Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding - Mar/Apr 2019 (Issue 44)

I n my job I speak to a lot of couples about their big day, and more often than not choosing their bridesmaids’ dresses is the toughest choice they have to make. With this in mind, Charlie and I decided we’d better get cracking on ticking this off the to-do list as soon as possible. But why is it so difficult? I think there are a number of factors that can lead to gown meltdown: ❤ Being comfortable. We all have that one friend who can totter around on a night out looking incredible in killer heels and a mini skirt. I am not that friend. I will sacrifice style for comfort any day of the week, so striking a balance between the two can be tricky. ❤ Weather. No one wants to be in a little chiffon number while freezing rain whips round your bare legs and leaves you looking like a plucked turkey. Make sure your bride squad is dressed for the season – otherwise it will show in photos if they’re too hot or cold. ❤ Budget and who pays. One of your bridesmaids may be up for spending a couple of hundred quid on an investment piece, while another may be expecting you to foot the bill in return for performing duties on the day. Either way, transparency is key here; discuss plans before you start shopping. If you have the spare cash to gift your best girls their dresses, then that’s great, but if not, make sure you set a sensible budget that everyone’s happy with. ❤ Body shape and colouring. I’ve always been jealous of girls who look like a ray of sunshine in yellow. I look like a banana. Some people look amazing in pastels whereas others look washed out. Most of us know what styles and tones suit us so have a chat about everyone’s definite no-nos from the get-go. As with all-things wedding, it’s incredible how much choice there is when you start to scratch the surface of bridesmaid fashion. Some couples would only consider a classic all-matching look for their tribe, whereas other nearlyweds opt for a relaxed range of styles in a tonal palette. If your girls are paying for their own outfit, why not go for a more fashion-forward number they can wear again like co-ordinates or jumpsuits? Bridesmaid shopping is the perfect excuse for a shopping day with your besties, so me, Charlie and her other three bridesmaids all reported for duty at The Wedding Shop (theweddingshop.uk ), which is where Charlie found her gown, and we tried on a variety of shapes, colours and fabrics. We carried on the get-together a week later, when Charlie had ordered a mountain of dresses and we gathered in her living room with takeaway pizza and wine to continue narrowing down looks. Turns out, none of us suited the same thing. So we’ve ended up wearing the same summery floral pattern in a variety of cuts – the perfect compromise. Editor Hannah Faulder charts the highs and lows of being chief bridesmaid for her best friend, Charlie The Bridesmaid Diaries next.co.uk/lipsy 86