How to dress your bride tribe

Having the perfect bridesmaids is an important part of the wedding experience. However, choosing who will be by your side on your big day can be an overwhelming decision, not to mention thinking about what they will wear, who to trust to organise the hen party and deciding on the maid of honour.

If you are struggling to think who to ask to be bridesmaids, consider your sisters, your partners sisters, cousins, nieces, stepdaughters-to-be and close friends from your school days, university or work.

However, this is your day, and your girls will support you no matter who you pick or if you choose to have no bridesmaids at all.

Amy Shirley, who married Nick Young at Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve, had 10 bridesmaids for her big day. “I have lots of amazing friends and for me it was a choice of either having all of them or no bridesmaids at all,” Amy explains. “I wanted my bridesmaids to feel comfortable and confident in what they wore, so I told them they could wear whatever style they wanted as long as it was navy. They all looked amazing, every dress was different, but it all worked so well together.”

Amy Shirley with her 10 bridesmaids at Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve

Amy Sarjeant, who married John Sinclair at The Orangery, Maidstone, says: “My bridesmaids wore light pink multi-way dresses which suited them perfectly – they all loved that they were able to wear the dress how they each felt comfortable.”

So, how do you pick the perfect gowns to suit your bride tribe?

If you want to match the seasons, choose blush pink and soft lavender for spring, vibrant teal and cool aqua for summer, smoky grey and plum tones in autumn and rich burgundy and navy for winter. Using colour in the bridesmaids’ bouquets is an effective way to bring the look together if you are sticking closely to a colour theme.

Multi-way dresses are one of the most popular options for brides when dressing their bridesmaids

Your bridesmaids won’t all share the same body type, height and personality, so think about the different length, shape and style options for the dresses. Tea-length dresses are ideal for children and flower girls, while maxi-dresses are perfect for mature bridesmaids. Multi-way wear dresses not only ensure consistency, but the bridesmaids can adjust the straps to create a halter neck, one-shoulder, cross-back or off-the-shoulder dress – whatever suits their own style.

Once you’ve found the dream dresses for your girl gang, why not encourage them to express their personalities through their accessories, such as shoes, hairpieces, bracelets and earrings. Give them a colour scheme to stick with if you are worried about continuity but this will then give them the chance to wear items they love and feel comfortable in.