When young girls daydream about their wedding day, they usually focus on the wedding bridal gowns more than any other particular factor. Don't get me wrong - a young woman with an active imagination will think about wedding cake toppers, bridal floral arrangements, the sound of wedding bells, and all the rest as well. Still, it usually comes down to the wedding dresses. The problem with this is that, when picking out bridal dresses, women are inevitably constrained to some degree or another by convention. There is just too much tradition behind it all. Bridal gowns have to be white, usually have a veil, and often have a long train of ruffles hanging behind them. Although there is good bit of variation in wedding dresses and more innovation arriving every year, they are still not a great opportunity for self expression. Strangely enough, the wedding bridesmaid dresses are where the bride really gets to express herself.

As a wedding planner, I used to always be surprised when my clients were disappointed about the variety of wedding dresses available. That is when I began to tell my clients that they should put more thought into the wedding bridesmaid dress them in to what they are wearing. After all, the wedding bridesmaids dresses are not there just to make the bridesmaids look beautiful. They serve a second function as well. A wedding bridesmaid dress helps to set off the bridal gown. For example, if the wedding bridesmaid dresses are cream-colored, they will look similar to the bridal gown but not as radiant, making the bride seem to glow more brightly. If, on the other hand, they are a dark color or some vibrant shade of red or blue, they will set off the wedding dress quite strikingly.

The wedding bridesmaid dresses can also be coordinated with other aspects of the decor. They can reflect the colors used in the wedding flowers, the wedding cake topper, the decorations of the room, or even an outdoor wedding scene. The bride is supposed to stick out and look iconic - that is the whole point. But she is also required to walk down the aisle with the bridesmaids. There is a point to that too. Her wedding is her opportunity to shine more brightly than anyone else, and the wedding bridesmaid dresses should reflect this. I'm not saying that they shouldn't be beautiful - of course they should be beautiful. But their beauty should be carefully tailored to enhance the beauty of the bride even more.