Bridesmaid dress shopping is a tricky situation. On the one hand, you probably have a style or colour in mind. On the other, you have to take your bridal party’s tastes and body types into consideration. Thankfully, bridesmaid dresses are no longer an awful, ill-fitting affair ala Katherine Heigl’s 27 Dresses. Most dresses you can find in shops (and online) today are classy, stylish, and plus size-inclusive.
But to make it even easier for Perth brides, we checked out a few boutiques and dress rental services. This blog includes our favourite bridesmaid dress stores and a quick guide to buying the right bridesmaid dress.
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How To Choose Bridesmaid Dresses
Keep Your Wedding Ceremony (And Dress) In Mind
The same considerations you would have picking out your wedding dress are the same you would have for choosing one for your bridesmaid. What season is it? Where will the wedding take place? What time will the ceremony be? These questions will guide you to the most appropriate dress for the occasion, and your bridesmaids will thank you.
Another thing you have to consider is how well your bridesmaids’ dresses go with your own dress. Your wedding dress should be the scene stealer, of course, so you have to avoid bridesmaid dresses that will clash with yours. If you have a heavily-embellished ball gown, you can balance it out by having simple sheath dresses for your bridal party.
Decide On Identical Or Mismatched Dresses
Most brides choose just one dress for their entire bridal party to wear. If you decide to go this route, it’s best to choose a universally-flattering cut or a multi-way dress that your bridesmaids can “customise” to their body type and personal style.
But if your bridesmaids have varying shapes/sizes, or if you want a more visually-interesting entourage, why not try out the mismatched bridesmaid dress trend? You can choose different dresses or even different shades from your colour palette. Done right, it looks great in person and in pictures!
Don’t Go Over Budget
Some bridesmaid dresses can easily cost hundreds of dollars, but there are many options in the $AUD100 – $AUD 200 range. You can even find dresses for less than a hundred dollars, especially if you check online shops, second-hand stores, and dress-for-hire services.
Unless you have cash to blow, you should keep your bridesmaid dress expenses reasonable. This is especially true for brides with large entourages. If your bridesmaids are paying for their own dresses, it’s even more important to keep it affordable and accessible.
Where To Buy The Best Bridesmaid Dresses In Perth
Coco And Lola
Coco and Lola doesn’t have the biggest selection or the most affordable dresses, but we couldn’t help but fall in love with their easy-going styles.
Price range: $AUD 269 – $AUD 689
Camilla
Price range: $AUD 399 – $AUD 2,049
Attention boho brides: Camilla’s Claremont boutique is the perfect choice for a non-traditional, exotic-looking bridal party. Just look at those luxurious prints!
Natalie Rolt
Price range: $AUD 280 – $AUD 3,800
Natalie Rolt’s line of made-to-order bridesmaid gowns look easy and breezy – great for outdoor or beach weddings. Each dress is available in multiple colours, such as blush, red, black, and white, so you can customise it to fit your colour palette.
Little Borrowed Dress
Price range: $AUD 79 – $AUD 199
Yes, renting out bridesmaid dresses is a thing! Your bridal party obviously can’t keep them after the wedding, but using a dress-for-hire service like Little Borrowed Dress is a great way to keep costs down.
Shop from Little Borrowed Dress here.
Shona Joy
Price range: $AUD 280 – $AUD 340
Famous designer Shona Joy has made bridesmaid dress shopping even easier. Each dress is available in multiple colours, and you have half a dozen styles to choose from. Plus, her site goes on sale regularly, with prices getting slashed down to 50% of the original price tag.
Something Borrowed
Price range: $AUD 130 – $AUD 150
This Subiaco-based dress rental company stocks designer dresses that you can rent out for less than 200 a pop. This includes dresses from Shona Joy, Grace & Heart, Camilla + Marc, Bec & Bridge, Alice McCall, and even Yves Saint Laurent.
Shop from Something Borrowed here.
Nora + Elle
Price range: $AUD 170 – 450
Nora + Elle has a more limited online selection, but you can book an appointment at their Perth boutique to see even more great bridesmaid dresses.
Maevana
Price range: As low as $AUD 800
Maevana definitely isn’t for the budget-conscious! Although the brand specialises in unique wedding dresses, they have a few formal gowns and bridesmaid dresses as well.
Conclusion
If you Google “bridesmaid dresses near me”, you’ll get thousands of hits. That’s a lot to sort through! Instead of wasting hours combing through those search results, you can start your bridesmaid dress shopping by checking out the stores on this list – Perth’s best and most reliable bridesmaid boutiques.
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