WEDDING BLOG

Image by Wild & Grace. See more of this real wedding. 

A growing number of brides are choosing to opt for mismatched bridesmaid dresses. What starts as an exciting exploration of color and fun can turn into an overwhelming nightmare. Keeping the bridal party from becoming a strange grouping of colors can feel intimidating. That’s why we’re here.

These easy tips will keep the ‘maids you’ve chosen to stand by your side looking cohesive while showing off their personalities, your sense of style, and the rest of your wedding design. Take a deep breath, clear any lingering worries, and let’s get started.

1. Use One Color in Varying Tones

Tone refers to the tint (lightness) and shade (darkness) of a color. Once you’ve decided on a color for your bridesmaids to wear, let them choose dresses in a range of tones of that color. These dresses will all be sisters—not twins—and the results will be beautiful.

Image by Nick Plus Danee. See this real wedding. 

Photo by Lauren Neely Photography. See more of this real wedding. 

Photo by Madeline Shea Photography. See more of this real wedding. 

2. Use Different Colors in the Same Tone for Mismatched Bridesmaids

This option uses a combination of hues and tones. The hue—which just means basic colors—and the saturation of the tone—which means the intensity—will keep all of the dresses looking uniform. In short, you’re looking for similar colors that are also similar in intensity. Think pastels, jewel tones, or a combination of beige and pinks. Dresses in this second option can be thought of as cousins from the same family.

Photo by Lilly Red. See this real wedding. 

Photo by Ally + Nicholas. See more of this real wedding.

Photo by Erika Diaz. See more of this real wedding. 

3. Use the Same Color in Different Styles

If you’re truly concerned about colors not blending well together but still want your bridesmaids to wear dresses that they are comfortable with, opt for dresses that are the same color but in different styles. The easiest way to do this is to choose one designer so that all colors are uniform. These dresses are like fraternal twins!

Photo by Jessie Schultz Photography. See more of this real wedding. 

Photo by Page & Holmes. See more of this real wedding. 

Image by Proshot Photography. See more of this real wedding.

4. Use One Print or Texture in a Similar Color with Various Styles

This look is a bit more adventurous but will pay off with a stylish statement. Have your ‘maids dressed in a print within the same family. For example, keep them all in warm-colored florals, cool-colored polka dots, or sparkly sequins with varying pattern styles. Simply be mindful of the color and tones here to pull this off. The results are always a fabulous bridal party that looks comfortable and confident in the outfits they’re wearing.

Photo by Brittany Gilbert Photography. See more of this real wedding. 

Photo by The Soft Season. See more of this real wedding.

Photo by Fox & Kin. See more of this real wedding. 

Photo by Joel & Justyna. See more of this real wedding. 

5. Consider the Focal Point

This is a fun option to set your Maid of Honor apart as the focal point. In this option, the majority of the bridal party is in a similarly subtle color or tone while the Maid of Honor gets a different, bolder hue or a pattern. You can, of course, have multiple. It’s your wedding, after all.

The idea here is to not have too many competing colors and to allow one to represent the boldest hue or most unique pattern in your color palette to set your Maid of Honor apart.

Photo by Adri Mendez. See more of this real wedding. 

Photo by South of Indigo Photography. See more of this real wedding.

Photo by The Ramsdens. See more of this real wedding. 

We hope these tips helped you cut through the overwhelming feeling that can creep in when working on styling your wedding. To get some color inspiration, check out our 13 mismatched bridesmaid dress color palettes. Once you’ve sorted the dresses out, give yourself a pat on the back and celebrate another item checked off your wedding planning to-do list! While you wait for your bridesmaids to confirm they’ve ordered their dresses, you can order their bridesmaids robes for the wedding day!