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I'm in a pickle with regards to my bridesmaids dresses. Here is a blah-blah timeline of what I've thought/said.
January 09- "Oh yeah, we'll just do black cocktail dresses, probably not even bridesmaids dresses at all. Just regular. Oh, and bright shoes!"
Then I bought my dress. My fiance is right next to me, so I won't elaborate on the dress, but I think a lot of y'all have seen it. It's a super fun dress.
That got me thinking that black might be too harsh for a summer wedding, and harsh with colored heels in the summer, plus harsh with the dress.
Then I started thinking/loving the light gray dresses with bright heels. I love color, and it was a nice way to do color and a neutral, without being too harsh.
Well, I think I'm being vetoed on the light gray. (Makes me a little sad panda). Though I do agree it might wash e'erybody out. Anyway, moving on.
So then I trudged back over to the black, still wondering if black and color was too harsh for the dress and season. (I do love black and color, though. It's evident in my engagement pictures. Hello, rainbow cranes and hot pink tights and black dress...)
THEN I saw Snow's blog post on Anna Elyse dresses. I went to the website, and fell freakin' in love with the short dresses, namely the Clarissa and Peggy.
http://annaelyse.com/collection/silhouettes
I'd just get 'em to pick a short dress, in a certain fabric... and... well, now I've started dreaming of color combos. Even doing mockups of different combos of 4 colors. (4 maids).
Now for the questions...
Is the black+colored-shoes-thing too much or harsh for my dress/season?
Is it a jerky thing to do to go from black to colored?
Should I stay away from gray even if it's darker?
Would it be a jerky thing for me to have them get actual bridesmaids dresses if I end up doing black?
P.S. Here's a link to the dress.
http://iloveyoumuch.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/mari1.jpg
Tell your FI not to read:-)
Your dress to me is really light, fun, and while elegant... it's not like a satin ballgown... Depending on the time of the wedding and the reception it could go either way with black. I'm leaning towards black being too much though :-/
It's not jerky... things change!
Stay away from grey... at least, I know I would look incredibly dead in grey :-) I like grey suits on men but dresses dont really do it for me :-(
I'm loving those dresses you linked too! Pick a color and length and let the girls choose... I love the way pictures look when there's different styles. OR, pick a style and then let the girls choose from a selected color (but don't let everyone choose the same.) i.e. 2 choose yellow, 2 choose blue, etc... whatever the colors.
At least, those are my thoughts. At first I gasped because I thought something went wrong with the customizing of your dress proportions! lol.
Yeah, I'm on the "Ok, maybe one in purple, one in blue, one in green, one in mustard..." brain route. (The wedding has essentially turned into a technicolored-fest, which was solidified by our b.a. engagement shoot).
I def. don't want them all wearing the exact same dress. The bridal army thing makes me nervous. :p
I'll leave the gray alone for now, I think.
The black is really stressing me out. I also am not sure how much to say about it yet, because I'm sure most people when given that option would be all, "Yeah, let's do the black." 'Cause who doesn't want to wear a black dress?
I'm such a waffler with regards to anything that borders on telling people what to do/wear/buy. Too much people pleasingness.
I hear ya. I'm deciding on purple or black. For my poorer bridesmaids, black is cheaper and easier than saying, "how about you choose the style but it's still a purple satin dress" :-) But then, I don't want them to blend in with guests...
Yeah. I'm going to subsidize the cost of the dresses, or so is the plan. (Though I wouldn't say that part and then back out!)
We're all college kids (all almost grads), so at this point it's easy to ALWAYS go for the black-dress-card.
Sometimes I wish I had the huevos to just go for a WEAR THIS NOW PLZ approach.
I think I remember you posting a while back about black dresses with colored shoes and I remember thinking the idea was awesome! I wore a long black BM dress to my best friend's wedding in August, and since her wedding was more formal and in a ballroom it fit perfectly! I also saw this recently and LOVED it:
http://100layercake.com/blog/archives/3117
I could totally see your girls rockin their own unique color
(sorry I hit enter before finishing)
I am a huge fan of the re-wearable-and-classy black dress as a BM dress, but I think especially since you are subsidizing the dresses then you could go for something wilder if you wanted.
1)While I think black+colored shoes still works, I think your dress is too "fresh" and I think a little more color would definitely be nice! Not necessary, but I think your dress has a fun side to it, is a little whimsical, and I think the "new" dresses go nicely.
2) Do you mean are you being jerky to the girls? I think it's your wedding and it's not a big deal...you could do colored dresses with black shoes and black accessories. Oooo black pearls =].
