The Major Dos & Don’ts Of Coordination

You may have shuffled through several picture-perfect wedding albums and wondered how the outfits of the wedding party look so jaw-droppingly flawless. And now, you really want the scoop because, as a slay girl yourself, there’s no way your babes look drab on your special day. 

It should come as no surprise that a great deal of thought and creativity goes into coordinating tasteful wedding party outfits. The right outcomes appear only when factors like color schemes, accessories, the wedding venue, and more remain in constant aesthetic sync with each other. Journey through this mini wedding party outfit coordination guidebook to get started with coordinating your very own wedding party outfits!

First Things First… Pick your wedding color palette

Before you dive into coordinating your wedding party outfits, it’s critical to first select your wedding’s color palette. From décor to bridesmaids’ dresses – literally, everything depends on this important foundation.

When coming up with your wedding colors, know that you’re not limited to two or three hues. The smartest way to go would be to determine the primary colors and the “accent” (secondary) colors. Once you have this one element sorted, the possibilities of coordinating your wedding-squad outfits are endless! You and your to-be groom can pick out about three to five of your favorite shades to color your entire wedding.

Dos

Now that you have clarity on your wedding color scheme, it’s time to dive into the process of coordinating the outfits.

#1. Coordinate the bridesmaids’ and groomsmen’s outfit colors

The hues your bridesmaids and groomsmen are draped in will be present in pretty much every wedding photograph. To ensure a uniform aesthetic, choose from your primary colors to determine what your party will wear. If you’re looking for something more dynamic, feel free to lean on some secondary colors. As long as they look great against your overall wedding backdrop, you’re good to go. While the common practice is for bridesmaids to wear the same color, mixing and matching these dresses is one of the most popular wedding trends today.

Typically, there are three ways you could come up with a stylish wedding party look:

• Choose the same color bridesmaids’ dresses but with different styles.
• Consider the same style of bridesmaids’ dresses but with different colors.
• Opt for different color bridesmaids’ dresses with different styles.

The most common type is that of same-color bridesmaids’ dresses with different styles. Here, you can pick out a color and give your girls the freedom to hunt for styles they’re comfortable with. Once you determine the dress colors, coordinating them with the groomsmen becomes quite easy. The best practice is to use the color of your bridesmaids’ dresses for the groomsmen’s accessories such as pocket squares and ties.

#2. Stick to a uniform color scheme

Choosing a wedding party outfit color scheme is great. But it will not result in anything if you don’t end up strictly adhering to it. Make sure you stick to the colors and styles you’ve picked from start to end to ensure an aesthetic blend.

#3. Offer swatches

Details are of the essence when it comes to wedding party outfits. You may have chosen the most breathtaking hues for your bridesmaids’ dresses, however, you can’t simply give them a color and have them handle the rest. This is where the need for offering swatches comes in. For instance, if lilac is the color you’re looking for, you can get a swatch of a specific lilac hue and offer it to them as a reference. This will make sure there are no unnecessary color clashes on the wedding day.

#4. Coordinate formality

This is where we discuss the wedding day dress code. Are you looking for something more formal than a cocktail dress? Is your wedding taking place indoors or outdoors? Does your wedding come with a streak of royalty or is it soaked in the freshness of the beach and the sunset? Determining the degree of formality for both bridesmaids’ and groomsmen’s outfits is critical to establishing a visually appealing consistency throughout your photographs.

#5. Focus on the details

Elements like the hairdos, accessories and the length of dresses can make or break the color coordination you’ve so carefully crafted. While not everyone in your bridal party will have the same texture and length of hair, there is always a way to create a common ground such as a flower crown or a braid. You may give your bridesmaids the freedom to pick out their own styles. But it’s usually best to have them wear dresses of the same length – long or short.

Another great way to establish consistency would be by choosing the right accessories. When doing this, keep in mind the overall wedding vibe, the season you’re getting married in, and of course, the color scheme you’ve picked out.

Make sure the outfits of the bridesmaids and groomsmen are in sync. As discussed before, you can pick out similar colors, prints, or color patterns for both the ladies’ dresses and the men’s accessories. An example would be a sky blue dress for the girls and a similar-colored tie for the guys.

Don’ts

The wedding party outfit don’ts are just as important as the dos, if not more. Here’s how not to coordinate the outfits:

#1. Don’t give “too many” or “not enough” options

The trick to getting the wedding party outfits coordinated lies somewhere in between “too controlling” and “too laid-back.” You don’t want to impose strict dress rules because it’s important to take the individual’s style and comfort into account. On the other hand, you don’t want to give them complete control over what they wear because it might end up throwing the entire look off balance.

For example, if you’re going for the mismatched wedding party outfit look, it’s critical to provide comprehensive ground rules like the suggested color scheme, dress material and lengths, and the exact type of dress embellishments allowed.

#2. Don’t choose outfits that don’t match the wedding location

Factors like location, time of the day, and style of the ceremony contribute a great deal to creating perfect outfit coordination. For instance, an evening wedding would look enchanting with attire that is more formal, fabric that is a little heavier, and colors that are a bit darker. Whereas, daytime weddings can include attire that is more casual, has lighter fabrics, and comes in lighter colors.

#3. Don’t ignore the budget

When it comes to coordinating wedding party outfits, it’s important for a bride to take into account the finances of her friends. In most cases, it can be quite expensive to be a part of the wedding gang considering how factors like dresses, makeup, shoes, travel, parties, gifts, and more come into play. Considering all this, you may not want them to buy a dress that’s beyond their budget.

Conclusion

The idea of coordinating wedding party outfits is both a challenging and memorable experience. Simply walk through the process step by step and have fun along the way!

Featured image: @temilola.photo/Instagram

Author Bio:

Jonah Levine is the Creative Director of NewYorkDress.com. NewYorkDress, established in 2008, is the #1 online source for Evening and Prom dresses worldwide. As Creative Director, Jonah works to create the ultimate online and in-store luxury shopping experience with a focus on service and personalization.

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