Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

I am having nightmares about going bridesmaid dress shopping this weekend. I have two bridesmaids who are totally easy going, but my fsil and I have very different taste - and she is super picky. I'm very conservative, and she is super trendy. I asked her to give me some ideas of dresses she likes, but told her that I don't want them to wear strapless (the other two bridesmaids have voiced concerns about them staying up, and I just feel weird asking them to wear a strapless dress in church when I know I would feel uncomfortable - yes, I'm a prude). Every dress that she showed me was strapless and form fitting. I know I can't make everyone happy, but I feel this pressure to make sure everyone is comfortable in the dress...
Ok, I guess this is more of a rant than a question - but any advice would be appreciated as well!

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

I emailed by BM's a bunch of dresses I liked, then they told me which ones they liked best.

Then we went shopping and found one even better and everyone loved it and it looked good on everyone.

Make sure you keep in mind what YOU want.

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

my advise just bring the bms closest to you and pick or just narrow down the dresses before you bring all the girls. It will be less confusing. And you may actually get what you want.

good luck

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

My advice.. GO through magazines and rip out the dresses you like then bring the ads to the salon hand them to the girl and let her pull the dresses. Have your girls try them on and decide just from those you picked.

That's what I did and within an hour with 4 girls I was done and ordered. Or just take your MOH pick dresses, have the salon keep the numbers written on your card and bring the girls back when you have narrowed them down. I wouldn't take all of them everywhere, everyone has different taste and after all it's your decision

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

My advice is bring 1 or 2 with you and that is it. And make it the easy going ones. I made the mistake of inviting anyone who watned to come to come and 5 of them did. Well it wound up being an issue with two of them, and one refused to try on any dresses till my wedding to lose weight and another stated she would only wear one type of dress.

After the first time of breaking down, I brought my one friend with me and she tried on dresses and we decided together what the dress would be. When i told the other girls there was no complaints.

I also was in a wedding party where the bride only brought her MOH with her and the dress they picked only looked good on the MOH. I didn't see the dress till i went for a fitting and didn't like it. But i wore it with pride that day. BM should remember this that its not about what you want that day its about what the bride wants and if you can't deal with that then don't agree to be in the BP.

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

put on yr bullet proof vest...JK

just try to have fun & hopefully
you/they will find a dress they all
agree on

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

Message edited 3/4/2005 2:42:19 AM.

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

I took two girls with me. They pulled all of the dresses that they like by the designer that I chose. They tried on dresses and we sorted them into piles of yes and no. It took a while, but we ended up with three dresses we all liked and now I am having my other BMs (who are out of state) try on those three to pick the one they like the best. Definitely don't go with more than 2. Good luck!

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

Message edited 4/25/2005 9:56:45 AM.

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

Let them do what they want, but YOU make the final decision.
That is what I did. They tried all the dresses on that they wanted to. The ones they liked, they had the other girls try on. I picked the one I like -and the one now one else had objections to. No one LOVED the dress I chose. But no one hated it either.

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

I thought I found the dresses I definitely wanted, until one BM voiced her concerns with cleavage, and another didn't want strapless. It was important that I make everyone happy, however I thought it would be impossible.

Someone told me to bring either the pickiest or "biggest" girl, because they are the ones who ultimately make or break a dress. My girls are a variety of sizes, so that didn't work too much.

We all went together and everyone tried on every dress, eliminating those that they didn't like. Then we found one that everyone liked and looked great, and poof! The rest is history.

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

DONT DO IT!!!! JUST TAKE THE MOH OR YOUR CLOSET FRIEND IN THE BP- I JUST BROUGHT MY STEPSISTER, OTHERWISE IT WILL BE A FIASCO!!!!

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

The best decision I made was to allow the Bms pick their own dress as long as they were all full length, same designer and same fabric and color. All of my girls picked different dresses by bill levkoff in euro champagne satin.

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

you can get strapless style and have straps put on for the others. or get mix and match tops with the same skirt, same color.

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

I took just my MOH, picked out 3 and emailed it to the other BM's. Then I made the final decision. I would advise against bringing too many, everyone has different opinions and it will drive you nuts.

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

I e-mailed my BMs a bunch of dresses I liked and after eliminating a few based on "serious" concerns or objections I had them vote on the remaining 5. From the 5, I narrowed it down to the top 3 based on everyone's votes (numbering the dresses from least fav to fav)and just went this weekend to try them on with my 2 MOH. Anyone was invited to go, but it turned out that just the 2 MOH could make it. So the 3 of us decided which one we liked the best, based on comfort, look, and what I kind of pictured. I really wanted them to pick out the dress, but after being in another wedding, where I was the MOH and asking for everyone's input on a totally different situation I discovered it's easier to present the group, which is usually diverse, with a few suggestions so it doesn't turn into a cat fight. It has worked well and so far, everyone is cool with the dress. Also, my MOH are both different sizes and have different prferences for clothing and they both agreed on the dress. My point was regardless, majority would rule, b/c there is only so much you can do to make everyone happy without stressing yourself out completely b/c you have enough to deal with.

Hope this helps and good luck

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

you gotta remember that you can't please everyone... try your best to get something that flatters everyone, but you make the final decision in the end... sometimes it's really hard to make everyone thrilled... but as long as they're all "comfortable" at least. . . .

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

i too had a hard time with my bm and the dresses all differant sizes taste what not so i went with them to estells dressy dress and they all got differant dresses but the same color! my moh went with me to my salone and she got the same color but with a off white color top! it worked great and eveyone loved it! plus they all got to wear them again!good luck!

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

I had a hard time picking a dress because on of my bms is very picky. I went with one of my sisters(the other is currently away) and one bm and we picked out a few dresses. I later sent those pics to my picky bm and she bascially said she hated them. In the end I found a dress I really liked and she happened to love it. Unfortunatly the person who mattered most didn't feel as comfortable in it as the other one but did like it. We did end up going with the dress I liked better and it looked great on all of them.

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

Thanks, everyone. I have a close friend in the bridal party coming in this weekend for the shopping (from DC). My MOH and I have looked before, and I definitely have dresses in mind - of course FSIL things they are all hideous...lol. So now we are just trying on and picking. I like the idea of picking one skirt and having them pick out a top that they like....
Thanks again!

Re: Any advice on shopping w/ bridesmaids?

I made the mistake of bringing everyone and it was a complete nightmare. So what I ended up doing was going again with two of the girls and basically emailed the other girls the dress. They all approved and it was a done deal!!!