For many brides, their bridesmaid appointment with their girls is an event to look forward to. It’s a day to connect with their closest friends, and check off a major to-do from the wedding checklist. Unfortunately, not all bridesmaid appointments are a breeze, and some can be downright disastrous. How enjoyable your girls day ends up hinges on how you go into the appointment, and how you handle working with so many opinions and styles. Here is a roadmap, straight from our talented stylists, that will help you avoid the pitfalls to a successful, fun and easy bridesmaid appointment.
COME TO YOUR BRIDESMAID APPOINTMENT WITH A PLAN
Do you know if you want your ladies in the same dress? Same color? Do you envision floor length or knee length? Do you know what color(s) you are looking for? Asking yourself these basic questions allows you to set boundaries for yourself and for your bridesmaids. You wont feel like you are wading through a sea of dresses trying to find the perfect one. Your stylist should help you control how many styles your party tries on, and steer them away from options that they know you arent looking for. However, they will only know to do this if you let them know your own ideas. You are the captain of your bridesmaid boat, and you should know what general direction you want to take! Peruse our selection of bridesmaids lines to get the ideas flowing!
ASK FOR YOUR PARTYS INPUT, AND KEEP THEM INFORMED
One of the most common snags we run into when working with a bridesmaid group is someones assumption that the bride is going with their ideas, or their budget, when in reality the bride is on a completely separate page. This can get especially tricky when one girls budget is less than others, or less than what the bride is imagining. To avoid this uncomfortable situation, have a talk with your ladies first, before trying anything on, to clarify what they are comfortable spending and wearing, and to make sure everyone knows what to expect from the appointment.
EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUT THE ORDERING TIMELINE
Often, our brides are shocked when we inform them that bridesmaid dresses take three months to come in after ordering, and one to two months to alter. In addition to that, the dresses will not be ordered until everyones been measured. We cant emphasize enough how important it is to give yourself enough time to receive your dresses before the day arrives. Your bridesmaid appointment should be a fun, relaxing experience. Just like finding your dress should be! Working under a deadline can be incredibly stressful. Give yourself some cushion time to relax while you wait for the dresses to come in with plenty of time to spare!
IF POSSIBLE, GO WITH AS MANY MAIDS AS YOU CAN
At K&B, we are very flexible when bridal party members cant make it to appointments, to try on or be fitted for their dress. For example, if they live out of state. We have policies to handle these situations, but its always a good idea to include as many bridesmaids as you can in the try-on process so that you are aware of everyones opinions at the start. If they arent able to come in person, text them pics! We love when our customers get on Facetime to include someone who couldnt make it to the shop!
BE FLEXIBLE
While you should never compromise on your vision, always remember that your bridesmaids are your closest friends. Although tensions can run high during the wedding planning process, they ultimately want you to be happy with your wedding. Remember that these relationships are never worth sacrificing over conflicting opinions. Your bridesmaids want you to have your dream wedding, but there are situations in which your bridesmaids might ask you to work with them on the finer details. Stay open, and remember that everyone has the best intentions in mind! Take these simple steps before diving into bridesmaid shopping to make sure that when all is said and done, you and your maids will have great memories to look back on, and cute dresses to go with them!