Choosing Bridesmaid Dresses

There is an old adage that sums me up perfectly. It says, "Always a bridesmaid never a bride." I'm happy with that description. I've witnessed too many weddings to heap that kind of punishment upon myself. While I've never been married, I'm sort of an expert on going to weddings (I've been involved, in some form or fashion, in more than my fair share).

I've been the flower girl, I've passed out bags, in the shape of satin roses, full of birdseed (I don't remember the title that came with that job, but it did have one), I've been bridesmaid, and most importantly, I was maid of honor for my best friend.

I've been in so many weddings that I've actually had to start refusing. I now reserve the office for family and very close friends. I have more than met my quota of expensive formal dresses that I will never again be able to respectably wear in public thank you very much! I've learned the dos and don'ts of dressing a bridesmaid, which I will relate to you now.

If, however, you are forced to wear the traditional "terrible" dress, don't complain. Remember, the bride must make dozens of decisions, everything from what color of beige napkins to use, to how many annoying members of her mother's quilting bee to invite. With all of that pressure, she's bound to make one bad choice; she may even feel the need to torture someone the way her future mother-in-law is torturing her. Just grin and bear it and pass this list of helpful hints to the next bride to be.

Tip One: (this actually happened to me) It is always a bad idea to use the leftover material that your grandmother used to make shower curtains and window toppers from. While it is the prerogative of the bride to look better than the bridesmaids, it is a desperate move to force them to wear a shower curtain or any other ridiculous looking concoction you may choose. Trust me; you'll thank me when it comes time to open your wedding photos.

Tip two: Keep it simple! When my college roommate told me she was using her favorite colors for her wedding, I immediately thought of the color pink. All I ever saw her wear was pink. I kept thinking of Shelby's colors in Steel Magnolias, blush and bashful.

Imagine my surprise when she told me that her favorite colors were pink, and purple, and yellow, and green, and blue. She chose five different material colors with the idea of pairing up one bridesmaid and one groomsman in each.

She then went on to pick patterns and material. She chose to alter the pattern and wrote out a list of instructions on how to make the dress her way. Unfortunately, her instructions were too vague. Three of the dresses were made one way while the other two were completely different. This made for a very panicky bride, two very embarrassed bridesmaids, and many very confused guests. Sadly, there wasn't enough time to fix the mistake, and we all just had to grin and bear it.

Tip three: Ask the bridesmaids for their input. I had the honor of being maid of honor at my best friend's wedding. She chose one other lady as a bridesmaid. As her color, she chose royal blue because it went well with both of our skin tones.

She told us the style she wanted for the dresses and then gave us the freedom to choose our own patterns. She wanted the dresses to have A-line floor length skirts and come slightly off the shoulders. I chose a two piece pattern that not only flattered my robust body shape, but it was also reusable in a number of atmospheres outside of a wedding.

Selecting bridesmaid dresses is very important, but it doesn't have to be painful. With a little bit of common sense and some input from those who will be wearing them, choosing the perfect dresses can be downright enjoyable.