Dressing the rest. {Bridesmaid outfits}

I am absolutely convinced that selecting a bridesmaid dress is more difficult than a wedding dress. No. Doubt.

You see, when it comes to a wedding dress, you kind of know what you like, what looks best, and what look you are going for. Not that it is easy to pick the dress...but when you are physically trying on all of the dresses, it definitely helps.

So maybe it would be easy if you had all of your bridesmaids together and all of the dresses you were thinking about using, and they could try them all on it would be easier...but that is not my situation, and I venture to say it is not the situation of many brides.

Nope, I communicate with my girls on Facebook.

The second they all said yes, I created a Facebook page for easy communication....except for the 2 that don't use Facebook. I have posted picture upon picture and idea upon idea on this page in order for them to see what I am thinking and provide feedback (like on some of those Pinterest Fails).

First I had to decide what color of dress I wanted. Originally I had thought to put the girls in purple and the guys in green...but somewhere along the line we ended up buying purple accent pieces for the guys...and I knew I didn't want both sides in the same color...so that left green or brown for the girls.

When Shai and I first went shopping to look for the bridal party, we went in every store imaginable - BEBE, Arden B, BCBG, Express, AX, New York & Co, Urban Outfitters, H&M, etc. Note, we did not go into a "bridal store" because I really wanted to find dresses that were made to be worn elsewhere than a wedding -- not a dress made for a wedding that I could say "oh sure, you can totally wear this again somewhere" riiiiight. We actually found one dress (not telling where) that we both liked, but it was our first day looking and I wasn't sure if it was the color I wanted to go with...and so we kept on looking.

Fast forward almost 4 months of me looking online at dresses at even MORE stores and a lot of posts that looked like this

Just picture after picture of dresses. All sorts of different styles! I lost the vision (if I even had one to start) I was going for because all I could see were pretty dresses that I liked...but wasn't sure if I liked for a wedding. Those bridesmaids of mine were not much help either...they liked almost every dress! Granted, I eliminated a few because they confirmed what I already thought...but they didn't even seem to hate one of the options (clearly that means I have good taste, right? ;-) ) 

One day after work, I was busy looking at dresses online (I should have kept track of how many hours I spent doing this...) and I decided to check out the website of the store Shai and I had seen that very first dress at....and BAM. There it was...and 40% off no less!! I immediately took that as a sign that it was the dress and started my international texting, emailing and facebooking in order to get the correct sizes. While I was waiting (very impatiently from across the world I might add) I searched for online coupons and found one for $50 off every purchase over $150. Whaaaaat! I was able to buy the dresses in two separate orders and save a $100! Like I said, it was a sign.

Even though the wedding is still 7 months away, getting these dresses was the last "big" decision I needed to make and it was incredibly frustrating to have a loose end. After all, I found my dress the week I got engaged and within two days of looking. These took me almost 4 months of looking!!

Oh but that's not all! I needed the accessories to go with the dresses now. I really wanted an accent sash and a bold necklace to go with the understated dresses I chose. Oh yes, back to the drawing board it was, or more accurately the internet. I checked out Forever21, Express, Charming Charlies, and Zullily just to name a few -- looking for the perfect balance of style and price. Emphasis on price. I have never been comfortable buying things that weren't on sale and my wedding is no exception. The only piece of clothing for the entire bridal party that we have purchased to include Shai's outfit (since we purchased it all) that was not on sale has been my dress, but we did get a discount on my veil. I am very proud of those purchases. By checking websites every single day, I was able to find a fun necklace I think we'll love (remember, I haven't seen it in person yet) for 50% off.

The best part though, are the sashes.

Yup. He went sash shopping for me. I had been looking online for belts or sashes but I realized that the best option was going to be to order sashes from a bridal store. David's Bridal had a great online sale on sashes....but they were not in a color that would work. So I asked my wonderful fiancé if he would go shopping for me. We facetimed (like Skype for you non-iPhone/iPad users) the entire time he was in the store and I have to say, I really enjoyed it...it was pretty funny. I wish I could have seen what he looked like walking into a Bridal store alone, and as the only guy in there!

He showed me several sashes that were apparently in the "green family"

According to him and the women in the store I made him ask...those are all green. Not blue. Green. I'm sorry but the two in the middle (and the one sash) look like they have a lot of blue in them! He told me that he could see how it changed from "real life" image to "facetime" image...so I made him take a picture of them and send it as well.

That one on the right still looks like it has a lot of blue in it to me! At this point, regardless of whether it looks only green in person -- it looks blueish green in a picture...and that is what I will be looking at for much longer! So that one was opted out -- even after he asked several women which they liked better and had them confirm both were green lol.

We then found a color I loved...only to be told that they could only make dresses in it -- not sashes!! Back to the beginning. Somehow, even though we had been saying dark green from the beginning...there were still more and more color swatches popping out of the woodwork. I put a lot of faith in Shai and the lady helping him with the final selection I made (nope, it isn't any of the ones you see here). The lady told us that they will be ready in 3 months - just in time for me to get home! I am certainly glad he was able to help me out with that because if we had waited until I was home we may not have had enough time to get them made ... or worse ... have to pay extra for them to be rushed! He is such a great groom huh?

I am so excited to finally have everything for the girls done and put behind me, I am rarely an indecisive person and it just feels uncomfortable to have decisions left unmade. Now truthfully all I have left to do are the small details and DIY touches I want to do when I get home. If it wasn't for the fact that everything I bring out here I have to bring back, I swear I would have already turned my room out here into a craft factory.

xo!
Kali