Bridesmaids dresses - do they have to be silk/satin?

TheSeventh

Hi all,

I'm getting myself rather stressed about bridesmaids dresses. It seems really really hard to find anything which meets our criteria: teal colour (or turquoise, at a push), sizes from 8 - 22, and (most importantly) affordable - i.e. less than £50 each (preferably less than that!).

I've found a really nice dress by Next, it's teal, it's really pretty, it comes in sizes 6 - 26 and it's only £35! It's simple, so we can jazz the outfits up with sparkly jewellery and accessories. BUT, it's jersey (made of viscose).

Now I'm really torn. Part of me thinks "it meets all your criteria, GO FOR IT!" and another part is thinking "jersey is so casual, it'll look like you've made no effort!"

So... I don't know what to do. I KNOW it's my wedding and I should have whatever I like, but my dress is the full on silk, ballgown type thing, all the men will be in the full suit/waistcoat/tie get-up, I don't want my bridesmaids to feel like they're not dressed up enough, or to look back on my photos and regret not having them in floor-length silk.

Any ideas? Is this dress special enough or should I keep looking?
Or does anyone know where I could find an alternative?

Thanks!

Scotsbride

If you really like and your girls feel comfortable in it then go for it! I don't think there are any hard and fast rules!

TheSeventh

That's the problem, I think I'm just so relieved to find something that'll do, that I'm 'liking' it more than it deserves! (hope that makes sense).

Need to think more clearly about pros and cons! I'm just so terrified I'll never find anything!

spoonymoose

I really like the dress

My bridesmaids aren't in silk or satin or a floor length gown, or what you would actually call a proper bridesmaid dress... I wanted them in something different to me cos it's my day to shine (and it's your day to shine!)

I too needed to find something to for all sizes, and one of my lovely bridesmaids is very big up top and didn't want a strapless dress (which I was more than happy with!)

When you look at the dresses, you have to imagine that they will be stood next to you, with their hair done nicely, and their bridesmaids bouquets (or corsages as I've chosen... Well who's gonna help me lift my dress up when I need a wee if they have bouquets?! :rotfl:

Three of my bridesmaids will be wearing this dress... (the other's being fussy!


Hope that helps a bit

codemonkey

that's really nice. My only problem with it would be that if it's still on stock around the time of your wedding, other guests could show up in the same thing.

How many are you having? There are a few decent options on ebay, including some bhs ones if you don't mind pre-loved.

MrsDrink

I'm sorry but your thread title made me smile - there is no 'have to's when it comes to weddings other than saying the legal bits and "I do". Everything else is just frills on top. If you want a 'big fat gyspy wedding' type affair so be it, but by the same token if you want to turn up in jeans and trainers it doesn't matter. At the end of the day the outcome is the same regardless - you will be married.

My thoughts - if you and your bridesmaids like them - buy them!

double_mummy

personally it looks like to me something a bit more on the casual side but if thats the sort of wedding you want and if you like them then go for it!!!!

been looking at some others and teal dresses are hard to find lol

if you are going relaxed then

http://www.next.co.uk/g852044s3#468746g85 (there is a maternity one that is exactly the same that goes up to a 22)

PinkPrincess83

I think if you like them why not order them, get the bridesmaids to try them on and see what you think- with flowers, nice shoes and jewellery they will look completely different to how they look online.

I was looking at for what I thought I should have (satin, knee length, strapless etc) and was struggling to find anything in fushia for my budget of £80 each, randomly looking on littlewoods and I found a dress that was really different to what I was looking in a dark pink, its part silk part chiffon and they were only £35, ordered them and really liked them. I did go through a stage of 'am I just liking them cos im worried nothing else will come along' but have kept them and am so glad I did!!

ellay864

My BM (16yr old stepdaughter) is wearing this dress. It's silk chiffon but certainly not the shiny 'traditional' dress that you seem to be talking about. She chose what she wanted - the only condition was that it had to be silver or purple, I left it up to her if it was long, short, strapless or whatever

aliasojo

I don't think bridesmaids dresses have to be a particular material, and the dress is lovely BUT I do think it's kinda casual and maybe too casual if you and the rest of the wedding party are all toffed up?

Mrsanders

I bought my bridesmaids teal dresses from this seller on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/simple-amazing-wedding-junior-bridesmaids-dress-8-22-/200627490905?pt=UK_Wedding_Clothing&var=&hash=item746b98aec5
I also found it hard to get the right colour at a reasonable price. She makes her other styles of dresses in all different colours too.
I bought some swatches from her first but they still weren't the right shade so in the end she sent me her whole book so I could choose.

As for the one you have seen from next I think it is a lovely dress but if it was me I would say it was a bit too casual but it is your wedding so you should have whatever you like! Don't worry about what everyone else does.

Other than that Alfred Angelo do lovely dresses in Tealness and usually see them on ebay and sometimes brand new. There were some on there after I had already bought the dresses and would have been perfect and was so horrified at the price they were at I had to bid on them! I even thought to myself if it comes to it I'll use the fabric for something! In the end they sold for just under £10 each