Ideas to Brighten Up Black Bridesmaid Dresses

May 26th, 2010

Just because you have chosen a dark color for the bridesmaid dresses does not mean that they cannot have some vivid color elsewhere in their ensemble. A very fresh approach to the bridesmaid bouquets is to give each attendant a nosegay made of a different variety of flower. Have each bouquet made in a monochromatic color from one type of flower. In other words, you might have one nosegay of green Kermit mums, another of hot pink carnations, another in orange gerbera daisies, and so on. As long as the shape and size of each bouquet is uniform, this will look fantastic.

Accessories are a great way to brighten up black bridesmaid dresses. The bridesmaid jewelry can be a particularly fun way to add a splash of cheer to dark attire. Classic white pearls are lovely, but when the attendants are all wearing black, it can be better to opt for Swarovski crystal bridesmaid jewelry sets. This will give you a huge range of color choices, and will also get some shimmer and sparkle into the bridesmaids’ outfits, which is always a good thing. For summer, aquamarine crystal station necklaces would be gorgeous. In the winter months, a rich color like jade or cinnamon will be just the right amount of color for the bridesmaid jewelry to make it pop against the dark dresses.

Bridesmaids wearing knee length black dresses? Then use their shoes as the pop of color. One of the best colors is a chartreuse satin shoe, which will really stand out and make a statement. There is nothing somber about shoes like that! Cobalt blue is a rich hue which looks surprisingly good with black. Another deep shade with a great hit of color is plum. Metallic colors can work well for the bridesmaids’ shoes also. Silver, gold, or bronze shoes will offer the distinct advantage of being something which the bridesmaids will be able to wear again on many occasions.

What if your bridesmaids have already purchased their black dresses, but when your mother learns of the choice, it launches her into a panic attack? Instead of returning the dresses, consider adding a sash or wrap with a pop of color. This couldn’t be easier, since absolutely any color will look great against a black dress. If it means maintaining family harmony, it may well be a worthwhile compromise. The nice thing is that after your wedding, remove the sash, and your attendants will still have the classic black party dresses that they started with.

Bouquets for Bridesmaids

September 18th, 2009

Your bridesmaids’ bouquets are the largest accessory that they will carry, so it is important to choose wisely. There are a few rules of thumb to keep in mind when talking bouquets with your florist. One is that your bridesmaids’ bouquets should coordinate with their dresses, your wedding gown and bouquet, as well as the style or theme of your wedding. The biggest choices that you will make are: color, type of flower, size and shape of bouquets, and special accents like ribbons.

It used to be common for a bride to try to match the color of the bridesmaids’ flowers to their dresses as closely as possible. Although this is still done, many florists are getting away from the exact match, because the flowers will tend to blend in too much with the dresses. You can lose the visual impact of the blossoms in this way, especially in photographs.

A nice alternative is to select flowers in a color that will stand out against the bridesmaid dresses, and tie them with a ribbon that matches their dresses for continuity. The flowers can be another version of the same color, like hot pink peonies carried by bridesmaids in pale pink gowns, or go for a modern look with a strong contrast, like orange flowers with a deep purple dress. Sometimes brides will choose to have the bridesmaids carry a progression of colors in the same type of flower; for instance if your attendants were wearing butter yellow dresses, you could design bouquets in a range of purples from lilac to eggplant for a dramatic contrast.

It is very important that the style of flowers you choose for bridesmaid bouquets makes sense with their dresses. If your attendants were wearing long black sheaths and crystal bridesmaid jewelry sets for an evening wedding, you would not give them a bunch of daisies to carry down the aisle. On the other hand, an elegant bouquet of calla lilies would be perfect with such a chic bridesmaid ensemble. And the daisies have their place too; they would be charming with cotton voile bridesmaid dresses and simple sets of silver jewelry for a summer afternoon wedding in a park.

When in doubt, ask your florist to make you a few samples to view along with a sample of your own bridal bouquet. The wedding flowers are such a key decorative element at your ceremony that you want to make sure they all look gorgeous.