Finding summer bridesmaid dresses for your wedding, that every one of your friends will actually want to wear seems impossible. It’s not. Here’s how to do it.

Did you know that a whopping 78 percent of women don’t like their bridesmaid dress? That’s a crazy amount of unhappy friends and family!

So, chances are, you’re here because you’re on the hunt for some killer summer bridesmaid dresses. Rest assured, you’re in the right place because throughout this article we’ll be giving you some sure-fire advice.

Without further ado, let’s dive into a few tips on how to pick these gown!

1.) Give Yourself Plenty of Time To Find Inspiration For Summer Bridesmaid Dresses

By this we mean make sure you give yourself enough time to browse after all this is the fun part!

Head to Google, Pinterest, wedding magazines (whatever floats your boat) and get a feel for the kinds of colors, styles, and materials you like the look of.

There are literally thousands of summer bridesmaid dresses out there, so chances are there will be a few you like the look of.

When you come across something you like the look of, add it somewhere safe. You’ll want to refer back to it at a later date.

For example:

• Pin it to a Pinterest board
• Add it to a favorites folder
• Stick it in your wedding scrapbook

Either way, you need to gather all your ideas together and put them in one place. This is the only way to check out your options properly.

If you’re stuck for inspiration be sure to check out Morilee Madeline Gardner. Over there you’ll find a variety of dresses in all different colors and styles!

2.) Be Realistic When It Comes to the Price Tag

Usually, bridesmaids purchase their own dresses. So, when it comes to the price tag have a thought for the financial strain you may be putting them under.

Think about their lifestyles and whether they can afford the dress you’re going for. Set yourself a realistic price range and search for dresses within that arena.

Our best advice to you is to try and avoid the bridal section (at fancy stores). Namely, because as soon as a shop labels a dress as ‘bridal,’ they’ll instantly add a load of money to the cost- not cool!

So think outside the box, and look for alternative places to source the bridesmaids dresses you’re after.

Alternatively, you could consider renting your bridesmaid dresses. There are tones of high-end designers that provide an incredible variety of rental dresses at a fraction of the cost!

3.) Include Your Bridesmaids In the Decision

If you’re worried whether your bridesmaids will like their dresses, just communicate with them and cut out the guesswork.

For example, you could select a color or style of gown and then ask your bridesmaids to suggest a few ideas. That way you know they feel comfortable in the outfit and can afford it.However, sometimes when you have a substantial amount of bridesmaids, this isn’t practical. Nonetheless, this may still be worth considering. Trust us, your friends and family will really appreciate it.

With that being said, be realistic. If you know you have firm opinions on the subject, it’s probably best you don’t consult the girls and shop alone.

Weigh up what you’re comfortable with and go from there. Only you know what’ll work best for you!

4.) Give Yourself Plenty of Time

There’s nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable in your outfit. So ensure you give yourself enough time to alter the dresses accordingly.

It’s worth remembering it can take anywhere between two to three months for some orders to arrive. Then you need to allow an extra four to six weeks to complete any alterations.

So all in all, give yourself a good six months to find, order, and alter your bridesmaid’s dresses. This should give you a comfortable amount of time to get everything you need to be done.

Plus, you’ll want to make sure your bridesmaids match the style of your wedding dress, so pick your gown first (after all, this is the most important outfit of all!)

Top Tip: It’s always easier to alter a big dress, so we recommend ordering a larger dress size than usual to be on the safe side.

If any of your bridesmaids get weird about this, just tell them that if the dress arrives too small, then you’ll have to order another one, and you’d hate for that to happen.

Hopefully, she’ll see sense in what you’re saying!

5.) Pick an Appropriate Shade

When it comes to summer bridesmaid dresses, you’ll usually want to opt for a lighter shade.

Popular colors you may want to consider include:

• Mint green
• Lavender
• Blush pink
• Duck Egg
• Turquoise- brighter shades like this, work exceptionally well for destination beach weddings.

You get the idea- virtually any pastel color works well. Conversely, if you want to throw yourself into the spirit of summer vibrant and brights shades could also work.

For example, yellows, pinks, oranges, etc. However, not all women feel confident in brighter summer bridesmaid dresses so be sure to run this by them first!

If you’re unsure what hue to go for, you could pick one color like pink and then have your bridesmaids pick their favorite shades ranging from light to dark- this trend has become increasingly popular over the last year.

6.) Choose a Style That Works

As we previously touched upon, there’s a good chance you’ll want your bridesmaids to coordinate with your bridal outfit.

For example, if you’ve opted for a more complicated looking dress, (one with a ton of lace, beads, diamontes, etc.), then simpler bridesmaids dresses would be more appropriate.

So make sure the fabrics coordinate. You could ask for samples of the material in advance to get a better idea of whether the potential dresses will compliment your gown.

7.) Think About Body Types

As we’ve already said, you’d hate for your girls to feel uncomfortable on your big day, so be considerate when it comes to picking dress styles.

By this we mean, take into consideration the different body types in your bridal party.

Annoyingly, one size doesn’t fit all. If you have a diverse range of sizes in your group, then we suggest opting for an A-line dress. This is famous for being universally flattering- the perfect skirt!

Another way you could combat this problem is by allowing your bridesmaids to go for the mismatched look (as previously suggested).

That way you can keep a theme running through your bridal party while making sure everyone’s comfortable.

When it comes to necklines, it all depends on how alike you want yours to be to your bridesmaids. However, strapless bridesmaids dresses are a classic and perfect for summer!

8.) Choose Something Weather Appropriate

Let’s just circle back to the first point we made in this article. It’s so easy to get carried away with a particular style of dress and then to find it’s not weather-appropriate for your special day.

So if you’re hosting a summer wedding then you’ll want to pick something that allows your girls to stay cool during the heat.

This doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t opt for a longer style; some gorgeous maxi dresses are both tasteful and light-weight (usually in a chiffon or tulle style fabric), perfect for the summer months!

However, shorter dresses are sometimes a safer bet (Especially if you’re online shopping because you can’t always get a feel for the fabric before purchasing).

Not only are shorter dresses weather appropriate, but they’re also a more practical choice for your bridal party.

Plus, there’s a good chance your girls will find another excuse to rock their bridesmaids dress post-wedding with a shorter style. Whereas, a longer dress might not always be as practical.

Other things you can do to keep your bridal party cool:

• Provide them with fans that match your bridesmaids dresses; this is both chic and practical- win-win!
• Consider a backless dress or a dress with some sort of cut out or mesh. Not only is this style bang on trend it’ll also go a long way to keep your bridesmaids cool.
• Give them a bottle of water at the start of the day (this is essential if you’re hosting an outdoor wedding) you don’t want anyone fainting during the ceremony!

Hopefully, all of the above has fuelled your inspiration!

Did You Enjoy This Blog Post on Summer Bridesmaid Dresses?

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On there you’ll find fun and interesting blog posts on everything from purchasing wedding rings online to engagement bands that suit different personality types. Enjoy!

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