Shopping Cart

No products in the cart.

Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses

Here Come the Girls!

Bridesmaid Dress Colour Palette

Do you have difficulty choosing your bridesmaid dresses?

Or are you currently in the process of choosing the colour palette for your bridesmaid dresses? Or choosing your wedding colours?

Perhaps you’re possibly thinking about sorting your bridesmaid dresses by colour?

Well, if you’re not 100% sure on what to do, then you’ve come to the right place!

Choosing colour palette Bridesmaid Dresses

During my time as a wedding photographer, I’ve learned countless tips and tricks from a fair few Irish Bridal Parties! Read on for more information…!

Colour palette Bridesmaid Dresses
Bridesmaid Dress Colour Palette
Choosing colour palette Bridesmaid Dresses

The Most Common Questions About Bridesmaids Dresses

During my time as a wedding photographer, I’ve had a fair few brides asking me if I have any advice when it comes to choosing their bridesmaid dresses and wedding colours.

Very often, I’ve heard questions like:

  • How do I choose my bridesmaids’ dresses?
  • Do I choose bridesmaid dresses by colour?
  • Is there any colour in particular that photographs really well?
  • Are there any colours to avoid?

And one that I always find particularly funny:

  • Have I ever seen any bridesmaid dress disasters?

(Shhhh… the answer to this last one is yes!)

With this blog post, I’m going to attempt to answer these questions – shedding some light on the unknown – and telling you everything that I’ve learned, directly from brides who’ve gone through the exact same thing!

Read on for more!

First look Bridesmaids
Choosing colour palette Bridesmaid Dresses
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 1
Choosing colour palette Bridesmaid Dresses

Bridal Party Tips and Tricks

Here are a few tips and tricks that I’ve learned during my time photographing the Bridal Parties for my couples…

Choosing bridesmaid dresses

What time of year are you getting married?

It’s always a good idea to keep this in mind when choosing your bridesmaids dresses, as this can potentially narrow the endless choices down considerably!

Also, what flowers are in season? These colours are most likely going to be in the bridal bouquets.

Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 2

CHOOSING THE COLOURS BY THE SEASON

What wedding colours do you think of when you think about the year’s four seasons? I think of reds, golds, emerald greens, and royal blues in the Winter. Pastel palettes look fantastic in the Spring, as do yellows. The bright colours of pinks and purples in the sunshine of the Summer can look particularly fantastic. And finally, Autumn is a time for auburn, oranges, reds and dark greens.

It always works well to consider the time of year before choosing your bridesmaid dress!

Bridesmaids dresses winter wedding
Bridesmaids' dresses for winter wedding

CHOOSING THE RIGHT ACCESSORIES AND ACCOUTREMENTS

With the changeable Irish weather always a factor, keeping your bridesmaids warm can also be an issue on the day – especially if you’re having a winter wedding and want to have some outdoor wedding photographs.

During many various weddings, I’ve seen beautiful faux-fur boleros, cropped jackets, and even stylish wraps used to complement bridesmaid dresses. These extras can (and have) looked very stylish in the final wedding photographs.

Winter Colour palette for Bridesmaid Dresses

Never underestimate the stylish look of a leather jacket for your bridal party!

DECIDING DRESS LENGTH

When deciding on the length of the Bridesmaid Dresses, again think of the time of year and the look and feel of your wedding. If you’re having a Christmas wedding day, long dresses can look very festive. Whereas, on a warm summer’s day, short dresses can look more appropriate.

Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 3
Choosing colour palette Bridesmaid Dresses

THINK OF MOBILITY!

Remember, it’s the bridesmaids’ job to look after you on your wedding day! They’ll need to keep your train lifted from getting dirty, your veil looking flawless, and to fix all those little details for you.

When choosing their bridesmaid dresses, it’s always a really good idea to make sure that the dress is comfortable and easy for them to move around in it! They’ll need to bend down throughout the day to fix your wedding dress.

A fabulous bridesmaid dress, and one that’s not very practical, isn’t going to be of very much use to you as the bride on the day!!

SUITING DIFFERENT STYLES

How do you make one bridesmaid dress suit everyone? In general, it’s a pretty tough task.

As an alternative, I’ve seen many brides choosing one colour, but having the bridesmaids’ dresses in all different styles. This allows each of your bridesmaids to choose a style that flatters their figure, and it keeps everyone happy.

WHAT ABOUT DIFFERENT COLOURS?

If you like the idea of having your bridesmaids wearing different colours, I recommend that they all stay in the same colour palette. So, perhaps all bridesmaids are wearing purple, but in different shades of purple so that they are still identifiable as your bridesmaids.

Personally, I always advise that the bride chooses a colour that’s in keeping with the theme of her wedding. If there’s a particular colour running through the flowers, invites, and decorations, it looks lovely to have the bridesmaids in this same colour.

Choosing colour palette Bridesmaid Dresses
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 4
Bridesmaid dress colour palette

The MOST IMPORTANT thing of all though is for all of your bridesmaids to feel happy and confident in their dresses, and for them to enjoy their very special role during your wedding day!

Wedding Colours in Action – Choosing Bridesmaid Dresses: Sample Photos

Do you know what they say about a picture being worth a thousand words?

Well, seeing is believing, so here are some of my professional photos of stunning bridesmaid dresses from the weddings that I’ve had the pleasure of being the photographer!

