Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with bridesmaids

Bridesmaid Dresses, Racket or Not?

Flying Squirrel — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:05:58 -0800

Bridesmaid dresses & alterations: legit or racket? I'm wondering if there is a legitimate reason for the amount of alterations that are routinely made on bridesmaid dresses.

I don't have an agenda, I'm just curious and haven't figured out a reason for this practice.

I've only been fitted once, it required a couple different alterations (it looked like it was ordered two sizes two big in the first place). My question at the time was, why can I go into a mall and find hundreds of dresses that fits me perfectly, yet need to be subject to alterations and multiple fittings as a bridesmaid?

Is it just a way for the dress shop to bring in extra money, or do these special tailored dresses really make a finer fit?

For the record, I'm about a size 4 or 5 and slim build. Any insight would be appreciated!

How much should bridesmaids be expected to chip in?

redbed — Tue, 29 May 2007 12:02:52 -0800

A friend and I have agreed to be in a third friend's wedding this fall. Lately the bride-to-be has been suggesting some potentially expensive pre-wedding activities. My friend and I are concerned with what we're expected to pay for as bridesmaids. My questions are: Is footing the bill for the bachelorette party or bridal shower the responsibility of the bridal party if the bride (or her sorta wealthy future mother-in-law) plans it? Is it gauche for us to approach the bride and ask her what her expectations are after agreeing to be in the wedding?

Bridal Shower Mayhem?

ghastlyfop — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 13:46:07 -0800

(I am posting this for my girlfriend) My brother is getting married and his fiance asked me to be a bridesmaid. Her sister is the matron of honor, and she will be having 7 bridesmaids total. I just received word that her mother and sister have booked a country club for the bridal shower and the cost will be divided among the bridesmaids (around $100 each). Am I wrong to think that the matron of honor should have consulted us to find out what we were comfortable contributing before making plans? Does $800+ seem like a lot for a bridal shower? Should i just suck it up and pay? (I'm already into this wedding for at least $500) I don't want to upset my brother, and I don't want to cause a major rift (the matron of honor has a very, uh, strong personality), but i feel like I'm being railroaded. Thanks for your thoughts.

Help Me Help the Bride

messylissa — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 23:59:32 -0800

Good sites for affordable bridesmaid dresses? My friend is getting married this September (I'll be in the wedding), and we are having one heck of a time finding bridesmaids dresses. She found one she LOVED (shown here [in the smoky plum color]), but at $160, not all of the bridesmaids can afford the dress. I know that, realistically, that's really fairly inexpensive for a wedding party dress, but because the timeline is 6 months, it's important to respect everyone's financial constraints (at least if you're going to be a Not Insane bride), which means that we're looking at a $100 ceiling.

What are some good places to look? We've done David's Bridal, Nordstrom's, Macy's, etc., but maybe there's some great secret (or not so secret) places we don't know about? The dress needs to be knee length and on the casual side, as it's an outdoor wedding in late summer/early fall (if that's at all helpful).

Thanks in advance!

Non-lame gifts for cool bridesmaids?

mollymolo — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 14:56:28 -0800

I'm looking for advice for what to give my (5) bridesmaids. They're smart, cool women in their thirties (and of a variety of shapes and sizes), and I'm not sure that many of the typical gifts I see on some sites (super-froofy jewelry, pastel totes, etc.) would be appropriate/appreciated. I don't usually have problems with gift shopping, but there's something about shopping for 1 gift/gift type that works for 5 people at once that makes it trickier for me for some reason (but I don't want to get them completely different from one another gifts).

Oh god, bridesmaid dresses

LittleMissCranky — Wed, 30 Mar 2005 15:00:53 -0800

I'm maid of honor in my sister's wedding in a month. The dress we ordered to match the other bridesmaid's dresses doesn't fit AT ALL. The dress is actually a top-skirt combo. The skirt fits okay, but the top won't even button across my not-THAT-ample chest. Also, it's way too short length wise. I'm not sure how this happened, since we ordered the size that corresponded to my measurements in the chart that the dress company provided. Anyway, I need to find an off-the-rack white top with sleeves that would be appropriately upscale for a formal wedding and not cost a million dollars. Any thoughts? Any ideas on fixing the existing top would also be welcome, although it doesn't look to my non-seamstress eyes that it has much material to let out.

Food and drinks for a bridesmaids get-together?

jmevius — Fri, 11 Jun 2004 08:13:10 -0800

My fiancée is having a get-together for her bridesmaids next weekend. I've been tasked with preparing food and drinks for the occasion. [more inside] My personal taste leans towards red meat and scotch over ice, but it is neither the time nor the place. So, I'm looking for girly foods. I'm not a master chef, but I can certainly follow a recipe. I'm looking for finger-food type appetizers and at least one really girly drink.

Any ideas? Preferences would be towards something simple to eat while discussing dresses, and the drinks should be something served cold (Texas in the summer, and all)..

Bridesmaids Gifts

ArsncHeart — Sun, 18 Apr 2004 18:13:35 -0800

Bridesmaid etiquette on gifts - What to do? (more inside) I met the bride through work about 7 months ago, though we are better than just work-friends. I'll be attending her formal bridal shower, a workplace shower that a couple other gals are putting together, and the wedding (of course). How should I handle the gift situation?

Other info, which may or may not factor in: I spent $200 on a dress for the wedding, after she told me she liked it better than the $70 one we had originally picked out. I'd like to say that money isn't a factor, but I will be leaving work for grad school this fall and am trying to save every penny I can.