Selecting attire for our bridal party was not quite the ordeal I have heard it to be. Matt went to a popular rental store and selected a tux that looked great. It turned out to be a bit pricey so he changed it to a very similar but more affordable option before sending his groomsmen the details. The guys got measured and picked them up without a hitch. They all looked very handsome and dapper when the big day rolled around.

I chose to ask my bridesmaids to select their own dresses. I provided each with a piece of ribbon in the color Matt and I chose together and asked them to find something close to that shade of blue. It was a great decision for our situation for quite a few reasons.

1. We had four beautiful women in our wedding of different heights, shapes, and sizes. There was no way I could have found one dress that would be flattering on all four of them. By letting them choose their own dresses they could each pick something that was made for their body type.

2. Everyone has different budgets and has a different idea about how much is reasonable to spend on clothing. No one was out of their financial comfort zone when they got to choose their own attire. Being in a wedding is a costly affair no matter what. There was no need to add to the bottom line of my leading ladies if at all possible.

3. My bridesmaids live in different cities and have busy lives. This way each of these fabulous career women were able to shop locally or online at their own convenience without worrying about meeting up to dress shop, finding one store in common, or finding one particular dress.

4. Having my bridesmaids choose their own dresses meant less stress for me. One less thing to do is always a good thing in wedding planning in my book. If it didn’t get done the only person who would look goofy is the person who didn’t get a dress. Luckily I have fabulous friends and family who chose beautifully before it was too close to go time.

5. I think people are happier in general when they are in control of what they have to wear. It was kind of comforting to know that if a bridesmaid hates her dress it wasn’t my fault. Maybe that’s the coward’s way out, but there you have it.

6. I have never been in a wedding where I could possibly wear the dress again. Maybe my ladies won’t be able to wear theirs again either, but at least they could have chosen something that could be multifunctional if that was a priority to them.

7. Having each person choose their own dress means special time with each person. I had a great time shopping with my maid of honor when she looked at all her options. The out of town ladies texted pictures back and forth which felt a little like shopping together. It was fun to have one on one time.

8. My bridesmaids have way different personalities. It showed in the dresses they chose. I loved this! It was so fun to see what each person chose for themselves.

9. The ladies looked great together. We have only gotten informal pictures back so far but I love the way the different dresses matched but were unique. It was perfect. Plus photos are way better when the people in them are happy and comfortable.

10. There was an element of surprise to the whole thing. It felt exciting each time one of my ladies chose their dress and sent over a picture. It was even better seeing them all together in person!

I was extremely happy we decided to go this route for our bridesmaids’ dresses. I think it was less stressful and more practical for everyone. Plus, they turned out looking great for the type of wedding we had. I chose one common element, color, and that was enough to give some uniformity to the group without being too rigid. I would recommend this option to everyone!