Brides Maids Dresses

Tips for Choosing the Right Bridesmaid Dresses

Read our complete guide to finding the best dresses for your bridal party.

Now that you've found your dream dress, it's time to start another gown shopping journey: the quest for the perfect bridesmaid dresses. No matter your wedding style or size of your bridal party, we've got everything you need to know to find the right dresses for your girls. Check out our tips to make bridesmaid dress shopping a breeze.

Begin by Browsing

Start off by doing some research. Download the Wedding LookBook by The Knot app, where you can browse thousands of gowns, bookmark your favorites and share them with your friends, and then find stores in your area that carry the dresses you love. If you're flipping through magazines or browsing online, tear out pages or save images to your inspiration board to help zero in on the colors and styles you like best.

Keep Costs in Mind

If any of your friends have been in a bridal party before, they'll know bridesmaids pay for their own dresses. But a gentle reminder is never a bad idea. When it comes to price, try to be considerate of your friends' lifestyles. If you're concerned your wedding might be a financial burden for one or more of your bridesmaids, focus your search on dresses in a more affordable range, or select a color you like and let them pick their own style. Another idea: Take a cue from the guys and consider renting your bridesmaid dresses. Rental sites like Rent the Runway and Vow to Be Chic let your girls choose high-end designers in a wide range of styles and colors for a fraction of the cost.

Shop Accordingly

Consider what kind of shopping experience will suit your personality best. If you tend to have strong opinions, it's probably better to shop alone (or with just one friend). If you prefer more input, take the whole gang and give them guidelines, like color or fabric.

Stick to a Schedule

To ensure your bridal party matches your style, order your gown before making any decisions about the bridesmaid dresses.

Ordering Etiquette

It takes two to three months for orders to arrive and four to six weeks for alterations. A six-month cushion will give you and your friends ample time to find and order the dresses and get them fit.

Find the Right Fit

A bridesmaid dress is typically ordered using a person's biggest measurements, so your friends will likely buy dresses at least a size larger than they normally wear. If a friend wants to buy a size smaller, let her know it's much easier to alter a bigger dress, and if the dress ends up being too small, she'll likely have to order a new one and you'd hate for that to happen.

Consider Lingerie Logistics

Remind your girls to get the right undergarments. Depending on the style of dress (read: strapless or one shoulder), your bridesmaids may need some special support. Trust us—even the most amazing dress can look unflattering with the wrong bra. In addition to a new bra, each bridesmaid might also need a specific panty or body shaper.