The Latest Bridesmaids Trends

Styles – One shoulder dresses are very in right now. Especially when accented with a cluster of flowers, feathers, or ruffles. Speaking of ruffles, whether on the side or cascading down the middle of the dress, you will see them in 2011! The Grecian look is also a big trend, especially for outdoor and summer weddings. These dresses are usually chiffon fabric, empire waist and very airy and flowy. This style is also known as a baby doll. It’s comfortable and perfect for pregnant bridesmaids. We can’t forget about pockets! Your girls will be that much more excited if there dress has pockets. Pockets are common in baby doll style dresses. We will see tons of pockets in 2011, not just for the maids but for the bride as well!

Colors – Gray is very in at the moment. You can make it look very preppy by adding yellow flowers, and accessories. Another trend is green and navy. Green dresses paired with navy shoes is such a fun and casual look. If you really want to be unique your bridesmaids can each wear a different color. However, it is important to stick with a theme: for example, all pastels or all different shades of a color. This way the wedding party still looks uniform and neat.

Different Styles - Another trend is to choose a manufacturer that offers different styles in the same fabric and color and letting each bridesmaid chose the style they like best and look best in. Your girls will be so excited to pick out the style they like best. It allows them to choose a dress they will possibly wear again. Your bridsmaids will love you for it!



Advice for All Mother of the Bride Customers


I have owned Party Dress Express for 15 years. Throughout the years I felt I stocked my store with lovely dresses for you to wear to your daughter’s wedding. I also always put my most caring and helpful sales associate to help you pick out your dress. To be honest, occasionally when I came up with an overly worried, stressed, fussy mother of the bride I always felt like, what is the big deal it is just one day. Oh how I have eaten my words!!!


Throughout my life I have been able to conquer all of life situations with a clear mind and positive attitude to get the job done. I am talking about some difficult life situations: family illnesses, business crisis, financial concerns that I always handled with confidence and dignity. So why when the first of my two daughters said she was getting married this October did this new crazy, teary-eyed indecisive woman appear.


Now that the day has passed (and it was a beautiful day and wedding) I have time to reflect. First no matter how composed you are in life situations this is your daughter- and for me as with most mothers she has been my whole world since the day she was born. Now you are facing the loss of her to another person and in my case I was also losing her to another person, family and state. Why wouldn’t that make a grown women cry?


At the same time you are trying to cope with these emotional feelings. There are lots of decisions to be made. You have been making decisions for her and with her all her life but now suddenly everything is different. Remember the terrible two’s? Well suddenly your there again, everything is a confrontation And if that’s not the case than at least you have realized there is another person(s) opinion which just may weigh stronger than yours- which is definitely a different experience.


Now it is DRESS time- the bride has picked hers and she is beautiful as all brides are. But wait you’re her mother, just 20 something years ago you were this girl and as much as it is her day you can’t get over the fact that you’re the second person on display so the panic and worry set it. And so it begins the endless try-on of dresses, picking the right style, color, length and fit so that you can look your best. And no matter how great everyone is saying you look that mirror is saying something different to you.


I did it all, I tried on, and I fussed, pulled, switched and drove myself crazy and remember I have a store filled with dresses at my disposal everyday. And just like other mothers in my store, I felt like the perfect one was still missing from stock. I will never question another mother in my store again. So did I find the perfect dress? Well everyone said I looked lovely but I did not follow my own advice and go for comfort. I ended up in an uncomfortable strapless bra all for the sake of beauty. Now that I understand the trauma of a mother of the bride I actually may look for an employee with a psychology degree to better serve our customers. In the meantime if you are in need of some old fashion consoling just ask for me- I have been there. I know if I tell you not to worry it will not work but I will say breath and enjoy the moment as much as possible. Remember when you brought your daughter into the world how quickly you forgot the pain and focused on the joy, well once you see her in her wedding dress on her wedding day it is just as amazing!

Party Dress Express

Bridesmaid Duties

If you've been asked to be a bridesmaid at a friend's wedding, there's a lot to keep in mind and a lot to consider. It is a great honor to be chosen to be a bridesmaid, but there's a lot of responsibility, too! One responsibility that is carefully delineated is that you are meant to be a support for the bride as she approaches her big day. Below are a few tips you may want to keep in mind while helping out.

 1.Pitch in!
 The bride has tons to do as her wedding comes up, everything from catering to dress fittings to flowers. Volunteer whatever time you can in order to make her life a little bit easier. There's a lot you can do and even little things can add up. Remember not to get too stressed for time yourself, being reliable about a few things is much better than trying to be Superwomen about a bunch of things and then forgetting about them.


2.Be attentive!
 It's the bride's big day, but it's also going to be a nerve-wracking one. Keep in mind that she should be happy, not be stressed or frustrated with it. Do your best to help keep her in a good mood and don't forget the essentials. Too many brides forget about things like eating and sleeping. Make sure she gets something to eat and drink a few hours before the ceremony. You don't want the wedding to come to a halt when the bride collapses from dehydration.


3.Be honest!
It can be a fine line between letting the bride do what she wants and stopping her from making a bad decision. If she's making a choice you think she is making due to too much stress, ask her if that is what she really wants. Remember that the important thing is that she be happy, and if you go into it with the mindset of making sure she is happy, she will thank you for your help.

 4.Don't forget your role!
One of your duties is to the complement the wedding party. Make sure that you take care of your dress in a timely manner. Make sure you pick up your dress or set up an alteration appointment months in advance. 

 5.Have fun!
Being part of the wedding party is a honor and a great chance to help your friend celebrate one of the most important days in her life. One thing that will make her happy is seeing you enjoy yourself!


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