaper venues
The venue is by far the most significant chunk of any wedding’s cost. Consider your venue options carefully to lower overall expenses considerably. Skip over Saturday
Fridays and Sundays are typically more affordable days for your wedding. The venue, catering, and vendors tend to be lower cost because most people want to have their wedding on a Saturday.

Consider a mid-week wedding
It’s not the norm, but there’s no rule against having a wedding and reception on a Tuesday or Wednesday. And these options are even less expensive than Fridays and Sundays. Choose a Thursday and many of your guests can take off Friday and enjoy a three-day weekend to boot.


2.Direct Your Guests to Your Wedding Website
When it comes to your wedding invitation suite, you can save as much as $800 by having a single insert directing guests to your wedding website instead of multiple cards for your other events—like the rehearsal dinner, welcome party or day-after brunch—as well as logistics, like transportation and details about the hotel room block you've set up for your guests.

3.Wedding reception food ideas on a budget
Food and alcohol are other places where couples tend to spend a lot of money. Your wedding guests must be well fed for your big day.
When you compare venues and food service costs, remember to compare apples to apples. All-inclusive packages may have a higher sticker cost, but a site that’s a blank slate means you may need to bring in tables, plates, and linens, as well as the food. Calculate expenses for those items as well so that you’re making a useful comparison.
Choose a buffet option
Although the idea of serving a meal is more elegant, a buffet-style feast means that people can come and go as they please. And they added plus - they often come in a lot cheaper than the sit-down version.

Make your own bar
Anna Davison, CEO at the Tiny Wedding Company says: “Creating DIY bars is a great way to encourage your guests to help themselves throughout the day. Buy beer barrels from local breweries that tend to offer the pump as a rental. Setting up ‘pimp your own’ gin and prosecco tables is a lovely added extra too.”

Explore affordable dessert options
The average wedding cake comes in at more than $500. Consider lower-cost options, such as cupcakes, pies, or donuts. You can arrange them in tiers and no one will miss the cake. You can even offer completely alternative desserts, such as an ice cream sundae bar or Belgian waffles.


4.Cut Transportation Costs
If you can plan your wedding day so that your ceremony and reception are at the same venue—or at two locations that are within walking distance of each other—you can save a lot by eliminating the need for guest and wedding party transportation.
5.Entertainment for budget wedding
Hiring a band or DJ can be quite expensive and a well-considered Spotify playlist is guaranteed to keep people dancing.
If you do hire a band try and make the most of their time and also try and stick to their existing playlist as you may have to pay extra for them to learn a song that isn't in their repertoire.
Ask friends and family members if they know any local musicians such as buskers or students, often people do and they will be more than happy to play at your wedding for a small fee.

6.wedding bouquet ideas
If you’re having flowers, your bouquet will be photographed a lot, so there’s a temptation to spend a lot. However, you can get a great look with silk flowers - they’re much nicer than they used to be! Or if you’re up for some crafting, make a paper bouquet, or order one new or second-hand as a lasting keepsake. This way you cut delivery charges from florists.
If you definitely want fresh flowers, go wild! Wild flowers are perfect for a rustic or vintage feel, and cost next to nothing. Also, ask any keen gardeners you know what they could give you as a wedding gift.

For a more curated look, see what you can get from your local flower market or supermarket on the morning of your big day. A few bigger blooms and lots of lush smaller, cheaper flowers or greenery can work wonders. Don’t be afraid to economise on the bridesmaids’ bouquets either - focus on the main bouquet.

7.Consider All-inclusive Wedding
Many places offer all-inclusive package deals where everything like flowers, live band/DJ, catering, and photography are all included in one deal. Now, these can save you a lot of stress and potentially money. Booking vendors individually can cost a lot more. If you can get a venue that offers all-inclusive wedding services, or they can package a few things together, you can potentially save a lot of money. Let’s say the venue cannot off all-inclusive but can do a few things such as:
In house DJ
Wedding decorations
Ceremony locations
Even hotel rooms (bridal suites are usually included)
Why not get that package and add on to it?
But do some research before jumping in with both feet to ensure you get the best deal possible.
8.Hire rather than buy
There are plenty of inexpensive ways to get married, and if you look, you can find some great ways to cut costs. For example, hiring instead of buying. Hiring is a good way to keep costs down, and it can
include everything from the wedding party dresses/suits to the decorations. If you’re not likely to re-use or want to keep a part of your wedding, this is the best place to start looking to hire rather than buy.
Most brides feel they can purchase things and resale them after the wedding. This could end up costing you more in the long run. Look at this list of hidden costs you can incur when planning a wedding. As you can see, it can add up quickly. Plan wisely.
More wedding budget tips and money-saving wedding ideas
Remember, all you truly need to get married is you, your partner, a marriage license, and usually an officiant. The rest is all just extra! Of course, you could easily plan a city hall wedding and skip all the extra logistics and planning. But if you want to have a celebration that includes your loved ones, these tips are sure to help you cut costs.

