Bridesmaids | Inspired by This Blog

When you get engaged and start the excitement of the planning process, one of the questions people start buzzing about who is going to be in your wedding party. Who should stand by your side? What’s the criteria for choosing? Some people choose their closest friends since grade school, some may say the more the merrier and pick friends from every stage of their life.

Personally, I think there should be a limit. At what number does it become too much? 10? 12? 14? One thing to consider is as you get older your friendships change and your close friends evolve over time – they move away, get new jobs, get married and have families, etc.. and that’s normal! Don’t feel obligated to have everyone you’ve ever known throughout your life in your wedding. Take some time and think about will these women (or men) be there for you when you absolutely need them the most? Are these true friends and relatives that have been through the best and worst times and will they continue to be?

We often don’t think about it because we get wrapped up in the fun of having everyone included, but don’t forget that sometimes less is more. It is also a lot to ask of your friends – buy a dress/shoes/jewelry/hair/makeup, attend all the wedding events, travel fares for friends who live out of town… it starts to add up! There are ways to include your friends in your wedding planning process rather than having them stand next to you in a matching dress! Assign them a task – have them help assemble favors, read a passage or a poem during the ceremony or usher wedding guests. There are ways to have them be a part of the wedding without being a part of the wedding party.

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, and when you look back on your wedding pictures 10 years from now you want to still be close to the people standing up there with you. Not only are your bridesmaids there to help you out on your day, but they also represent the people that are going to be there for you throughout your marriage so it’s important to choose carefully.

Photo by Leo Patrone

May you be inspired,

Leila

After being in 10 weddings as a bridesmaid there are really two choices you have, tell the next person who asks you to get real, or use all of your acquired knowledge and open a really great bridesmaid boutique. That is just the path that Keri and her business partner Jenni from Twirl boutique took and we are sure glad! The girls have built not only an adorable brand but a great business catering to the bridesmaids of the world. It is an honor to stand beside the bride as she pledges her life to her love, not such a honor to don some hideous color combination of taffeta in a tea length. I love that this somewhat over looked bridal category has finally been focused on and in the cutest way!

Twirl consistently stocks both the latest trends and some of the hottest wedding gown designers like Badgley Mischka and Melissa Sweet. Beyond Twirl’s fab dresses, some of the accessories you will find are to die for! From groomsmen ties to wedding themed sweats. They have all the players of the supporting roles covered! If you find yourself needing to pick bridesmaid dresses and would like your friends to still like you after purchasing them, I would suggest you go to the Twirl boutique in Scottsdale if you are local, if not have no fear-you can order right off the website!

below is a small sample of some of the great dresses you will find at Twirl

top left:Jenny Yoo top right: Jim Hjelm bottom left:Thread bottom right:Simple dress

real bridesmaids in Lazaro , photo by Vision photographs

some real bridesmaids and accessories Twirl sells

real bridesmaids photos (white dresses) by Melissa Jill real bridesmaids photos(pink dresses) by Patrick Grimes

May you be inspired,

Leila