While many brides choose to dress their bridal party in the same color, style, and fabric dresses, it has become popular for the bridal party to wear mismatched bridesmaids’ dresses. Having your bridal party in unique bridesmaid dresses is a great way to add more color to your theme, make the bridal party interesting, and enable each individual to express their personality through the style.
You can choose to have:
- different bridesmaids’ dresses all in the same color
- the same bridesmaid’s dresses in different colors
- completely mismatch the colors, styles, and fabrics altogether
The choice is yours, after all, it is your special day.
The great thing is, there are plenty of options to choose from. You can also consult your bridal party to see how they would feel in different dresses or colors, and try dresses on at your local store to get an idea of what they might look like on the day.
Weddings have come a long way from the traditional ceremonies, attire, and general themes. They are very different now than they used to be 50 years ago, and that extends to clothing and styles too. By mismatching your bridesmaid’s dresses, you can incorporate a range of beautiful gowns and dresses into your big day and highlight the beauty of each bridesmaid. It will also provide each member of your bridal party with an opportunity to wear something they feel comfortable and confident in, as everyone’s tastes are different. Everyone has unique features, body shape, hair color, and skin color, so different dresses, colors, and styles can be a great way to show these off.
Mismatched bridesmaid dresses are a fun idea, however, it must be done right so each bridesmaid complements the other as well as you, the bride. You will also need to ensure you create one cohesive look for a bridal party and effectively pull off the mismatched look. If you fail to do this and instead inadvertently create a fragmented or messy look, it might result in challenges and a lot of stress on what is supposed to be your special day.
To help you piece together the perfect mismatched bridesmaid dresses, here are some important things you need to consider.
Consider the Individual Features of Your Bridal Party
You could just go out and pick mismatched bridesmaids’ dresses at random. However, it is a good idea, and helpful to the decision-making process, to include your bridal party from the outset. Not only can you ask them for their opinions on colors, but you can also consider their unique and individual features. Consider their hair color, eye color, skin color, body shape, and best features. This way, you can think about what fabric, hemline, style, and color will be best for each person. This is a great way to make your bridal party shine while balancing the colors and styles to compliment you.
Consider Your Wedding Theme
You must consider the theme of your wedding and the colors that you already plan to use in your decor and other elements on the day. Create a color palette, and see which colors complement each other, and which ones do not. You can utilize online resources such as Canva and Pinterest to create boards and play around with different colors, so you can see what works well and what does not. This will help you with your initial research, but you will still need to obtain swatches and try on the colors in person so you can see what they look like beyond a screen. You can also conduct research around the psychology of color theory to help you make a decision, as well as tools such as Adobe to find out more about complementary colors that work in harmony with each other, and colors that are trending. This tool enables you to input colors that you like and provides you with a range of options to choose from. While it is typically used for graphic design, it can be really helpful to understand colors better for your special day.
Try on Different Bridesmaid’s Dresses
Make sure you try on different bridesmaids’ dresses when you are trying to assemble a mismatched look for your bridal party. This will enable you to see in person what your ideas look like and how you can bring them to life. Sometimes, colors and styles may look different in person than they do online.
Swatches are a really good starting point and can be key in the planning process, but make sure you check out all of your ideas in person before you make any final decisions. When you are trying on different combinations to find the perfect mismatched bridesmaid dresses, take lots of pictures so you can review them at home and take some time to think.
Don’t Overcomplicate It
It can be easy to overthink and overanalyze what is the best combination of colors and styles. This is understandable, as you want your wedding day to be perfect! But sometimes thinking too much can make the decision more difficult than it needs to be, and it will take the fun out of the process. Try to enjoy playing with different combinations, get creative, and get your bridal party involved too!
Go with Your Gut
At the end of the day, it is your wedding day. You should choose the colors and styles that you love, and go with any gut feelings that you experience in the planning process. Of course, you can also seek the opinions of your trusted friends and bridal party members. Together, you can find the perfect mismatched bridesmaid dresses for the big day.
Give Your Bridal Party Guidance
If you are letting your bridal party choose their style, fabric, or color, you must consider giving them some guidance. Think about any strict dos or don’ts that they should take into consideration when searching for their dresses. You may also want to ensure that you and the other members are consulted and kept up-to-date, to avoid serious clashes amongst you all, and bridesmaids turn up with the same dresses. You should ask them to let you have the final say before they make a purchase.
Consider Accessories and Hairstyles
While you are mismatching your bridesmaid’s dresses, think about whether you would like to mismatch the accessories and hairstyles too. What a lot of brides do, is request that their bridal party wear the same accessories and hairstyles (well as close as possible, for example, request they all have their hair up or down, or choose an elegant style) so that you can pull together the bridal party with their mismatched dresses and create some cohesion.
Mismatched Bridesmaids Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
It can be difficult to decide on what to do when considering mismatched bridesmaids dresses. To help you, here are some of the most commonly asked questions amongst brides, and some answers we hope will help!
Can You Mix and Match Fabrics for Bridesmaid Dresses?
You can certainly mix and match fabrics when it comes to bridesmaid dresses, in addition to the colors, styles, and hemlines. There are lots of fabrics you can choose from, for example:
- Bella Chiffon
- Georgette
- Iridescent Chiffon
- Jersey
- Lux Stretch
- Mikado
- Velvet
- Stretch Charmeuse
- Stretch Crepe
The decision on which fabric to choose will depend on a variety of factors, from the preference and comfort of the bridesmaid to the type of fabric that will best fit with your wedding theme. You may also consider the time of year, as some fabric is preferable over others in the summer compared to the winter.
How Do You Mix and Match Bridesmaid Dresses?
You can mix and match bridesmaid dresses in a variety of ways. You can choose the same style of dress, but a different hemline, neckline, fabric, or style. You can opt for different styles of dresses, all in the same color. Or you can choose a combination of different colors, styles, fabrics, hemlines, and necklines. The decision will be unique to you and what you want your bridal party to look like. You can also ask for your friends’ input, too!
Is it ok for Bridesmaids to Wear Different Dresses?
It is ok for bridesmaids to wear different dresses. Traditionally, you would see bridesmaids in the same attire. However, it has become modern and popular to mix and match your bridesmaid’s dresses and colors. It is a great opportunity to be creative, and add interest to your wedding day.
Do Bridesmaid Dresses Have to be the Same Color?
No, bridesmaids do not have to wear the same color dresses. They can if that is your preference, but it is also ok to mix and match the colors you wish your bridal party to wear. You will, however, want to think about what colors are best to mix and match, to ensure they do not clash with any important decor items or features on your wedding day. There are many colors to choose from, including:
- Burgundy/Reds
- Oranges/Yellows
- Greens
- Bridal Blues
- Pretty Pinks
- Neutrals
- Jewel Tones
- Metallics
- Greys
