May « 2010 « Southern Weddings Magazine

Real Texas Wedding: Merrie + Simon, Part I

May 17, 2010 by Southern Weddings in Real Southern Weddings | 2 comments

It took us a few (okay, more than a few) minutes to get over how ridiculously cute the groomsmen’s socks (in contrasting American and British flag patterns) are, but once we did, we saw there was a heck of a lot we loved about Merrie + Simon’s cross-cultural wedding – photographed by Kari Crowe. The bridesmaids wore rich navy frocks from Stardust Celebrations and carried sunny yellow Billy button bouquets from Branching Out Events. The bride, in a drop-waist Pronovias gown, married her groom at the Robert Carr Chapel before slipping into a pair of yellow topsiders. Two points for you, Miss Down-to-Earth Bride!

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How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. Simon and I met while I was doing a study abroad program my senior year of college. I originally wanted to study in Ireland, but it wasn’t an option, so I chose a school in England for it’s proximity to London. Simon and I met at that school a little over a month after I had moved. I had always wondered what people meant when they said, “When you know, you know”, but after I met Simon, I understood. And I knew. We took a trip to Rome in April, and that’s when we knew we would be together forever.
Describe the proposal. Simon proposed in July of 2009 when he was visiting Texas. He was very creative and had planned an Italian-themed night inspired by our recent trip to Rome. He took me to Trevi’s Restaurant at the Omni Mandalay Hotel by the canals in Las Colinas. He had planned a gondola ride at sunset after dinner, but halfway through our meal, there was a terrential downpour, so the gondola ride was postponed. After the rain let up, we decided to go for a walk by the canal. He got down on one knee, and pulled out a ring box. Obviously, I thought this was my ring, but instead he opened it and asked if I would have the key to his heart. Out of his other pocket, he pulled out a lock which had, “Will you marry me?” written on it. In Rome, there is a church across from the Trevi Fountain where lovers lock locks on the gates. Simon and I did this and threw the key into the Trevi Fountain. My ring was attached to the lock, so I had to use the key to unlock the lock and get my ring.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Casual, elegant and fun.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: At the end of the ceremony, our granddads (all!) stood up and spoke a blessing over us. It was a really amazing and touching moment.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: Finding my wedding dress was quite an ordeal. After thinking I had found “the one,” my mom and I ordered it from a store online since it was cheaper. This turned out to be a horrific knockoff from China. The day we got it in the mail, we headed straight back to the dress shop where I had originally tried my dress on. I wanted to try the real one on again, as well as my second choice dress. After I put the second dress on again, I knew I had made a mistake with the original dress and immediately bought the second one. I was so happy with it, and it fit me like a glove!

xo Southern Weddings May 17, 2010 | view Southern Weddings's blog

Kari, May 17, 2010 2:03 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

So fun to see this post on your blog, thank you:)

Merrie + Simon : Branching Out Events, April 24, 2011 9:47 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply [...] Thank you Kari Crowe for all the wonderful pictures and a huge hug to the ladies at Southern Weddings for featuring this wedding. [...]

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post. And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads. We love hearing your sweet thoughts!

Southern Wedding of the Week: Sarah + Steve, Part II

May 14, 2010 by Southern Weddings in Real Southern Weddings,Southern Wedding of the Week | 7 comments

S + S look really sweet and really, really happy to be married – and Georgia-based photographer, Melissa Schollaert, got just the right shots. The newlyweds toasted their marriage at the Fair Weather Farm with their signature drink (spiked sweet tea!) served in Mason jars and a 3-D turkey cake (courtesy of Cakes by Darcy) in honor of the turkey-hunting groom. Baby Cakes designed the couple’s green + white wedding cake, and Carole Parks Catering coordinated the traditional Southern fare. Kudos to Simply Charming Events for planning this Georgia farm wedding!

See all the photos from Sarah + Steve’s wedding in their Real Wedding Gallery!

