Bridesmaid dress dilemma - three VERY different bridesmaids

I think I'd let them all choose their own style of dress but decide on a colour, or shades of a colour together to make it clear they are part of the bridal party. I think that would look pretty awesome on photos actually!

I thought my three were tricky with different body shapes, personalities, styles and oddly shaped feet, but you've trumped me with a Muslim bridesmaid ?

Honestly, I think the only thing you can realistically do, to make them go together is choose a colour and maybe a fabric (I think chiffon is great for the different body shapes bit and would also mean your Muslim bridesmaid could be fully covered without it being too heavy or structured) and they can then have something suited to them but will obviously co-ordinate together.

I think if you had two the same and one different it may look a little odd and to find a suitable dress for them all to wear the same and then find a suitable jacket will have you tearing your hair out!

My two bridesmaids are very different and my sister is notoriously fussy about dresses. However I have gone for two different styles (my sister is small and refuses full-length) in the same material and colour. I don't mind it doesn't bother me, I'd rather they both be comfortable and happy. I've gone for charcoal!

I've been to a wedding where the bride asked the bridesmaids to all wear black but whatever they want to wear. That seemed to work quite well!

One of the weddings I went to this year one of the bridesmaid was Muslim! They all wore the same dress... They were chiffon however she wore a long sleeve top in the same colour under the dress and had a matching headscarf! So they don't all nessessarily have to wear different dresses... However due to style conscious bridesmaid it may be you best option!

to be honest though she (style conscious bridesmaid) is going to have to compromise somewhere, she's your bridesmaid and while she needs to be comfortable with her dress she also needs to work within a budget suitable for all bridesmaid! It's your wedding not her fashion show...

They can all go for different styles but the same colour scheme & possibly the same material so they look like your BM.

Something like this would be nice

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/211950726185210604/

Best of luck!

I think as long as the dresses are similar colour they will look fine. There is a big difference in my bridesmaids ages, so one dress wouldn't suit them all, as the youngest is only 13.

I agree with the others, just pick a colour and they can choose their own outfit within that boundary.

I have told my girls that i don't care what style, shape, length, material, cut, they choose - as long as it's black. I'd rather they were all comfortable in their own choice. Nothing worse than being stuck in a dress all day, having to have photos taken, when you hate the dress and think you look awful and self-conscious.

Besides, no-one will care if they are in different frocks, or really even if they are in different colours. People are usually more interested in the bride's dress and getting tiddly on your wine.

I agree with PinkButterfly - I think the 'style-conscious' BM needs to wind her neck in a bit. I think that for her to pooh pooh 'cheaper' dresses is a bit of an insult to you and your other BMs styles! It suggests that she thinks she has better dress sense than you and that you will try to put her in something unfashionable. I'm sure that's not the case. My main concern is that if you tell them a colour and let them choose their own, she might go for something that's a bit 'out there' and might make the other two dresses look like they aren't as nice. I don't know, it could always turn out alright in the end though, but I'm just thinking aobut what it would look like if two of your BM's looked lovely in a soft chiffon gown from Debenhams (for example) and then she walked down the aisle in a this season Jenny Packham - it might look a it odd! Having one person in something else also suggests that they are the Maid of Hoour or Chief Bridesmaid - is that the case?

It may sound silly, but have you actually tried going shopping all together? You may well find that they do all pick something the same or similar that they all really like - that's what happened with my three.

As you are paying for the dresses, you should be the one to decide. If you do decide to let them all choose their own, you must make sure that you're with them so that you can get an overall picture of what they will look like together. And if they are all shoppng separately from each other, I'd suggest sorting out your Muslim BM first as her ptions might be more limited than the others.

Sorry, I've waffled.

Hope it all goes well x