I've been keeping journals since I was in the 3rd grade and I'm so glad to share some of my most intimate life moments with you here!  Here, you'll find inspirational and encouraging stories of me and other broken people like me. We are all jars of clay who have been afflicted in every way, but not crushed...struck down by not destroyed.  Here, you do NOT have the right to remain silent, so as you read, grab your favorite snack and drink and leave a comment...share YOUR story. I can't wait to connect with you in this beautiful safe space. 

welcome to my

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xoxoxoxoxo,
Sachel 

Atlanta Georgia weddings, Beach Weddings, Country Club Weddings, SachelSamone Photography, Southern Weddings, TeamHarris, Wedding Wednesdays

February 18, 2015

CHOOSING BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES | WEDDING WEDNESDAYS | TEAM HARRIS

A lot

has been happening with the wedding planning, that sometimes I feel like my head is constantly spinning. No seriously, wedding planning can be stressful. I think about eloping at least once a week. But as we cross things off our to-do-list, the little victories remind us both to keep our eye on the bigger picture. One of those small victories for me is selecting the bridesmaids attire!!

I absolutely love dressing up. A new pair of heels and a beautiful dress will make me feel like a new woman! When I began looking for bridesmaids dresses, I knew I wanted each one of my ladies to not only look beautiful, but FEEL beautiful. I wanted them to feel comfortable in their own skin. How many times have you seen bridesmaids dresses that made you wonder just HOW MUCH the bride really loved her friends?? Or if she really loved them at all? I’ve seen some….questionable dresses so that the bridesmaids wouldn’t upstage the bride, but can I be honest? With all the work these ladies have done for us brides, they DESERVE a little shine. So here are some tips, that helped me select dresses that we all loved:

1. Take a look at your wedding dress.

Ok, so the last thing you want is your bridesmaids’ dresses to clash with your wedding dress. Before making any decisions, take a look at your dress. What style is it? Vintage or Modern? Lace or Satin? Finding the perfect balance can sometimes be a little hard, but it is possible. As much as you want their dresses to have the same feel as yours, you do NOT want them to be TOO similar. You’re the bride. You’re obligated to stand out. Really spend some time with your dress (after all, you do love it THAT much) and really think about what will best compliment YOU.

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2. Listen to your bridesmaids

While it is impossible to make everyone happy, getting the bridesmaids input helps to make some decisions easy. After selecting the color and designer I wanted them to wear, I asked the girls for their opinion. If there is something you really want, but they don’t feel comfortable in or it just simply doesn’t look right on them, consider compromising. After all….they are the ones wearing the dress. Not to mention, you don’t want the dress to be a one-time wear. As brides, we want them to be able to wear the dress over and over again. So talk to each woman and listen with an open mind.

kelsey-ryan-schwartz-buckroe-beach-wedding-venue-hampton-virginia3. Select a length

Long dress? Short dress? I went back and forth with this for a while. Long dresses just SCREAM elegance and formal to me, but short dresses are super fun and shows off the legs (and my ladies…all have BANGING legs)!!!! While it’s important to listen to your bridesmaids, at the end of the day, choose the length that goes best with your vision. Imagine your venue and the theme of your wedding. Are long dresses picture perfect or does the atmosphere call for short and sweet? Whatever it calls for, go with your gut. And also consider the time of day and the season. A long black dress may be fabulous for an indoor evening wedding in November, but will have your maids dropping like flies at an outdoor mid-day ceremony in August.

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4. Mix and Match

I immediately knew that I did not want everyone in the same dress. When you’re working with different women of different body types, we as brides have to recognize what may look good on one woman, may not look good on another. Thus the decision to mix and match dresses was made. By giving the ladies a chance to pick their own dresses, I know that they will be comfortable and will radiate the beauty I see in each one of them. However, be sure to pick some kind of unifying detail. Whether it be the same color or same neckline, ensure all the ladies’s dresses play well together.

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5. Order Early!!!

Even though our wedding celebration isn’t until later this year, I wanted to make sure the girls had their dresses in time. A lot of people may not think bridesmaids dresses take long to be delivered, but based off what I’ve learned, the average turnaround time is 3-4 months. YIKES!!  Have discussions early, have your ladies try on and decide on styles early and ORDER EARLY. Giving yourself a time buffer will allow you to handle any unplanned hurdles that may come your way such as alterations or delayed delivery. The last thing you want to do is wait until the last minute and add extra stress to the entire bridal party because you all now have to scramble to find dresses. So remember, if you do nothing else, PLAN AHEAD, PLAN AHEAD, PLAN AHEAD!!

Fredericksburg Wedding PhotographerWhen it comes to selecting your bridesmaids’ attire, at the end of the day, all you’re doing is shopping with your favorite girlfriends. And isn’t that supposed to be fun!??! Listen to each other, but as the bride, stand firm on your decisions. Don’t make it stressful. Have FUN!!! After all, a happy bridesmaid makes a happy bride. 🙂

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xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo,

SACHELSAMONEPHOTOGRAPHY

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