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What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? Both Steve and I were born and raised in the South, and knew we wanted a farm wedding here in Georgia. All the cotton used for the wedding was hand-picked by my younger sister, Amy, from a cotton farm in South Georgia. Burlap was the fabric of choice. My father made home-made Spiked Sweet Tea for the signature drink and served it in Mason jars. The food was traditional Southern fare: ried chicken, beef tenderloin, shrimp and grits, mashed potatoes, butter beans, sweet potato biscuits and corn bread muffins.
Describe your wedding flowers: The hand-picked cotton centerpieces were arranged in large Mason jars. The groomsmen wore cotton boutonnieres with a hint of green hypericum berries. My bouquet was made with cream Amelia roses, cotton blooms, green hypericum berries, dark centered white daisies and white freesia with the stems wrapped in burlap. The bridesmaids’ and mothers’ bouquets were similar to mine, and had a touch of orange tea roses to give them a pop of color.
Describe your wedding cake: Our wedding cake was a simple, yet elegant square design that had stripes matching the color of the bridesmaids’ dresses with pearl drop icing lining the edges. The groom’s cake was a surprise from me. Steve is an avid turkey hunter, and our wedding was on the opening day of turkey season. I gave the bakery a picture of one of Steve’s stuffed turkeys and they make a 3D chocolate cake with chocolate icing.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? The band! The farm had never had such a big band before, so we had to make sure that ten-man troupe would fit in the venue and have enough electricity. We also had to reserve the venue for extra so that the band could set up and do sound checks. It was well worth it, because the band was awesome!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? After the ceremony, we were walking in the fields while the photographer was taking pictures of just the two of us. It was a quiet moment that we enjoyed together as husband and wife. We were surrounded by such beautiful scenery and the sun was just about to set. It was perfect.
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We now live in a small rural town in Kentucky where Steve practices as a mixed animal veterinarian. I am continuing my work as a photographer and graphic designer, and also enjoying decorating our new home. We are looking forward to finding a good church and starting a family in the next couple years.

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xo Southern Weddings May 14, 2010 | view Southern Weddings's blog

Alice G Patterson, May 14, 2010 5:14 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Gorgeous detail images from this lovely wedding day!

Ashley Perren, May 14, 2010 7:55 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

OMG! We played soccer together when we were like 7 years old. So Sarah if you read this Congratulations!! Your wedding pictures are gorgegous! :)

Cathy and David Photographers, May 14, 2010 7:59 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

So cute! Loving the little mason jars. :)

Lauren @ Every Last Detail, May 19, 2010 3:50 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I LOVE the use of cotton! I never thought of that! What a perfect Southern, rustic element to add!

Nate at Open Light Studio, May 19, 2010 3:32 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Chalk boards are officially in. The southern shines through at this wedding, and I love it.

Hope, May 24, 2010 4:11 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Tell us a little more about the band!
Also, WHERE oh WHERE on Earth did you register in order for the American friends and family to be able to give gifts? I'm marrying a brit soon and we are a little confused about the registry bit.
--Hope P.

Southern Delicacy: Grits « Southern Weddings Magazine, January 12, 2012 10:02 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply [...] two images from Martha Stewart Weddings (here + here); grits sign photo by Melissa Schollaert via Southern Weddings; next two images by Veil & Bow via Style Me Pretty; grits favors by Calder Clark (photo by A [...]

Southern Wedding of the Week: Sarah + Steve, Part I

May 14, 2010 by Southern Weddings in Real Southern Weddings,Southern Wedding of the Week | 2 comments

Is there anything more Southern than hand-picked cotton blossoms tucked into the bride’s bouquet? Office consensus is no way, Jose, and Sarah + Steve (with the help of Birch Blooms Flordal Design) get this down-home bloom just right. The Georgia natives exchanged vows at the Fair Weather Farms, and we just love the natural backdrop of the unfinished barn in the bridal portraits. The ladies wore sage-colored dresses from Bella Bridesmaid, and the darling bride got all dolled up in a feminine Rivini A-line gown. Melissa Schollaert photographed this sweet couple’s traditional Southern wedding – and what a job she did! Check back soon for images from Sarah + Steve’s reception.