3) i think dark gunmetal gray is WAY gorgeous and chic. You could still do colored shoes, too, but shades of charcoal and gunmetal are always nice. Not as "harsh" as black, but still in with the theme...i think if you're going to do black or gray, do a nice shade of gray. Or, let the girls pick their own shade and they can vary a little. It IS less harsh in the summer, but I gander that your event is formal enough that black is suitable, too
4) those don't "look" like actual bridesamid dresses. I think they're really lovely. hopefully just not too $$ unless your friends are ok with spending more money
ohhhh girl i feel you on this.
i started out thinking the same thing "oh it will probably be LBDs to keep the costs down" since i know that half of my BM's are strapped for cash.
but i picked my dress, and my venue, and yeah... dont want LBD's anymore! i really want them all in latte or chocolate colored dresses and know exactly the designer (or did before i saw the site you put up they are GORGEOUS) and would let them pick the style.
i feel like a tool because i wanted to keep costs low, but if i go the way i want, it will end up being around $160 per dress. which isnt that expensive really, but i still feel guilty asking them to pay that much. if i end up going that route, i might try and subsidize the dresses by $50 or something and make that their BM gift (unless thats tacky LOL)
but then again - how many weddings have i been to and how many dresses have i forked out $300+ for dresses i never wore again? *sigh*
bottom line: IMHO - i think your idea with the dresses is spectacular - with that gorgeous dress, unless you are doing a black and white monochomatic wedding, i think it would look a bit harsh. Like someone said earlier, maybe do shades of grey? i think if grey like white - where different shades look better on different people = and its a neutral so its not like they couldnt wear it again. and it would make the pallette more interesting.
I've seen your dress in another post, and I think black would definintely be too harsh! Your dress is so super floaty and ethereal! I'd do pretty light colors... do they have to match, or can you give them swatched of the colors you were thinking of (pink, purple, aqua, light blue?) and let them decide which of the colors they want to wear?
It is a dressier event, you're right. But like funky-dressy.
I guess as of right now, if I had to have a me-me-me moment, I'd want colored dresses, of those that I posted, in a diff color and dress for each. Maybe a more gradiant version, or maybe less close in color. I just don't know how to say it out loud to them. They're used to the fact that I'm a wuss though.
I really need to stop whining. Finals week is doing this to me. :p
Just for reference, these are the sort of flowers we're doing. Wild, tons of color, peonies, dahlias, poppies, billy buttons, sticks, etc.
http://iloveyoumuch.com/wordpress/?p=303
Dudes will be in black tuxes with bowties, and bright freakin' socks.
And here are just a few colors as far as dresses I put together for fun. Though now I think they might be a little jewel-toned-dynasty looking. :p
Edit: Yep, dynasty. :p Lawd, I need to stop looking at this stuff.
Picture_24.png (84.5 KB, 49 downloads) 2 years old
if color is what you want go for color! although if you go they grey route you can have bright flowers????
I think those dresses are great!!!!! I love the bright colored ones.
Personally, grey is my absolute favorite color so I would choose that as your neutral. Is there a way to compromise and still do the color gradient idea but do it with shades of grey instead? That way you might be able to find each girl a shade that is flattering for her, since as someone else mentioned, not everybody looks good in all greys.
Just an idea...what about keeping the black dresses and adding a colorful sash in the jewel tone? This way the girls will have the awesome little black dress to use, and you get your color!
totally second volleybride's idea! Make the sashes match the colorful shoes, too... :)
Love your dress - that was one of the ones I tried on myself, its so fun!
My dress is actually a very similiar shape to yours and with no embellisments either (the Amsale Serena). I wound up picking JCrew silk chiffon dresses in their "graphite" color - the ones Mrs. Cowboy boot picked for her maids. They're surprisingly flattering on different skin tones and all of my girls thought they would be very rewearable - everyone needs a good little black dress by grey can be more versatile in the spring and summer. Plus, cute shoes in green or purple or blue would be fabulous with grey. And Jcrew also has beautiful cotton cady dresses with a shape like the ones you like above - in a much lighter grey though.
@april- I just wish they came in more sizes! I don't think they'll work for e'erybody in my party.
yeaaah, i'm not really a sash kinda gal. :p maybe i've just seen it butchered too many times. lol
i ran the color thing by one today, and i got a raised eyebrow and "oookay."
Fifty - I hear you on the size thing, so freakin annoying for tall or busty girls! One thing they did let me know - they're expanding into sizes up to 16 this winter.
I think either jewel tones or do a darker grey & maybe do a sash? If not, dark grey w/ colored shoes would be cute!
the bridesmaids dresses already come in 16, actually. i just need them to extend it a little more if we were to have 'em all in jcrew. i want no man left behind, so i think we'll prob. do the anna elyse. i think?
i need to make up my mind
As a "broke college student" here... I gotta admit i'd be kinda sad if you just assigned me a color I didn't like and told me I had to buy a $150 (I don't know how much they cost, sorry!!) dress, if I knew someone else got a color they could actually wear again... just something to think about! Edit: especially if I thought I was going to get a black dress, anyways... but at the same time, it's your wedding! So don't be afraid to tell them what to wear in the end.
