Gone are the legendary puffy bridesmaids' dresses of the 80's! These days you have some wonderful choices to offer your girls. Even if you are lucky enough to not be concerned about a budget for planning your big day, keep in mind that your wedding party may not be so blessed. Keep your best girls (and their wallets) happy by breaking away a bit from tradition when selecting bridesmaid attire.
A great way to keep the cost down for them is to give the girls a color and send them out to find the perfect dress. Make the color selection even simpler by picking up numerous paint chips in your choice from a home improvement store to hand out to the ladies. Alternately, you could give them a color spectrum to choose from… if green is your theme, they could pick from the entire color spectrum. Just be sure to let them know whether you prefer a more saturated effect (hunter or kelly green) or muted tones (sea foam or pale aqua).
By picking out a dress in your color but their style, they can spend within their budget and not feel stressed. Plus, they will be able to accommodate their various body types and feel comfortable. A strapless a-line style may not work for the bridesmaid with either too much (or too little!) filling out the top portion of the dress. Feel free to impose preference on length (around the knees, tea length or floor length) but allow them to choose the silhouette.
Another way to let the bridesmaids show individuality is through choice of footwear. You may offer suggestions given the location site (flats may work best in a garden ceremony), but let them choose shoes they will continue to wear after the wedding. If you prefer them to wear shoes in the same shade, follow the color tips given for the dresses and allow the fashionista to wear her most daring stiletto platforms and the comfort chic to sport ballet flats.
For a bride set on conformity for the wedding, there are ways to keep costs in check. Try to be respectful by choosing a dress that won't break the bank, especially if it will only be worn the one time. Many retail chain stores now offer wedding lines that fall under $200 or $100, much lower than the typical bridal salon. Plus, if a bridesmaid's weight fluctuates before donning the dress, retail stores should have a more flexible exchange policy. Bridal salons would either charge again to order a second dress, or else alteration fees can go through the roof.
Also, you can handle two tasks if you consider giving matching earrings, necklaces, or bracelets as a bridesmaid gift. Not only are you saving them an extra expense, you will prevent them from getting yet another monogrammed towel or item that will merely sit in the closet. If you already had another gift in mind, request that your girls wear pearl or diamond (or cubic zirconia or rhinestone; we are talking budget here) studs that many will already have in their jewelry box. As the focus should be on the display of dresses and flowers, you won't have to wonder if your artistic friend will choose your wedding day to reveal her new chunky turquoise necklace.
As the most budget-friendly selection of all, consider only having one bridesmaid (such as a sister or childhood friend) and then choose the rest of your party to be honorary bridesmaids. The only special item to be purchased (by you, of course) would either be a small posy to carry or else a corsage to wear. The honoraries would still be listed in a program, and could even be escorted by ushers or honorary groomsmen to sit before the mothers and grandmothers. They receive all of the honor and have to spend minimal cash. In the years after college, many ladies find themselves asked to be in countless weddings; the price tag for dresses alone can reach into the thousands of dollars (not considering airplane tickets, wedding gifts, showers, etc.). They will certainly appreciate the sentiment of being included in the party without the extravagant outlay of cash.
Overall, don't let the stress of selecting the bridesmaids dresses overshadow the fun of celebrating such a wonderful time with your best friends. By incorporating both their potential needs and your design desires, you can easily find a solution that satisfies all (wedding) parties involved!
-- Jennifer Mackethan