How to Coordinate Bridesmaid Dresses with the Bridal Outfit
One of the most significant days of your life is your wedding, thus every little detail counts, including the décor, the flowers, and of course your wedding dress. While the bridal outfit is the showstopper of the event, the look and style of the bridesmaids also play a vital role in setting the tone of the day. Coordinating bridesmaid dresses with the bridal outfit ensures a harmonious aesthetic and makes your wedding photos more stunning. Finding the right combination can be challenging, though.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to coordinate bridesmaid dresses with the bridal outfit without stealing the bride’s spotlight, while maintaining elegance and unity in your wedding theme.
- Start with Your Bridal Outfit
The first step in coordinating bridesmaid dresses is to finalise your bridal outfit. Once you have clarity on the fabric, design, and colour palette of your wedding dress, you’ll be able to select complementary bridesmaid dresses. For example:
- If you opt for a traditional white gown with lace details, consider bridesmaid dresses with soft fabrics like chiffon or satin.
- For brides wearing vibrant-coloured lehengas or gowns (in Indian or fusion weddings), opt for bridesmaid dresses that align with the secondary colours of your attire.
Your bridal outfit serves as the anchor point, ensuring the entire wedding party looks cohesive and elegant.
- Choose a Complementary Colour Palette
When it comes to choosing colours for the bridesmaid dresses, aim for shades that complement your bridal outfit. There are several approaches to take in this:
- Monochromatic Scheme: Pick different shades of the same colour as your bridal outfit. For example, if your gown is blush pink, bridesmaids can wear lighter or darker variations of pink.
- Contrasting Scheme: Choose colours that contrast with your bridal outfit without clashing. A bride wearing ivory can pair well with bridesmaids in pastel blue, lavender, or mint green.
- Neutral Tones: If you prefer a subtle look, select neutral shades such as beige, grey, or champagne for the bridesmaids, which pair beautifully with any bridal outfit.
The key is to avoid colours that overpower your bridal look but still make your bridesmaids feel stylish and beautiful.
- Consider Fabric and Texture Coordination
The fabric and texture of the bridesmaid dresses should harmonise with your wedding outfit. For instance:
- If your bridal dress is heavily embellished, opt for bridesmaid dresses with minimal detailing to keep the focus on you.
- If your bridal gown is sleek and simple, you can play with texture for the bridesmaid dresses, such as adding lace or sequins.
Another idea is to ensure some consistency in fabrics. For example, if your wedding outfit includes velvet, you can have hints of velvet in the bridesmaid dresses, either in the form of accessories or fabric accents.
- Select Coordinating Silhouettes and Styles
While it’s important that bridesmaids feel comfortable in their dresses, the silhouette and style should complement your bridal outfit’s design and vibe.
- For a modern, sleek wedding gown, choose bridesmaid dresses with clean lines and simple cuts.
- For a bohemian bridal look, opt for flowing, relaxed dresses for the bridesmaids to keep the vibe cohesive.
- If you are wearing a traditional saree or lehenga, bridesmaids can wear fusion outfits like matching lehengas, saree gowns, or anarkalis to maintain a coordinated yet unique look.
Allow some variety in the styles to suit the bridesmaids’ preferences, but maintain consistency with the theme.
- Incorporate Matching Accessories
Accessories are a great way to tie everything together. Coordinating jewellery, hairpieces, or shoes between the bride and bridesmaids helps create a unified look. Here are some tips:
- Jewellery: If you’re wearing gold jewellery, have your bridesmaids wear complementary gold-toned accessories.
- Hairpieces: If the bride wears a floral crown or headpiece, the bridesmaids can wear smaller, matching hair accessories.
- Bouquets: Matching bouquets for the bridal party and the bride (with slight variations) can create a seamless look.
Accessories add the finishing touch, ensuring harmony without making the looks identical.
- Consider the Wedding Theme and Venue
Your wedding theme and venue play a significant role in selecting outfits for both the bride and bridesmaids.
- For a beach wedding, flowy fabrics in light colours like soft blues or pastels will suit both the bridal outfit and bridesmaid dresses.
- For a winter wedding, rich colours like burgundy, emerald, and navy complement heavier bridal fabrics such as velvet or brocade.
- A rustic outdoor wedding may inspire you to select bridesmaid dresses with floral prints or earth tones, which complement the natural setting.
Aligning the bridal and bridesmaid attire with the wedding theme ensures that everything looks well-planned and cohesive.
- Don’t Forget the Personalities of Your Bridesmaids
While coordination is essential, it’s equally important to consider your bridesmaids’ personalities and comfort levels. You can allow some customization by giving them choices within the theme.
- Same colour, different styles: Choose a colour palette but let bridesmaids pick styles that suit their body types.
- Mix-and-match colours: Stick to a colour scheme but allow a variety of shades and textures.
- Unified accessories: Even if the dresses vary, accessories like matching shoes or jewellery can tie the look together.
The goal is to make your bridesmaids feel comfortable and confident while complementing your bridal outfit.
- Plan a Try-On Session Together
Coordinating bridal and bridesmaid outfits can be tricky, so it’s a good idea to schedule a try-on session with your bridesmaids. This will help you visualise how everything looks together and make necessary adjustments to colours, fabrics, or accessories.
- Use this time to ensure that the dresses fit comfortably and flatter your bridesmaids.
- Take photos in different lighting to see how the outfits will look on the big day.
Having a try-on session ensures that both the bride and bridesmaids feel confident and happy with their final looks.
Conclusion
Coordinating bridesmaid dresses with the bridal outfit is a fun but important task that requires thoughtful planning. The goal is to strike the perfect balance between unity and individuality, ensuring that the bridesmaids look fabulous without overshadowing the bride. By considering colour palettes, fabrics, styles, accessories, and the wedding theme, you can create a harmonious look that ties everything together beautifully.