The ManicaPost
WHAT’S the first thing you think of when you hear the news that you’re going to be a bridesmaid in a wedding? You know, how all the bridesmaid dresses were purposely hideous to make the bride stand out? Well…what if the bride is someone who doesn’t necessarily like all the attention on herself, but still wants to be noticed?
For a little bit of a background, a family member of mine who is getting married is someone who is very fashionable, up-to-date on all the latest trends, and has always been obsessed with all things GLAM. Ever since she got engaged to her high-school sweetheart this spring, she’s had a vision. (As do most of us since we were little girls, am I right?) When she first told us she wanted her bridesmaids in long, white dresses we were shocked. For someone who knows so much about fashion, why would she want us wearing the same colour as her? Doesn’t she want to stand out? Is that even legal? All joking aside, it wasn’t until this past weekend when we went bridesmaid dress shopping that we finally went, ahhhh I get it now! The all white is simply classy, elegant, timeless, and not to mention…absolutely STUNNING.
I guess her idea wasn’t as crazy as we thought-she was right once again. I don’t think that even she knew that what she was actually doing was just trying to keep those evil spirits away 😉 Back in the day, the bride and her bridesmaids wore almost identical dresses so that the evil spirits could not find the bride and ruin the biggest day of her life. Curious about how other wedding traditions came about?
Now to the main question: How in the world can I still stand out if my girls are wearing white alongside me?
Simple bridesmaid dresses
I think the key to making sure you are still noticeably the bride, is to make sure your bridesmaids are wearing somewhat of a different style of dress than you.
By different, I just mean styles that are much simpler than your dress. Unlike the tradition back in the day of trying to look as similar as possible, try to go for something unique. For example, if your dress is very glam and sparkly, dress your girls in something more plain. There are dresses out there that are still gorgeous even if they are quite simple.
Remember, you can always add some jewellery to spruce things up a bit and to help tie them in with your dress without over powering it!
Different hairstyles
Brides, if you plan to let those luscious locks down on your big day, try having your bridesmaids wear their hair in a cute up-do or vice versa. Having a different hairstyle than your girls will make all the difference! We have a great list of HAIR STYLISTS that can glam you and your girls up.
Flower bouquets
This may be an obvious one, but still shouldn’t be left unsaid. Most brides have a larger flower bouquet than her bridesmaids. BUT, if you are choosing to also have all white flower arrangements, make sure that you have the noticeably larger bouquet or just make it POP one way or another. If you want to keep it clean and simple, adding neutrals or light pastel colours to your bouquets is a great option!
Identical bridesmaid dresses
You know that awesome trend where brides let her bridesmaids pick out their own style of dress as long as it is in the same colour scheme?! In some cases, I love that idea. It allows for the bridesmaids to choose a dress that makes them feel confident and beautiful.
In the case of all white dresses, I would recommend having them wear the exact same dresses. (Let’s forget about the superstition of those evil spirits for a sec) This way, it is obvious you are the bride because you will be the only one in a dress different from the others. Of course, it all comes down to personal preference, but if you are a bride who still wants the attention, this is a perfect way to achieve that!
Inspiration
Where did the all-white trend come from anyway? Well…who knows if their first, but let’s take a peek into how a couple of celebs styled their weddings. They always seem to be ahead of the game! That’s why I love looking to them for inspiration.
The pros to an all-white wedding
- A simplified look
Sometimes it pays off to go with something as simple as white. It’s easy, everyone looks good in it, you can add any pops of colour you want. It’s just something you can never go wrong with and a colour you won’t regret when you’re looking back through your photos on your anniversary one day.
- Classic and timeless
As mentioned before, all-white truly is so elegant and classy. I don’t think this is just a trend. It will never go out of style.
- Clean and crisp
The all-white look makes everything look so fresh, current, and clean.
This is great for the brides who don’t like all the attention. And the best part is that you can really make it go either way. If you don’t want much attention you can style your bridesmaids very similar to you so you don’t stand out as much. If you still want all the attention on you, there are many ways to do so. It’s a great option really, for anyone.
The cons to an-all white wedding
- Budget for the bridesmaids
If you go with the all the same dresses: Equal price, different budgets for bridesmaids. This is something that can put a lot of pressure on the not only the bride, but the bridesmaids as well.
In most cases, your bridesmaids may all have different budgets and some are willing to spend more than others. Communicate and be open with your bridesmaids. Try to find something that can work for everyone without it becoming stressful.
- Mixed feelings or preferences
Sometimes your bridesmaids may not be too fond of the dress you are picking out. It’s never easy pleasing everyone, but as long as the majority of the girls love it, I think that’s all that matters.
Thinking that an all-white wedding isn’t as far-fetched as you thought?! If it’s totally your style and can now see where I’m coming from, go for it! The ideas and opportunities are endless and you can truly make your wedding stand out in so many ways. It’s impossible to go wrong with the all-white and it’s a timeless look that will never go out of style, guaranteed! —www.foreverbride.com
