In ancient times, people believed evil spirits would attend the wedding in an attempt to harm the bride and groom. To confuse these spirits, bridesmaids acted as decoys and dressed identically to the bride.
The idea was that the spirits would be frustrated by not knowing who the bride was and be forced to leave her alone to wed.
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But this tradition has long been tossed aside over time by many modern brides in favour of dresses that are mismatched in colour, style, and patterns. The result is a unique ensemble of beautiful dresses that bring out each individual woman’s style and personality.
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Pulling off a mismatched ensemble that still presents a unified theme is quite the task, and some brides would still prefer to stick with tradition and keep their bridesmaids in the same dress.
Let's look at some of the advantages and disadvantages, and tips and traditions of matching dresses.
Non-matching bridesmaid dresses
Opting for using colour schemes for their bridesmaid’s dresses allows them to choose a style of dress that best fits them. Not only does this allow for their own personality to show, but it also suits each bridesmaid’s budget.
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This trend is also favourable for brides with male best friends who can easily be included in the bridal party and allowed to be in the supportive role of the bride.
The three fun ways to mix and match bridesmaids' dresses
This trend offers a lot of fun variety for bridesmaids to wear different dresses. These are the three fun ways to mix and match:
- Same dress, different colours (probably similar shades on a spectrum)
- Same colour, different dresses (this introduces an interesting play of textures, patterns, skirt length, and style).
- Different dress styles and colours. This can create a stunning look of all different dresses and colours if you are sticking with tones and hues within the same colour family, as well as different patterns. This style works great as long as there is still some cohesion among the dresses.
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Pros and cons of matching or non-matching bridesmaids dresses
Matching dresses
Pros
The traditional way has a certain symmetry that many brides love and it also makes for great photos. It embodies the simplicity of solid colours that bring a united and uncomplicated look to the bridal party.
Most importantly, it is a classic tradition that many brides want to uphold as the women in their families wed.
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Cons
Matching bridesmaids' dresses may make them look like a uniform of props in the photo album designed to only make the bride look good. Some of the maids may feel forced to wear something they don't agree with or a dress that doesn't agree with their body type.
Additionally, not every bridesmaid will be able to afford the cost of a dress given the varying incomes.
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Non-matching dresses
Pros
As stated earlier, different dresses leave room for individual bridesmaids to flatter their body types and express their personalities, which, in turn, will give you a lively line of bridesmaids.
A mix of different hem lengths, neck styles, and colour hues can add an exciting and modern feel to the bridal party. It can also allow male friends to wear a suit in a shade similar to the rest of the bridal party making it more inclusive, personal, and fun.
Cons
This presentation may shock some guests giving them a foreign feel that they don't associate with weddings. It can also be a complicated task to pull off coordination of different colours, dresses, hues, and patterns. It can easily end up being a disjointed mish-mash of styles instead of a cohesive arrangement.
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Tip
If you go with non-matching bridesmaid dresses, make sure you give your bridesmaids guidance regarding colours, hues, and style. Be involved and perhaps have them shop from the same designer.
You can also bring more cohesion to the arrangement by having your bridesmaids wear matching jewellery, shoes, florals, and other accessories.