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When you’re planning a wedding, the smallest details matter. Bridesmaid dresses are no exception, and getting a group of women with different sizes and body types to agree on a single dress style can be a struggle. The 6 things you need to know when shopping bridesmaid dresses are:

Start Researching Online

Don’t wait until the day of the planned shopping trip to look at dresses and discuss the styles as a group. Online research is fun and free, and you should take advantage of it individually and as a group. Get inspirations from different wedding shows and check online bridesmaid dresses shops like Cicinia. By narrowing down the dress styles and any special circumstances (like covering tattoos, etc.) you can get to the bridal shop with a plan in mind, and confidently start your dress shopping.

Factor In Alterations

It’s important to remember that 75% of brides and bridesmaids end up getting alterations on their dresses. They can run from around $25.00 to over $100.00 for each dress. Also, there needs to be ample time allotted for the alterations to be performed after the dresses are received. You don’t want to wait until the last minute, and not have time to have the necessary alterations performed, so line up your seamstress as soon as the dress order is placed.

Professional Measurements

Prior to hitting the dress shops, you should have all of your measurements taken by a professional tailor or seamstress. Every designer sizes dresses differently, but with professionally sized ladies, it’s hard to miscalculate a dress size. Professional measurements prevent issues later on, because once the dresses are ordered and received, it’s usually too late to have some alterations performed, and reorders are out of the question.

Bring The Correct Undergarments And Heels

It’s important to have an idea of what the dresses will look like during the big event, so be certain to wear nude underwear. You don’t want to have bright red panties showing through the material of the dress, or have terrible panty lines taking the focus off of the dress. In addition, wear a strapless bra. A nude, strapless bra is going to be appropriate with any dress style or colour. It’s hard to gauge the dress if you have bra straps showing in a strapless gown, or a black bra showing under a violet dress. Your undergarments matter a great deal in dress shopping, so wear the correct ones so you can get the full picture of the dress.

Also, wear or bring a pair of mid-height heels, at least 2″. Even if the footwear hasn’t been decided on at that point, you usually end up wearing a mid-height pair of heels, and the majority of bridesmaid dresses take on a completely different look once you’re standing on a pair of heels in them. It’s important to get a real feel for the dress, and heels are a part of the overall dress effect.

Don’t Forget Online Options

Your bridesmaids may not find the perfect dress in a bridal shop. It happens. Don’t settle for the next best dress, or elect for something nobody is happy with because of limited options in the shops. There are high end boutiques online that have their own websites where dresses are sold for cost without bridal shop markup. This is a great option for those whose bridesmaids have been measured professionally, because you don’t need the hassle of a fitting, you can order the accurate size with confidence.

Promotions And Discounts

The time to ask about savings, promotions, and discounts is when you place the order, not once the dresses are received. If you plan to ask for a group order discount, it’s important to get it put in writing when placing the order. That way, it is written in stone, and there should be no issue getting the discount when the dresses are individually picked up and paid for by your bridesmaids. There are so many budget-friendly bridesmaid dresses shops online you can easily get a perfect one under $100. If the shop won’t give you a group discount, you should look around a little more, because there is typically a bridal shop who will. A 10% to 15% discount is a lot of money on an order of $1000.00 or more, and you should try to save where you can.

Following these tips should help you avoid snafus on your big day, and help your bridesmaids look absolutely stunning in your wedding photos.