Bridal Party

Outfitting the bridal party can be a hard task as people will usually disagree when it comes to what suits them and the colours the bridal party should be. While choosing your bridal party and deciding on their outfits is a stressful situation, it does not have to be a headache with careful consideration and proper preparation.

Some simple tips to make the whole process easier include:

• Selecting outfits they love and will wear again – for bridesmaids this can be a simple matter of choosing cocktail dresses for your wedding as they will easily be able to reuse these dresses for their own occasions. You can also ask the groom’s to men substitute business suits for tuxedos, for instance, provided that their suits' colours look good together and in accordance with your wedding's theme.
• Choose dresses that suit their styles and flatter their figures, even if that means have several types of dresses, as long as there is a matching element it will suit. 
• Consider the wedding theme – obviously a crucial point, if you are having a formal affair then the dresses should suit, similarly with a beach wedding or garden ceremony. The level of formal of your wedding should be kept in mind for all members of the bridal party.
• Keep the ages and budgets of the bridal party in mind and choose outfits that are appropriate for them. What may suit a woman in her twenties may not be appropriate for one in her forties so be aware of such factors when selecting dress styles.

Bridesmaids

Gone are the days of dressing the bridesmaids in horrid colours and styles (well, hopefully!) with the role of bridesmaid now offered far more flexibility when it comes to the outfits. While being asked to be a bridesmaid is a huge honour, it is also a lot of work so it is important to keep your bridesmaids happy but giving them a certain amount of freedom when it comes to choosing their dresses.

This can be in the form of either colour or style, with many brides opting for either the same dress in the bridesmaid suited colour, or the same colour in the bridesmaid style of choice. This has become a popular route for many brides as it allows the bridesmaids to choose a dress they will wear again while also bringing a new element to your wedding day.

Flower Girl/Page Boy Outfits

If you choose to have a flower girl and page boy, then it is really a matter of getting outfits that suit the rest of the bridal party that are adapted for children.  With flower girls it is better to avoid floor-length dresses as they may trip so ankle-length is ideal whereas page boys should be fairly safe with a child’s suit that matches the groom’s men.

Mother of the Bride Dress

While in the past the Mother of the Bride would dress to match the bridesmaids, this is not really the custom anymore meaning they are have far more choice and selection. However, it is a good rule of thumb to use the colour theme of the bridesmaids and the overall wedding to help to decide which colours to go for when it comes to the wedding outfit while also reflecting your own personal style.

Wedding industry experts recommend that the Mother of the Bride dress in classic pieces so that their outfit won’t date in any photographs, while also dressing comfortably to ensure all day comfort.

Men's Formal Wear

As far as the groom and his groom’s men, they should dress to suit the colour theme and style of the wedding – so if it is a formal affair then tuxedos should be worn, yet if it is an outdoor garden wedding, open collared suits are ideal. Renting suits is a great option for groom’s men with many styles of suits available through most suit rental businesses.

Let the style of the wedding dictate both colour and style, while the groom himself should dress to match the bride with his shirt or accents matching her overall dress colour (ivory, white or cream) and his body shape.

Let the suit match the man:

Short and slim – lengthen the body by wearing two or three-buttoned suit jackets with the buttons low on the chest

Short and broad – thin the waistline by only having one or two buttons on a single-breasted suit and draw the emphasis away from the waist with a vest and not a cummerbund. Similarly a plain dark suit with an open collar will also disguise any waistlines.

Tall and slim – can add broadness to the shoulder with a cut suit that emphasising the shoulders, but can also suit classic tuxedos and multiple buttoned jackets.

Tall and broad – create a simple silhouette that focuses on the shoulders by avoiding detailing or colour changes