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How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We were introduced by one of Steve’s close friends, Casey Neary. Casey and Steve were classmates in the College of Veterinary Medicine at UGA and spent a great deal of time together studying, hunting, and of course looking for the right woman. Casey and Jenny decided we would make a great match, and began to plan when they could introduce us. On August 24, 2007, my younger sister, Amy, had a birthday party in Athens. It was this birthday celebration that served as the place of our first formal introduction. The rest is history, folks!
Describe the proposal. After his graduation from vet school, Steve moved to Fort Collins, Colorado to work in a dairy practice. Steve is all about the outdoors, and we were both very excited that his relocation would afford us various mountain activities that were unavailable to us in Dixie. He decided to plan a 4^th of July camping trip in Steamboat Springs so we could get a chance to enjoy the beauty of the Rockies and get a good wilderness experience together. Steve warned me that the weather was supposed to get bad and mentioned that we would most likely be camping under a few thunder storms. Once we arrived in Steamboat, Steve surprised me with a weekend suite reservation at the Highmark resort! Our camping trip got a tad more comfy at that point! That evening, I overheard Steve on the phone preparing a reservation for 6:30am. He told me it was going to be a great surprise and said that I should dress warmly. The next morning, we woke up really early and went down to the lobby to prepare for our surprise adventure. A few minutes later, a Pegasus tours van pulled up with a balloon mural painted on the side. We were going for a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the mountains of Steamboat Springs! At 10,000 feet, Steve asked me to spend the rest of my life with him, and I joyfully said yes!
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Warm, Southern and joyous.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: Hand-picked cotton.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted, and after trying a few other places I booked an appointment at Bridals by Lori. That Saturday morning, one of my best friends and I went through all the rooms of the salon looking for dresses that were ivory, A-line and lace. We found the perfect Rivini strapless gown with delicate lace on the bodice and flowing sheer ribbon across the top. There was matching lace and ribbon around the bottom of the skirt that brought it all together. The most delicate detail was the buttons that lined the back of the dress all the way down to the tip of the train.

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xo Southern Weddings May 14, 2010 | view Southern Weddings's blog

Wynter, May 19, 2010 10:32 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Great Ideas in this wedding! The photos are perfection!

Evie Perez, May 25, 2010 9:45 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I love the details in this wedding. How creative to tie in hand picked cotton in the bouquets. Great job to everyone who was able to make this day a little extra special for the bride and groom. Melissa you did an awesome job with the pictures!!!

Inside the Print Edition, Vol. II :: 60 Ways to Have a Southern Wedding

May 13, 2010 by Southern Weddings in Expert Advice,Inspirations | 1 comment

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One of my favorite features in the last issue was “60 Ways to Have a Southern Wedding.” Pretty appropriate for Southern Weddings magazine, no? Being the native Northerner I am, I learned a lot from the experts we polled; I hope even our born-and-bred Southern readers came away with a few new ideas! Here, a few of the most delightful nuggets from the piece, along with a few of the sweet images from Simply Bloom Photography:

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No. 9. Stamped and sealed. “The traditional Southern bride loves engraved invitations on cream paper in black writing with the family crest centered at the top,” notes North Carolina wedding planner Ivy Robinson. “I like putting a spin on this by taking the crest and letterpressing it into a bellyband around the invitation.” Don’t have a family crest? Commission a designer to create a modern, light-hearted take on the old-school imagery that you and your husband’s new family will be able to use for years to come.

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12. Gardenia girls. “Rather than dropping petals down the aisle, have your ‘flower girls’ hand a traditional Southern flower (magnolias, gardenias, freesia, wisteria) to each lady as she is seated for the ceremony,” suggests California wedding planner Lisa Vorce, owner of Oh, How Charming!. “Gardenias are perfect for hair florals, and everyone loves the smell of them.” Pass out hair pins for ease of styling.

22. Grit and bear it. Mashed potato bars? Delicious, but not particularly Southern. A grits bar? Southern through and through. Set out cheese, gourmet salts, bacon, honey, brown sugar, hominy, and shrimp for mix-ins, and have an attendant standing by ready to grind fresh black pepper.

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30. Sno-to-go. Rent a sno-cone truck, suggests Erika Firm, designer and president of Delphine. “Mint julep sno-cones are fabulous and pretty. Be sure to add a sprig of mint on top, and hand out short straws, as well.” Perfect for hot Southern summers!

56. Man about town. “Elegant, charming, and gentlemanly ushers and groomsmen are inherent to a Southern wedding,” remarks Marcy Blum, event planner and entertaining expert. Help your male counterparts rise to the occasion by gently reminding them of their responsibilities on the big day, and keep them on task by printing out wallet-sized schedules of the day’s events for reference when guests inevitably ask them for assistance.

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60. Good gracious. “Most of all, something Southern that will never change is being a gracious host,” summarizes Tara Guerard, principal and lead designer of wedding planning company Soiree. “It’s all about being attentive to your guests and their experience at the wedding — making sure that the lights are never too bright, the music never too loud to have a conversation, the food and drink plentiful and easy to access, the entertainment well organized and appropriate. It’s making sure that there is comfortable seating, a great view of the dance floor and a clear understanding of the evening’s schedule. You want your guests to feel happy that they attended your wedding, and not that it was a chore.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

A peek at the inside…

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Be sure to grab a copy of the newest issue to soak in the other 54 very Southern suggestions!

