Bridesmaids across America

A bride recently emailed me and asked me "What should I do if my bridesmaids are all over the country? And what to do if they all have different body types? I don't really want to do the normal David's Bridal stuff."

That's a great question! One that I am sure more brides have asked themselves. David's Bridal is certainly a great option. They are all over the country and it's easy to pick your color/fabric.

But my biggest suggestion would be to check out J.Crew. They have a variety of styles, colors, and fabrics. You, as the bride, should pick the color and fabric you like the best, and then if you are worried about body types, let each girl pick her own style. This will ensure she gets something she is comfortable in! J.Crew stores are all over the country so it should be easy for a bridesmaid to get to one and try the dresses on. If there isn't a store nearby, their special occasion consultants are incredible!! Mine was the best guy ever! He helped me get everything ordered for everyone (even the groomsmen!!) He made sure if something I needed wasn't in the warehouse, he would check all of the stores nation-wide and have it shipped to me.

The prices at J.Crew aren't bad either. Because remember, if you are being a bargain bride, you need to look for bargains for everyone in your wedding part too!

early bridesmaid shopping

Shop early! Try buying things like bridesmaid dresses and shoes in the off-season or at an end of season clearance.

I knew last summer that I was getting married on the beach this summer. I knew I wanted my bridesmaids to wear embossed beach dresses from jcrew. So I waited until they went on sale and picked my color that way. I told the girls "You pick the style as long as it's this color and fabric." Most of them waited until final sale at jcrew went to an additional 30% discount and ended up with their dresses for under $40.

The scary thing about doing this is "What do I do if someone gains weight between now and then?!" Well the best suggestion I can give is -- order up one size bigger than what they wear today. This way, if they gain any weight, it will still fit. And if it's a little big at wedding time, it won't cost much to have it taken in at a tailor.

Another good tip for outfitting bridesmaids on a budget is to check out Saxon Shoes' end of summer sales. We ended up getting all the girls shoes for $25 a pair. And they are definitely a style shoe they can wear all summer long after the wedding.

Try and make sure everything you pick out is something your girls can wear again. No one wants to spend money on something they are only going to wear once.