You can see more here: 

Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 24
best colour Bridesmaid dress
best colour Bridesmaid dress
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 25
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 26
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 27
gold Bridesmaid dress
gold dress
wedding colours
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 28
Bridal Party colours
best colour Bridesmaid dress
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 29
red Bridesmaid dress
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 30
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 31
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 32
blue Bridesmaid dress
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 33
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 34
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 35
red Bridesmaid dress
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 36
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 37
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 38
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 39
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 40
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 41
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 42
best colour Bridesmaid dress
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 43
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 44
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 45
Winter Colour palette for Bridesmaid Dresses
Bridesmaid Dress Colour Palette Black leather jackets
black Bridesmaid dress
black Bridesmaid dress
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 46
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 47
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 48
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 49
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 50
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 1
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 52
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 53
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 54
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 55
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 56
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 57
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 58
Bridesmaid dress colour
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 59
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 60
Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses 61

Advice from the Experts! (https://smartbrides.ie/)

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with the experts at Smart Brides, an Irish boutique shop and seller of stunning wedding gowns, about the best things to look out for when choosing your bridesmaids’ dresses.

With their permission of course, I’ve been able to feature some of their great advice, just for you! Read on to find out more…

Your Ultimate Guide to Bridesmaid Dresses

When planning for your wedding, choosing your own dress, your colour palette, or your bridesmaid dresses, it’s always best to plan well in advance! That’s why Smart Brides say that the first step is to plan, plan, plan – with plenty of time left over.

Order Well in Advance

According to Smart Brides, designer bridesmaid gowns can usually take between 2 to 6 months to arrive. With that in mind it’s always a good idea to factor this into your timeline. As well as that, they also recommend that when ordering, you give yourself a delivery time of at least one month before the wedding to allow plenty of time for any individual alternations to the dresses.

Factor in your Bridesmaids Styles and Body Types

We’re all completely unique and we come in all shapes and sizes. As well as that, we can all have our own individual styles. That’s why when it comes to choosing a dress for your bridesmaids, Smart Brides recommend that you choose a style of dress that will look great on almost everyone. By also ordering their dresses at the same time, you’re guaranteed a better chance of having each of the dresses arrive with consistent colour and texture.


Smart Brides are also a great advocate of body inclusivity. As part of their range, they also feature a range of ‘True Bridesmaids’ dresses that are designed for every woman. These dresses are available in sizes UK 6-36 and are fashioned with carefully created shapes that aid in enhancing every curve.

Measure Carefully

Smart Brides recommend that you have your future bridesmaids all measured together at the same shop or designer where you plan to order the dresses. This is mainly because the dress measurements usually always dictate the size according to the individual shop or company’s dress sizes. Believe it or not, each designer’s size charts can vary!

To Match, Or Not to Match?

That is the question!

As I mentioned in my post above, when it comes to bridesmaid dresses, it’s not always necessary to have each of your bridesmaids wearing the exact same dress. Sometimes it can look just as good to have your bridal party wear different dress styles, yet all within the same colour palette.

Smart Brides gave some food for thought on this also; when it comes to choosing ‘harmony’ between the entire bridal party, or alternatively, choosing a complete contrast, both choices have their pros and cons – however, at the end of the day, the choice is always up to you!

They recommend that whether or not you’re choosing to have all of your bridesmaids’ dresses to match or not, that you always think ahead to the photos. Instead of having clashing colours and styles in your wedding photos, if you’d like some variation in dresses, then it’s usually best to have styles with shades that work well together.

What about accessories though?

Well, the experts at Smart Brides reckon that accessories are a fantastic way of creating both unity and diversity for your bridal party; if you’re looking to coordinate your bridal party with similar dress styles and colours, accessories can be a great way of adding at least a little bit of intrigue and diversity to the overall style.

On the other hand, if you’ve made the choice for contrasting attire, similar accessories can then bring a bit of unity and cohesion to the overall look.

Find out more about Smart Brides:

For more information on ‘Smart Brides’, or to have a look at their amazing range of bride and bridesmaid gowns, be sure to pay them a visit at their store in Portlaoise, or simply drop by their website:

www.smartbrides.ie

Find out more about DKPHOTO Wedding Photography

Interested about various dress styles? Or are you in the process of choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses? Why not check out my own sample wedding slideshow:

You can see more: Wedding Planning Blog

Documentary Reportage Wedding Photography

Pricing photographer
And sample slideshow :

Choosing the colour palette for your Bridesmaid Dresses by DKPHOTO Wedding photography

Bridesmaid dress colour palette choosing bridesmaid dresses by www.dkphoto.ie

Top tips for Groomsman and Groom

That can help a looot:  Planning Winter Wedding

Best Location for wedding photos Ireland

You can check more advices on Onefabday Blog : https://www.onefabday.com

This comprehensive list of tips and advice will guarantee that you will choose the right wedding photographer  : 

How to choose the perfect wedding photographer for your perfect wedding day

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let's talk about your wedding

It's not just about pictures; it's about moments that stand the test of time. Dive deeper into my world and let's discuss your wedding dreams. Let's talk – I'm genuinely looking forward to it!

Schedule a call
wedding photography advice

DKPHOTO LTD is a fully registered Irish company and fully insured
Wedding Albums Wedding Planning Book and Canvas Prints Online Shop

Accepted Payment Methods