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xo Southern Weddings May 13, 2010 | view Southern Weddings's blog

Lauren @ Every Last Detail, May 19, 2010 3:50 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

This was seriously my favorite feature in the last issue. I think I spent a few hours reading it. No lie. :)

Southern Etiquette: An Expensive Bridesmaid Dress

May 13, 2010 by Southern Weddings in Expert Advice,Personal,Southern Etiquette | 20 comments

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Hey y’all! Last time on Southern Etiquette we tackled the most delicate issue of the ugly bridesmaid dress. Luckily, not too many of you had had a terrible, ugly experience, but those who had offered up some great advice. Check that out here!

Now on to this week’s topic, and let me set the scene. You’re one year out from college and your good friend from senior seminar has asked you to be in her bridal party. You happily accept. She emails the maids with her top dress pick. Good news — it’s gorgeous! Bad news? It’s $400, $450 with alterations, and unfortunately that’s way more than your tiny post-grad budget can handle, especially when tacked onto gifts, travel costs, and other rapidly accumulating ‘maid expenses.

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Ouch. What do you do? Do you swallow hard and plunk down the credit card? Do you talk with the other bridesmaids to see what they think? Do you go straight to the source, and let the bride know how you feel?

Emily Post weighs in…

“Because attendants generally pay for their own dresses and accessories, the bride is obliged to carefully consider the cost of their outfits.”

Yep, that’s pretty much all she wrote (at least on this topic). My thoughts? I think that if the chosen dress is truly beyond your budget, you are free to speak to the bride. Let her know that you’d love to be in her bridal party and you love the dress she’s chosen, but that you just won’t be able to handle the cost. If you feel comfortable doing so, an offer to help find a less expensive option might be appreciated. Don’t ask her to pay for your dress, but do let her know that you will have to bow out of bridesmaid duties if this is the dress she ends up choosing.

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One caveat: when you accepted the bride’s offer, you knew (I hope) that with the role came a certain expense. If the bride’s asking you to spend $150 on a dress, I don’t think that that is that unreasonable, and that if you balk you’ve unfortunately just wasted the bride’s time by agreeing to a commitment you knew you wouldn’t be able to fulfill.

Would LOVE to hear what y’all think! What’s your personal threshold for a “reasonably” priced bridesmaid dress? $100? $250? $500? What’s the most you’ve ever spent on a bridesmaid dress? Would you ever considering bowing out as an attendant due to escalating costs?

As always, please feel free to email me your etiquette conundrums! Until next time!\

UPDATE! Because y’all asked, clockwise from top left the green dress is the “Bacall” from Jenny Yoo 2010, the pink dress is 6311 from Watters & Watters Spring 2010, the blue dress is the “Pom” from Simple Silhouette’s 2010, the taupe/gold dress is the “Riley Long” from Jenny Yoo 2010, the silver dress is 0902 from Monique Lhuillier 2009, and the pink dress is HB6722 from Saja 2010. Happy shopping!

All images in header c/o Millie Holloman

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xo Southern Weddings May 13, 2010 | view Southern Weddings's blog

Jenny @ Weddingistas, May 13, 2010 12:32 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

This is great advice. I'd say the same thing to a bridesmaid.

The most expensive dress I paid for was $400. Which was super pricey! BUT I was the M.O.H. and I absolutely loved the dress. I made it work, and I'm glad I did because I've worn it four times since.

looker, May 13, 2010 1:04 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Bellissimo blog!

Amber King, May 13, 2010 1:24 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I think that brides should keep in mind their bridesmaids situations. I think the most I would be willing to spend is $250. Also, I am a bride looking for bridesmaid dresses and I love the dress you posted that is royal blue with the orange shoes! Could you tell me who the designer is?

Jessica Horton, May 13, 2010 1:36 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I think $150 is "reasonable" but not necessary ethical. None of my girls were made of money, and if they were never going to wear the dress again, I didn't want them forking over an arm and leg..... so they wore dresses from Target.com and they all LOVED them! I liked the way it flattered all their bodies so well, I bought one myself!

Pics- http://www.tellingyourstoryphotographers.com/2009/10/wedding-story-jessica-and-jeremy.html

suz, May 13, 2010 1:36 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I think the most I would ever pay for a dress would be around $300 -- but I wouldn't be happy about it!

