Making Bridesmaid Dresses

Kanichen

Hi All,

I am getting married in Nov this year and have 4 beautiful bridesmaids, my 19 year old sister and 3 cousins, aged between aged 8, 9 and almost 11. I have been looking at the Forever Yours range of bridesmaid dresses and, perhaps niavely, I was expecting the Junior dresses to be cheaper than the adult ones. I don't mind spending £150 on a dress for my sister as she is likely to be able to wear it again, but when the little ones are likely to have outgrown it by Xmas I really begrudge spending that kinda of sum and was hoping to get a dress and jacket for around the £100 mark.

Unfortuately I can't find anything in this kind of price range so was considering approaching a dress maker but the one I spoke to said I had no hope and anything bespoke would be far more expensive.

Has anyone had their bridesmaid dresses made? How much did it cost? I am looking for a relatively simple design, just a classic A line full length dress with straps and possibly a lace up back and a little satin bolero.

Or should I just resign myself to upping the budget??

Thanks for any help or advice!

lindaatno9

Why haven't you got a hope? A dressmaker says this about your budget or the timescale?
I'm currently making BM dresses in pure silk and they are within your budget. (i can't disclose due to customer confidentiality) Obviously depends on style.
x

Kanichen

She was saying it about the budget, but possibly this is because I made the mistake of asking someone at a wedding fair who has recently been commissioned to make celebrity dresses so I think the prices may have gone up accordingly :think:

Thank you, I will approach a local dressmaker and see if I can get approx prices.

flea72

tbh, as you say younger bridesmaids wont get another wear out of their dress (actually i dont know of any older ones who do either), so i find its best to go for dresses off the highstreet, and they also grow so much at that age too, so you could find that from the time you order a formal bridesmaid dress, until it is worn, it no longer fits

at least with places like BHS/Next/Debenhams, they hold a good stock over the summer months, and should it not fit come nearer the wedding, you can return it for a refund, and you should be able to easily pick-up a replacement on ebay (should the store have sold out)

I would expect a made to measure dress for a bridesmaid to be around £100 mark, from a seamstress, with the jacket being extra - its their time you are paying for. measuring, fitting, adjustments, etc. plus the cost of fabric (not cheap), the sewing alone would run into 4-5hrs depending on style of dress

F

Kanichen

I'd be more than happy with high street dresses, but our colour theme is burnt orange and thus far I've not found any girls dresses in that colour. If anyone knows of any it would be fab!

Kanichen

Just a thought, could I buy an Ivory dress and dye it?? Maybe something like this?

http://www.bhs.co.uk/mall/productpage.cfm/bhsstore/655048/228597

flea72

Kanichen wrote: »

I'd be more than happy with high street dresses, but our colour theme is burnt orange and thus far I've not found any girls dresses in that colour. If anyone knows of any it would be fab!

could you not just have a sash for the younger girls dresses, that is to your colour scheme, with the older bridesmaid in the full colour

but, as burnt orange/rust seems to be quite popular at wedding fayres ive attended recently, it could well be that the highstreets, have this colour in their ranges this year

just curious, how you decided on a colour scheme, when you havent seen any dresses in that colour? - its also quite a hard colour to wear, depending on your skin tone? most bridal ranges stock this colour, Alfred Angleo springs to mind from last year, think they refer to as 'tango', or something similar

F

Kanichen

My sister wore a burnt orange dress to Ascot last year and when OH and I were discussing possible colour schemes she showed it to us and we loved it. Unfortunately that one isn't suitable for her to wear!

I've seen plenty of orange bridesmaid dress and my sis has tried them on and it looks fab, I'm just not wanting to pay bridesmaid dress prices for the little ones

frannyann

http://www.kays.com/colourband-prom-dress/650907870.prd?browseToken=%2fb%2f12050%2c1661%2fs%2fprice%2c1&trail=1589-1655-1661-12050&prdToken=/p/KAYS-prod1580428-sku2326507
This would suit the older BM, then the younger BM could wear white dresses with orange sashs!

rene2b

http://www.aperfectdress.co.uk/index.html