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Tips on Bride's Maids - Who to choose?
Sisters, other relatives or close friends are the normal choice for Bride's Maids.
(Don't forget the boys - do you want a Page Boy?).
There are many things to consider: Will they all get along, will they look good on the photos, will they perform their roles to your satisfaction, will you upset anyone by not asking them to take part, are they available for your chosen day etc. etc.
What to Wear?
You need to decide on a colour for the Bride's Maid dresses. You may want to compliment a colour theme or detail on your dress, or you may have a theme for the whole wedding. The choice is yours. It is rare to choose black or white for Bride's Maids, although many people have the children in white and the adults in a colour - this follows the American theme of having Bride's Maids (colour) and Flower Girls (White). It is important that those wearing colour wear the same colour, but you can have an element of individuality by letting them wear different styles of dress if you wish - this is a good way of trying to keep everybody happy with what they have to wear on the day. As with your dress, differently proportioned people look better in certain styles, so you may have to let them have different styles to give a good overall look
Accept input from your Bride's Maids about colour and dress style, but remember they will rarely all agree so be prepared to be firm about the final choice, and be sure it is actually what YOU want.
N.B. It is important to remember that 'off the peg' dresses take 12 - 14 weeks to arrive. Adding dress fittings to this, you should allow at least 4 MONTHS.
If you have the luxury of time, please don't waste it -
Do your homework and book your dress as soon as possible.
Examples - You may have 3 Bride's Maids (age 5, 14 & 22). It is quite normal to use different dress styles to reflect the different ages - all in the same colour. You may have 4 Bride's Maids all about the same age but they vary from a 'pencil thin' size 6 to a voluptuous size 18; you may have to go for different styles for everyone to be happy
and confident in their appearance.
Do you want them to have any accessories? eg. wraps, shrugs, muffs, long gloves,
tiaras, head bands etc.
Page Boys - If you have one, again you have a choice. do you want him to look traditional and have a jacket and pants made, or do you want to be more modern and have him wear trousers and a waistcoat. Either way, maintain your colour theme in some way - either matching the Bride's Maids colour or matching the adult males waistcoats.
Their Role
You can have anything from 1 Bride's Maid upwards (our current record is 11!).
It is their role to tend to your dress, train and veil throughout the day, and to escort you up the aisle. You may have a Chief Bride's Maid or Matron of Honour -
if this is the case, she should co-ordinate the others, and may prove useful if you have 3 or more Bride's Maids or Flower Girls.
In the case of Page Boys, they too walk up the aisle with the Bride's Maids, and may if you wish carry a ceremonial cushion with the wedding rings on.
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