I would talk to your BMs about it. It's easy to run it by us, we don't have to wear or buy the dresses!
i wouldn't do just like YOU WEAR THAT COLOR. :p a pool of colors, i guess
i've talked to them all now, and...
one is totally excited on board
one likes color, but isn't sure about each in a diff color
one is yes, with a raised eyebrown
and the other is a "awesome. whatever you want."
I think black bridesmaid dresses are practical. however, these dresses are fun and colorful and if you allow them to pick their own color, they can totally wear the dresses again.
I think black is GREAT with your dress, mostly because you've said it's a funky-formal affair. Black makes funky look "sophisticated" and not childish-crayola-y. Bright bouquets & bright shoes will match the groomsmen's bouts & socks. Maybe, to make sure your 'maids don't blend in with the guests, since you're not a sash person, have your 'maids get bright boleros or camisoles? This is a reusable (separate) accessory that can be dressed up (with the LBD & jewelry) or dressed down (white tank & jeans) for later use, matches the whole "bright accessories" thing & something they DON'T have to wear in the ceremony or pictures, but can use during the eating part of the reception so other guests can identify the bridal party.
I'm the weekend before you and I originally wanted to do black, but decided against it b/c it's more of a fall/winter color. I wanted to do blue but couldn't find any blues I actually liked once I saw them in person. So I ended up with 'platinum' kind of a bright grey that is actually quite flattering on all their skintones.
forgot to preface that my MOH will be in black for our Friday 2pm wedding + cocktail reception. I think it will work...she's using a LBD that she already owns that I think is fabulous (and luckily mirrors my dress' neckline, so it even matches). Talk about saving your BMs money! We're lightening it up by wearing leis (I'm from Hawaii, so is MOH) & utilizing the bright wedding colors (spring green & tangerine). I certainly hope it will work - I'm banking on it! 
*begin whining*
Oh my, I am so frustrated and about 4 seconds from tear-land. Those dresses, that I love, are like $300+ apparently.
Unfortunately, I also saw the wildflowery-bright stuff like we're doing against black, and it washed all of the flowers out. It didn't look *bad*, but it looked ... off? It just didn't work.
I really just need to go look at some dresses in person again and suck it up. It's just the last two times were super demoralizing dress-wise. Everything looked awful and cheap, and totally wasn't worth it. But then, I'll fall in love with a certain dress or dress maker, and there'll be one caveat- they only go up to a certain size, they're eleventeen billion dollars, etc. Yes, we are/were planning to subsidize the cost over 200$, but the bms have also said they preferred if we wouldn't do that.
I'm so sorry for having a whine-fest. I blame finals, hormones, and too many small things going awry at once. :p
*hopefully end whining*
Aw girl I'm sorry!
You'll find the ones, you will. Just take a break from it for right now and have some wine!
i am so super-pro your same style/ different colors idea! I think your color palette and wedding aesthetic calls for some super-fun colored dresses.
Yaaay, Anna Elyse!
I totally feel your whine fest! I too am really frustrated with bridesmaid dresses. Ive gone to look twice and everything is just really ugly, im sorry. There are not many good choices. The colors are also usually not the best. Why cant someone just make some cute dresses it shouldnt be this hard! I need to get on it and find some dresses soon though! I dont think black would be horrible with your dress, but I think a color would look better.
I'm going to go the other way and say that black could definitely still work. My dress wasn't nearly as floaty and light (Casablanca 1831) but it was outside and summery.
ETA: Sorry for the picture quality. Apparently I'm not very good at resizing pictures.
rsz_wedding2.jpg (25.5 KB, 56 downloads) 2 years old rsz_wedding.jpg (23.4 KB, 48 downloads) 2 years old
I'm a huge fan of awesome shoes! I think they are the cutest accessory and can draw a ton of attention! I personally think a gray/silver dress with some fun colorful funky shoes would be awesome! Sort of like below:
pretty.jpg (36.2 KB, 45 downloads) 2 years old
We actually did gray dresses for late summer wedding and spiced it up with bright flowers. And I loved them!
JOG0511.jpg (62.5 KB, 58 downloads) 2 years old JOB0064.jpg (67.7 KB, 48 downloads) 2 years old
@norab- see, i love that. i get vetoed on it everytime i bring it up, though. maybe if i showed pictures, it would work better? lol
Edit: not everything loaded!
@mmm- yes, exactly. i love that too.
I like the idea of the different colored BM dresses. Those deep purple/green ones you posted are AWESOME! And I had never seen your dress-I love it!
Pictures sometimes do the trick....people don't always understand what the vision in your head is until they see it.
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