When it comes to your wedding day, your word goes. However, when it comes to your bridesmaid dresses, you have other people’s opinions to consider. It may be your big day, but you also want to make sure your favourite people look and feel great. A growing solution to saving time and money on searching for bridesmaid dresses has been online shopping. Here is a guide of tips and trick for buying your bridesmaid dresses online!

Select a Color

Shopping online may be great because of the amount of items you can browse through in the click of a button, however you’ll come to see just about every style and colour under the sun. Picking a bridesmaid dress colour can assist you in finding finding a winner in the sea of gowns. Use the other elements of the wedding theme to guide you, such as your flower colours and table settings. Your bridesmaids should fit right into your theme.

Alternatively, you may want each of your bridesmaids to wear a different colour. Try a monochromatic look by sticking to shades in the same colour range, such as minty blue to teal, or simple neutral tones. Additionally, you could also stick to a theme like jewel tones or pastels, to make sure the colours don’t fight with each other. When shopping online, colours can vary so order some swatches to mix and match in real life.

Select a Fabric

Once you have picked a set of colours to shop for, it becomes much easier to pinpoint the right dress style. Think about the formality level, location and time of the year to help you find the right look. For example, a beach wedding suits long, flowy wrap dresses, while a winter ballroom wedding suits full-length, structured gowns in specialty fabrics such as satin or sequins.

Another easy trick is to go back to your wedding dress, which you should absolutely pick before you even think about your bridesmaids. Look at the detailing in the veil, the sleeves and train. Look for dresses that have similar detailing but are as extravagant, because the bridal party should never overwhelm your dress.

Select A Style

Once you have the fabric and colour figured out, you can pick a style or let your bridesmaids choose from a range of necklines and silhouettes that fit and flatter each person. Because our beloved best friends and family come in all shapes and sizes, finding a bridesmaid dress that will highlight the beauty of each body type, while ensuring that everyone will be comfortable from the church door to the dance floor, is at the top of a bride’s priority list. For a more detailed approach to the perfect bridesmaid dress styles for every body shape, have a look at our guide!

Take Measurements

You’ve narrowed down your choices to a select set of colours, fabrics and styles. The next step is making sure that the dresses actually fit your girls! Buying dresses online can be tricky for fit and quality, so every one of your bridesmaids should have their measurements taken by a professional, including their height, bust, natural waistline and hips. Even if they are planning on slimming down or toning up for the big day, it’s still best to order dresses based on advance measurements now, and just do slight alterations later.

Ordering Fineprint

It is important that you take into consideration, not only the delivery times of online shops, but also whether they complete timely exchanges and refunds. There is nothing worse than having the anxiety of uncertainty when you have ordered an item and then realised that if it doesn’t fit, or if it doesn’t complement the girl, you cannot exchange it. Make sure you read all online shops’ order fine prints and order in a timely manner that leaves you room for exchanges and re-orderings.

Click & Collect

A very handy online shopping innovation has been Click & Collect, which take the stress out of shopping. Click & Collect allows you to purchase an item online and then pick it up in person, which may work particularly well for you if you are located far away from the store and don’t have the time to visit multiple times, or if you simply don’t have the time to visit the store and browse. Click & Collect allows you to have your shopping delivered to your nearest store for free, so you can collect it at a time that suits you.

AfterPay

Wedding planning taking too much, too soon, out of your bank account? Look for an online shop that offers AfterPay. AfterPay is the online payment method that allows you to pay for your online purchases after receiving them. You only pay for what you want to keep, and you will never have to pay in advance again. AfterPay emails you an invoice with a standard payment period of 2 weeks. Convenient and secure for the busy bride!

Where to Shop

So now you know how to shop. The last thing we can recommend is where to shop for a bridesmaid dress online. Brides are currently loving the trending items by Sheike‘s Wedding Edit, White Runway, The Iconic, Bec And Bridge, ASOS and Showpo. These shops carry an amazing selection of gorgeous dresses, from the chic and casual to the oh-so-elegant.

Enjoy shopping, Fairies!

Written by: Zoe Kanlis

Featured Image: Instagram