Unrelated -- I love all the dresses in the pictures of this post! Where are they from?

Jenae, May 13, 2010 1:52 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I've been in many weddings as a bridesmaid and the most expensive was close to $200. I've also been in weddings where the bride budgeted to buy the dresses herself and then resell them. I loved all of these friends, but I've always felt like when my day came I wanted to bless my bridesmaids because of the incredible friends they've been, not burden them to be in my wedding. I know weddings can be incredibly expensive, but I just think and hope for myself that the priorities stay on people more than on all the other details-though those all contribute to making it a special day, because that's what it comes down to. You prioritize in your budget what is most important.
I understand that it is kind of a rule of thumb that if you accept being in someone's wedding you will fork over some money for the dress, the shoes, the gifts, travel, etc... and when you love that person you really don't mind all that much, but why has that become the norm? I say as the bride you should yes really consider the price, but if you are asking them to pay for it, tell them way in advance so they can budget for it.

meg, May 13, 2010 2:10 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I was asked to pay for a two $300 dresses while I was still in college for two different friends weddings and that was a stretch for me. I happily paid the money (while I lived on Raman noodles) but for my own wedding I definitely tried to keep the cost as low as possible for my bridesmaids. I also gave them the ultimate decision about dresses and they ended up choosing one that cost $190 which I thought was reasonable.

Caroline, May 13, 2010 2:47 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Although cheaper is welcomed, I feel $250 (300 with alterations) is a reasonable price to pay for a bridesmaid's dress. I'm not going to lie that I might rather spend that money on something else, but it's one of your best friends big days!

I have a friend who was in a wedding where the bride wanted custom dresses. They cost $600 but the bride asked the party if they were willing to pay for half. My friend didn't mind because the dress was a beautiful gown she could possibly wear again. Plus, she got a $600 dress for half the price! The bride was sensitive and asked her bridesmaids first.

Ashley, May 13, 2010 2:47 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I think $150 is the most I would spend (or expect my bridesmaids to spend) on a dress. I recently picked out the dress for my girls and they got lucky - $47.00!! I'm going with a simple, cotton dress from Columbia : http://www.columbia.com/womens-dresses/women-skirtsDresses-dresses,default,sc.html?sz=1&start=3 I had to pick a dress that fit sizes 2 - 24, and something that would allow them to wear a bra (no strapless dresses for these girls - large on top!). This dress ended up being perfect!!

Southern Weddings, May 13, 2010 2:48 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Hi Amber and Suz! I added all the dress sourcing information to the bottom of the post -- check it out!

Emily @ SW

Sarah, May 13, 2010 2:50 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I think less than $200 is best and would be pissed about anything over $250, but I know others have different thresholds. I don't ever think brides should assume that the dress is so cute their bridesmaids will wear it again so it's worth the extra expense. Everyone has different tastes and body types so a dress you think is amazing could look terrible on your friend. Brides should go into it assuming that her friends will never wear it again and choose a price point based on that assumption.

Lizzy, May 13, 2010 3:20 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Hmmm for myself I think the threshold would be $400...but I would be slightly annoyed with anything over $300. For my bridesmaids, who are all in different situations, I originally was trying to aim for $175 or lower. We ended up finding one at J Crew that they all say they will wear again for $225. We used a student id and got 15% off. I really think it depends on the dress. If it's long and formal and screams bridesmaid, the cost should be less than something more wearable.

MaggieB, May 13, 2010 3:26 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I don't think your bridesmaids should have to shell out more than $300 (including dress & shoes), especially considering some of the dresses I've seen my friends wear over the years. Not that they've been ugly, but they certainly ended up in the back of the closet never to be heard from again. What I don't understand is that with so many lovely dresses out there in the $100-$200 range (hello, Dessy group!), why do people feel the need to go that high? At the end of the day, it's just very insensitive to just assume people can drop what in some places is a month's rent on a dress.

Christin, May 13, 2010 5:13 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

If the bride is able, I think helping the bridesmaids out as much as possible is the best route to go (either by choosing less expensive dresses or helping to cover costs).

I chose different styles of short, black dresses for my bridesmaids (I actually gave each of them a choice of 2 dresses I thought they would like). Because the prices ranged anywhere from $175-300, we asked each girl to contribute $150, and my mom and I covered the rest. We also purchased the bridesmaids' shoes and jewelry, so they don't have to worry about those costs. Luckily in my case, the girls love their dresses and say they can't wait to wear them again after the wedding.