We get a lot of questions of “can my bridesmaids wear this for my fall wedding?” and we always say yes! While we love seeing all the terracotta tones, there are many ways to create that fall look with other color tones. See a few of our favorite looks from this year's fall weddings, terracotta and all!

ROMANTIC RUST

Our minds immediately go to all the shades of terracotta and rust when we hear fall weddings, so we had to feature one our favorite fall mix and match looks. Kayla paired various styles in our Terracotta velvet, Rust chiffon, and Terracotta Rust satin creating texture throughout her bridal party. The geometric signage featured throughout the day added the most modern touch. She also created paper floral designs in her floral arrangements to, again, create texture to emphasize that boho feel.

EARTHY BOHO

While sage typically draws a springtime vibe, our Silver Sage velvet creates the perfect juxtaposition by bringing light tones to the breathable velvet fabric. To add that special fall touch, Jordin, designed luxurious bouquets of bright florals and of course, pampas grass. We especially love the pop of color with the groom’s deep emerald suit!

BLUSHING AUTUMN

Deep blush tones are perfect for those fall wedding days. Jewel paired our Cinnamon Rose satin with Terracotta velvet to bring out those soft shades of pink. In addition, her florals bloom with the same shades of pink while adding red roses to add dimension on her bouquet. From the florals to the tablescape, this is a fall color palette we can get behind!

SOMETHING BLUE

Just because it’s fall, that doesn’t mean you have to have a dark and moody wedding! Abbie went with our Indie Blue velvet which created a breath of fresh air to her fall wedding. To add those deep fall tones, peep the florals where she added those deep blue thistles that round out the look.

Terracottas, Champagnes, and Emeralds took 2021 by storm, but with 2022 rolling in, we’re starting to see a shift in bridal party trends! See our trending colors for your 2022 wedding:

GREENS

Greens are making a huge comeback in 2022, but in addition to the love of Emerald we saw in 2021, we’re expecting to see more lighter tones of sage and olive. You might even see some new green shades coming into our color collection!

We’re inspired by the whole vibe of Katie’s day, she had each bridesmaid in our most loved Skyesatin dress in Deep Olive. Her neutral decor and florals added a touch of elegance to her modern theme!

DUSTY AND MISMATCHED PINKS

Pinks have always been a wedding day fave, and will always be here to stay. Gone are the soft blushes and in are the rosy hues. We’re also expecting to see a plethora of mismatched blush bridal parties throughout the year!

For the blushing bride, our Dusty Rose velvet is the perfect color for any fall or winter wedding. We especially love the addition of luscious florals to bring in pops of coral and champagne to compliment each bridesmaid’s dress.

You know we love a good mix and match wedding palette - our Cinnamon Rose and Terracotta Rust satin are a match made in heaven - and adding Blush on top of it can create a softer vibe for warmer months.

NEUTRALS

We saw TONS of champagne weddings towards the end of 2021, and can’t wait to see more! Along with soft neutrals, we can’t wait to see more softer brown tones in the next year, with deeper hues for fall and winter!

We’re starting to see fall terracotta tones becoming elevated by the addition of rusts, deep browns, and champagne.

COPPER

Our brand new Copper satin became a crew fave before the official release. Taking 2022 by storm, we can’t wait to see this new metallic shade incorporated in 2022 weddings.

BLACK

A timeless classic, black bridal parties are here to stay! While we can expect to see more black velvet bridesmaid dresses appear over this month, you can expect various fabrics to trickle into fall of 2022.

We hope you feel inspired by these 2022 trends! Needing any help with choosing your color palette? Shop our swatches here!