GLAM + STYLE

By Cathy Shouse

Many brides not only say yes to their own dress, but also to multiple dresses for their wedding party. Primarily, the bridesmaids are the ones whose dresses will be noticed during the ceremony and will appear in many photos. What is in is fairly consistent.

1. One-shoulder dress: asymmetrical details 2. Bold and vibrant hues: plum jewel, sunshine yellow, etc. 3. Mismatched gowns: one color in different hues, or different styles and necklines 4. Short and sassy: anything above floor length 5. Pastels: the sweetest shades, like blush

When Megan Schneider walks down the aisle this year to marry Craig Gain, both will be first-timers. Three women and two girls are in the wedding party. She was aware of the trends and mainly went for #2.

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“The women’s dresses are royal blue; It’s pretty bold, not muted,” she said. “My junior bridesmaid is nine and our flower girl is four, and they’re wearing light peach dresses.”

Schneider considered mismatched gowns and short and sassy ones, but her practical side won out. One of the women is 5’ 8” and a typical knee-length dress wouldn’t be long enough for her. They decided strapless or one-shoulder wasn’t their style.

“I’m pretty conservative, so we wanted to try to find dresses that were more modest,” she said. “I wanted them to get dresses they were comfortable in. I let them take the lead.”

Schneider considered letting the women choose their own but then joined in. She found inspiration from Pinterest and shopped websites. The search began and ended online, which was appropriate since she and Gain, who is from Illinois, met online. Samples of the capped sleeve style were mailed to try on. They opted for standard sizes, rather than submitting their own measurements.

“I was going to choose dresses that were a little more casual since we’re getting married outside at 3:00 in the afternoon, but it was harder to find something middle of the road. I’m happy with my choice. As of right now [in early April], we’re hoping the wedding is still going on,” she said in reference to the coronavirus shutdowns.

Other brides are stretching their budgets, and heading to resale shops. Heather Kremper, executive director of From This Day Forward: A Wedding and Events Ministry, said, “We are a nonprofit that assists individuals planning a special event with limited resources. We help build healthy relationships and educate during the planning process. Our boutique offers new and gently used formal wear. While we never know what is going to be in our inventory, we do currently have several bridesmaid gowns. It seems that lightweight materials are more popular versus heavier satin materials, and boho styles are very popular. Also, straps seem to be popular versus strapless.” a

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Resource: From This Day Forward Ministries, Fort Wayne, 260.415.0839, fromthisdayforwardministries.org

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