If you’ve watched any random selection of romantic comedies over the past three decades or so, you’re probably quite familiar with the beloved cultural trope of the hideous bridesmaid dress.
In 27 Dresses, for instance, always-the-bridesmaid-never-the-bride, Katherine Heigl wears – you guessed it – 27 of them. Each uglier than the next.
And who could ever forget Rachel’s Little Bo Peep getup in the Friends episode where Barry (her ex fiancé) and Mindy get married?
Growing up with these images of the glowing bride(zilla – more often than not) surrounded by her miserable entourage seems to have made enough of an impression on Millennials and Gen Z-ers to go the opposite direction. We actually want our bridesmaids to look NICE! Making real friends is hard, yo, and we’ve got to treat the ones we have right. Plus, if we want our photos to be Instagram-worthy, everyone’s got to look sharp.
Case in point - these beauties designed by Merwe Wed recently:
Image by Kristi Agier Photography
Image by Michelle Bauermeister
Image by Hewitt Wright
Three things I wished for my bridesmaids’ dresses
Inspired by the images I’d seen in Deeva’s portfolio over the past year, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted my four beautiful bridesmaids to wear on the big day. And it comes down to three basic wishes:
1. Pretty enough to wear again
Firstly, that each of the bridesmaids will receive a garment that they would want to wear again and again.
Fortunately, the relatively informal nature of our wedding allows for dresses that would work well as slightly smarter day-wear or laid-back evening wear later on.
2. Comfortable
Secondly, I don’t want my bridesmaids to feel out of sorts on the day and like they’re squeezing into (or drowning in) a silhouette that doesn’t suit their body shape.
I want them to feel confident, comfortable and – most importantly – beautiful.
3. Autumn shades
Finally, as I mentioned in my previous post, I’ve always had a special love for Autumn and, since we’re getting married in April, chose a colour palette that reflects the rich reds, browns, yellows and greens of the season.
Starting with a silhouette
So, this past weekend, it was time to gather all the girls and get started on the design process. We all met up for brunch, bubby and some laughs at The Stranger’s Club in Green Point.
Spoilt with Lulu & Marula - best bridesmaids ever!
Before the meeting, Deeva (who is also one of my beloved bridesmaids) asked each one to bring a garment she likes and feels comfortable in from her own wardrobe.
As we waited for our eggs benedict and smoothie bowls, the girls presented their preferred outfits to Deeva and explained what they liked about the specific silhouette. And also, which parts of their bodies they’d prefer to hide.
It was so interesting to listen to them talk about their figures and bravely share their insecurities. From dealing with softer post-baby curves to feeling too short for certain looks.
In my eyes, each of them is so magnificently gorgeous, it seems almost impossible that there’s anything about themselves they don’t love. It just reminded me again how each of us has our little body doubts and that we can never compliment each other’s beauty enough to counter this.
I also loved watching Deeva’s response – she’d listen carefully to each woman’s story and then start by highlighting all her most exquisite features. After this, she’d suggest a silhouette that would not only compliment her shape, but also accentuate her unique loveliness.
It was amazing to see their faces brighten at her suggestions and the excitement build.
A fabric shopping spree
From here, it was off to Elegance in Cavendish Square to find the perfect fabric.
As we walked in, my eye immediately fell on rolls of raw silk in the exact Autumn colours I’d imagined for the bridesmaid dresses.
However, since this fabric wouldn’t work well on the more drapey shapes we’d originally had in mind, we decided to explore a few other options.
Close by, we spotted a roll of crispy crepe in a deep Bordeaux red. A relatively heavy fabric with 30% stretch, it’s a great choice for any dress. The ‘right side’ of the fabric has glam sheen, while the ‘wrong side’ a more peach skin matt. All of us agreed that the matt would be preferable on the outside.
I was almost sold, but something about it just didn’t feel exactly right to me. Firstly, the colour seemed to move too far away from the autumn hues I had in mind. Also, it felt too polished – not quite as rustic as I’d imagined. And, finally, I kind of liked the idea of each bridesmaid wearing a different colour.
My gaze fell on the raw silk again and suddenly I just knew that was THE fabric. Selecting a couple of colours, I brought a few roles over to the measuring table and almost immediately, Deeva tuned into the fact that it just worked better with my vision.
Where the original idea had been drapey, fitting dresses, we quickly regrouped and an amazing new plan emerged.
Scrolling through some of her Merwe Mode and Merwe Salt designs, Deeva showed the girls an array of beautiful options and, without too much convincing, everyone was on board.
Starting with maid-of-honour, Nikola, each lady chose her colour and in no time, my dream bridesmaid colour palette came into being.
Anticipation for what comes next
Now for the truly exciting part! Over the next few weeks, Deeva will be consulting with each bridesmaid separately and working on a unique design for each.
I honestly can’t wait to see what their collaborative efforts deliver!
In next week’s #MWBrideJourney, I’ll take a step back from the excitement of dreaming up dresses, put my big girl panties on and share a bit more about the tough, mundane and boring bits of wedding planning. If there’s anything specific you’d like to know, pop a question in the comments down below!