Bridesmaid Dress Challenge

Most people view picking out the perfect wedding dress as the ultimate wedding planning challenge. For me, deciding on a bridesmaid dress for my besties turned out to be even harder than picking my own wedding gown! The girls were already traveling from Michigan, Ohio, and North Carolina all the way to Cali to support me and Chris on our big day. The last thing I wanted to do was ask them to shell out a few hundred bucks for a bridesmaid dress they may never wear again. The problem with finding an affordable dress was that there were barely any options, and most of them looked very cookie-cutter or cheap. 


I also had this vision of each girl having a uniquely styled dress, with some sort of common thread to unify the five of them. I didn't know if this meant they would all be the same color but different dresses (David's Bridal style), or if they would be Pinterest-chic choosing their own dresses in the same color palette. I just knew I wanted them to feel cute, unique, and comfortable throughout the day. Minus the five inch heels I bought all them so I wouldn't feel like the giant tower I normally do! 

I suddenly had the idea to buy all five girls the same dress, but to totally re-do the style of the lower half of each dress. Now I just had to find something long enough to give me enough room to play with multiple design options. Enter Asos online boutique!

I found this little number and immediately saw the potential to make it into something amazing for each of the girls. At fifty dollars each, I knew they would be happy! I'm sure when they first saw the homely picture below they had their reservations about my decision, but like all good bridesmaids they were supportive of my choice.

Originally I was deciding between a neutral taupe color (like the picture), and a very soft grey purple. I went with the taupe because I knew the silhouette would work well for my alterations. When the dresses arrived, however, they were a soft grey purple. Good thing this was my other option, or that could have been my first bridal meltdown! Now on to the fun part....

Here is how the dresses turned out:

         

  

I DO need to mention that I could not have completed these dresses without the help of my good friend, Gretchen. She let me use her sewing machine when mine broke down on me in the home stretch. And even better, she did a lot of the sewing and problem solving in how to create the different silhouettes. So grateful for friends like her!

I also wanted to incorporate something to make my sister stand out as my maid of honor. I designed this beaded, crystal belt to make her feel extra special.

I couldn't have imagined this day without these lovely ladies by my side. They are so near and dear to my heart and I will always value their friendships. To many more adventures and memories!