Although your wedding dress is the centrepiece of your ceremony, your bridesmaids’ dresses are almost as important! You never want your bridal party to look bad, but they shouldn’t be stealing your spotlight either. Finding the right bridesmaid dress is all about balance, and that’s what makes it such a challenge.
There are plenty of bridesmaid dress shops for you to choose from, but we decided to focus this list on online boutiques where you can preview and order dresses without leaving your home. Here are our top picks for the best bridesmaid dresses online.
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What To Consider When Buying Bridesmaid Dresses
Your Wedding Date, Time, & Location
Your bridesmaids will not be happy if you stick them in a long-sleeved lace dress for a beach wedding. Always take into consideration where and when your wedding will be, and choose a bridesmaid dress that’s appropriate for the setting.
Your Timeline
Bridesmaid dresses take less time than a wedding dress, but you should still sort it out months in advance; otherwise, you run the risk of not getting the dress in time! You have a much shorter lead time if you buy dresses off the rack, but if you’re getting the dresses customised or fit, you definitely can’t leave it to the last minute. In emergency cases, a designer might be willing to rush it – for a price.
Your Colour Palette/Theme
It pretty much goes without saying that your bridesmaid dresses need to match the overall aesthetic of your ceremony. While you don’t need to do an exact colour match, your bridal party shouldn’t clash with your decor or your dress. Is it an outdoor wedding? Then a short floral dress could work. Are you going for a boho vibe? Long, flowy, and pastel is the way to go. Are you having a grand, luxurious ceremony? Ditch the neutral greys for a bright, metallic rose gold.
Your Entourage’s Body Type
Traditionally, bridesmaids all wear the same dress. While it might sound easier to just find one dress, it’s actually quite difficult to find one that fits your bridal party’s diverse body types and tastes.
If you want to make each bridesmaid look and feel her best, you can jump in on the recent trend of mixing and matching bridesmaid dresses. One way to go about it is by picking different dresses in the same shade. But you can also get them in different colours (e.g. various shades of purple) – as long as it still aligns with your colour palette, it’ll look great.
Your Budget
While buying bridesmaid dresses online in Australia is usually cheaper than getting them at a bridal boutique, you can still rack up quite a bill if you’re not careful. But you should also be wary about dresses that are too cheap, as the quality and fit might not be as good.
Crunch the numbers and set a realistic budget for your bridesmaid dresses. You can save money by limiting your bridal party to just a few of your closest friends, going with lesser-known designers, or even renting instead of buying.
Buying Local Versus Buying From Abroad: Is It Ok To Buy From Overseas Sellers?
Ordering online is always a risk, whether you’re buying from a local shop or from one overseas. Before you checkout your cart, do your due diligence. Read reviews, check out the seller’s return/exchange policy, and order in advance so that you have time to iron out any kinks.
Where To Buy: The Best Online Bridesmaid Dress Shops
Fame & Partners
Price: $AUD 149 – $AUD 379
Fame & Partners offers a huge variety of styles, and you can even sort by colour.
Shop from Fame & Partners here.
Hansen & Gretel
Price range: $AUD 269 – $AUD 389
For the perfect modern mismatched bridal party, Hansen & Gretel provides bridesmaid dresses in navy, green, pink, white, red, and black.
Shop from Hansen & Gretel here.
ASOS
Price range: $AUD 52 – $AUD 410
With their vast, affordable selection, ASOS is undoubtedly one of the best places to buy bridesmaid dresses online.
Zimmermann
Price range: $AUD 395 – $AUD 3,950
Although it’s a bit pricey, Zimmermann is perfect if you’re a fashion-forward bride.
The Iconic
Price range: $AUD 74.95 – $AUD 1,599
The Iconic has dresses at every price point, and they even have sale items for as low as $AUD 20.
White Runway
Price range: $AUD 310 – $AUD 690
White Runway is a reliable go-to for gorgeous formalwear and bridesmaid dresses.
Bridesmaids Only
Price range: $AUD 139 – $AUD 495
If you don’t want to sort through pages and pages of non-bridesmaid dresses, check out Bridesmaids Only. They even have a “try before you buy” option for as low as $AUD 25.
Shop from Bridesmaids Only here.
Reformation
Price range: $AUD 384 – $AUD 754
Trendy, modern, and fun, Reformation puts a unique twist on the standard bridesmaid dresses.
Conclusion
Finding the perfect dresses for your entire bridal party can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be an excruciating experience. These online shops make buying bridesmaid dresses easier, more convenient, and more accessible.
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