Traditionally, bridesmaids wear dresses! They can be short or long, knee length or midi, and they can be any color, fabric, and silhouette you like. Bridesmaid dresses have long been the wedding standard, but bridesmaid jumpsuits are a chic and modern option as well!

Whether or not the maid of honor wears a different dress is totally up to the bride! Some brides choose one dress for all their bridesmaids. Some have their maid of honor wear a different neckline or a slightly different silhouette. Others choose to mix and match wedding party dresses so that every bridesmaid has her own unique look.

Dressed in the undergarments you plan to wear to the wedding, use a soft tape measure to take your bust, waist, and hip measurements. To make sure you get accurate measurements, we recommend doing it twice, just to be sure. Or, you can head to your local Bella store and let the pros handle it for you!

We suggest ordering bridesmaid dresses at least six months before the wedding. No matter which dress or designer you choose, you’ll need to allow ample time for the dress to be made as well as time for fittings and alterations. Some designers offer rush orders, but when they do, they also charge rush order fees.

Different designers have different lead times for production, so this varies quite a bit. From the time you order your dress in store to the time the dress arrives, the timeline can be anywhere from 2 – 6 months. If you’d like to know the lead time for a specific designer, contact your local Bella store!

Most bridesmaids will need dress alterations of some sort. Depending on how extensive the alterations are, they typically take anywhere from 1 – 4 weeks. We recommend booking your first fitting with a tailor as soon as your dress arrives.

Before you head to the tailor, ask the bride where she wants your dress to hit. Full length dresses typically either sweep the floor or hit about one inch above the floor. For shorter dresses, she may want them to hit above the knee, at the knee, or below the knee. It’s always best to check with the bride first!

Traditionally, bridesmaids pay for their own dresses as well as alterations. Before making the commitment to be in the wedding, make sure that you’re comfortable paying for the costs associated with the coveted bridesmaid role!