Rita, May 13, 2010 5:48 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 1 reply

In the situation described above and my situation (very recent, as-yet-unemployed college grad), I think $100 would be TOPS for a dress - and probably around $50 would be more reasonable. (The last wedding I was in the dress was about $50, gorgeous, and wearable).

And any additional expenses (parties etc.) should also top out below $100. Yeah, it's the bride's "big day," and I love her, but I also have a very limited budget and no amount of love can change that. The expectation that "if you are my bridesmaid you will pay for these things" is ABSURD, especially when, as a recent college grad, many of my friends are getting married. It adds up!

For my wedding, there's only one woman standing up and I told her she could wear something out of her closet or choose a new dress, whatever she liked. The men are wearing whatever suit they already have in their closets. Weddings are about love and hospitality, not matching tuxes.

Rayna Ortwein, May 14, 2010 12:00 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Great advice and beautiful dresses! Being involved in your girlfriends wedding can definitely be expensive, especially if you have to travel. I usually suggest that the bride cover at least a portion of her bridal party's attire. Considering the other costs she has, I think this is one a minor cost with the biggest bang. Possibly saving friendships, uncomfortable situations and allows your bridesmaids to be more involved in your planning process.

English Becca, May 16, 2010 2:01 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

This was such an interesting read! Here in the UK, it is customary for the couple to pay for their attendants' outfits. In some cases, that can send the budget through the roof - for example I was one of four bridesmaids at my friend's wedding last month, and she chose dresses for us to wear at £160 a pop!

It then becomes down to the bride how she plays things - she can either choose colours and styles to flatter each/all of the girls, and consider it part of their thank you gift if it's something they may wear again. Alternatively, she can pick colours and styles that flatter her complexion and complement her dress in their style - making the maids a kind of frame for her.

My maids' dresses were such a fortunate discovery - my favourite shop, Monsoon, specialises in semi-formalwear and yummy-mummy type clothes. I'm not a mummy yet, let alone a yummy one, but I've always said that I want a life that requires a complete Monsoon wardrobe! Anyway, their styles are timeless, and their sales legendary. I managed to pick up dresses that not only were reduced from £80 to £25.50, but by some miracle were in the right colour, flatter everyone from my 5'11" super-slender cousin with her creamy, Irish colouring, to my 5'2" super-curvy matron of honour who is native Malay and spends half the year in sunny Spain. Just extremely lucky, I guess!

Back to the original subject - I feel that I would just make it work, however I could. We're faced with an incredibly expensive wedding a few weeks after ours - flying to a small city in Romania, where it is customary for the guests to give cash gifts of sufficient value to effectively pay for their share of the ceremony. Yowsa! It's going to hurt, but I missed the Malaysian leg of the aforementioned matron of honour's wedding due to the cost, and I vowed that I would never let money get in the way of that again!

Sarah, May 17, 2010 8:29 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

This is a really interesting discussion- and I love reading everyone's opinion on the topic. My BM dresses were between $120-160, as I let them choose a style they liked (same color/material/designer). All the girls chose different dresses and are very happy. I also let them choose their own gold shoes (the dresses are blue), so they'd be comfortable and wear something in their price range. I've had to dye shoes before, and the ceremony was literally 10 minutes- then she said we could change for the reception. That was frustrating.

I've also seen a couple people say "if you're close with the bride", in terms of telling her when a dress is too expensive/or not particularly flattering. Shouldn't you not be a bridesmaid unless you're close? This concept eludes me.

Tara, May 18, 2010 5:57 pm Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

Uh oh, now I'm worried. I was thinking the $200-$250 range would be okay...

I wish I could find something more reasonable, but I haven't found anything I like for my girls. They seem okay with what I've proposed so far, but maybe they are just being polite.

jaja, June 8, 2010 6:15 am Yeehaw! Love this: 0 reply

I am a MOH and the price tag for my dress is $500 before alterations. Thank goodness there is a payment plan and I have several months. I would not do this for any other person but she is best friend and we've been bffs since we were like 10. The bridesmaid dresses are $150 to $200.

I am also a soon to be bride and I am looking for dresses b/t $100 to $200 and that includes the price of the MOH. I am opting to go with dresses from the Gilt.com but how to purchase several different sizes before they are sold is becoming a chore. :(