A bride in an immaculately white wedding gown with a trail that covers the wedding aisle with her every step is a definite cinematic and dramatic description of a dreamy wedding.
The practice of wearing a white wedding gown goes back to the old belief and symbolism of the white colour, which a woman before marriage must embody. The colour white represents innocence and purity.
Since the colour is universally agreed upon and has been an heirloom tradition for generations, a bride, during the wedding planning, focuses more on the neckline, fit, length, fabric, and overall comfort of the wedding gown.
The wedding gown must make the bride feel it was meant only for her, even if she bought it readymade.
The same goes for bridesmaid dresses. A bridesmaid checks whether the dress exposes or covers her chest, whether it hugs her body well and highlights her assets, whether its trail touches the floor or not, and whether she can move comfortably or not.
But what differentiates bridesmaid dresses from wedding gowns is that these dresses come in colours.
Timeless Tradition
Weddings usually have themes. These themes often guide what the bridesmaid dresses must look like.
There are weddings that transport you to the autumn season, even in the middle of a scorching summer.
Couples who love the rustic barnyard feel use either tints or flashes of warm pumpkin, earthy brown or deep red colours all over the wedding venue. So, you will see bridesmaids wearing any of those colours of the same dress style.
Other couples go above and beyond using a movie as wedding inspiration.
You might have been invited to a Little-Mermaid-themed wedding.
Aside from the extra number of shells and fish figurines all over the tables and the tickling sand under your feet, you will see bridesmaids wearing blue dresses of different dress styles posing with the bride by the shoreline.
Blue is the colour that symbolizes the deep sea where the main character, Mermaid Ariel, swims.
Whether the girls are wearing the same or different dress styles, the unifying colour of the bridesmaid dress is meant to complement the wedding theme, such as the decorations, the cake, the flowers, the table napkin, and the table runner.
But for years, the most common reason for having one bridesmaid dress colour, regardless if of the same or different dress style, is the intent to look cohesive in photos and complement the bride.
The bridesmaid dress colours must make the bride’s immaculately white wedding gown shine even in the middle of a crazy number of guests.
Different Colours for One Wedding
The belief in wearing the same bridesmaid dress colour has come a long way.
Romans believed that bridesmaids must wear the same colour to confuse the evil spirits that wished to steal the bride's happiness.
Years later, people required that at least ten bridesmaids must wear the same dress colour to protect the bride from the sudden invasion of bandits who could be possible rival suitors.
And when Queen Victoria's 1841 wedding happened, people believed that bridesmaid dress colours must complement and not upstage the bride.
But in this day and age of more appreciation for body positivity, uniqueness, and individuality, the bridesmaid dress etiquette has changed (but no one is stopping you to follow those beliefs).
Brides and bridesmaids now have more choices of dress colours for the entourage.
In newer weddings, you see bridesmaids wearing different dress colours, either of the same or different dress styles.
The wedding enthusiasts call them mismatched bridesmaid dresses.
Two or three (or even more!) bridesmaid dress colours are matched to create the perfect cohesive mismatched look and to add to the festivity of the wedding celebration.
There are colours you think are rowdy and confusing when placed side by side but surprisingly work well together.
You would be surprised that cool mint green, powdery lilac, and summer lemon mismatched bridesmaid dress colours are a match made in heaven--- a definite feast for everyone's eyes.
When lemon, lilac and mint green bridesmaid dresses mix together
Image Source: Cliveblair.co.uk
How to Mix and Match Bridesmaid Dress Colours
Creating a mismatched bridesmaid dress theme doesn't actually mean you pick random colours that fit your mood. It's not really mismatched per se.
The Handy Colour Wheel
Consulting science when mixing and matching bridesmaid dress colours is something that will most likely not cross your mind. But we are telling you now that you should.
It cuts the time, drama, and trouble of second-guessing what colours look good when placed side by side.
The colour wheel taught in school is widely used in animation, film, clothing, and any field involving colours.
This exceptional tool shows the relationship between primary colours (red, blue, yellow), secondary colours (two primary colours combined), tertiary (two secondary colours combined or a primary colour combined with secondary colour), and complementary colours ("opposite colours"), and many more categories.
Complementary colours are what brides like you should look at when mixing and matching bridesmaid dress colours. On the colour wheel, complementary colours are those literally opposite each other.
For example, you can see that summer lemon, cool mint green, and powdery lilac look good when paired with each other because they are complementary colours.
Sample Dresses
This Cicinia Miya A-line Floor Length Spaghetti Straps Ruffles Long Bridesmaid Dress that comes in different colours can give you an idea of how complementary bridesmaid dress colours work.
The Undertones
The wedding industry catching up on the body positivity movement is a piece of totally great news for the brides and bridesmaids.
The industry recognizing that not only people come in different sizes but also in different colours is a huge step in making wedding planning a more inclusive activity.
This recognition adds a new meaning to a wedding, which is not only a celebration of love but also of everybody's wonderful uniqueness.
Aside from the colour wheel, the lesson on skin undertones can help a bride choose the best colour that suits her bridesmaids' skin.
No bride wants to hear her bridesmaid have a similar experience, such as this one.
“The wedding guests around asked me if I was ill. I was wearing a lime green dress, and people said I was literally reflecting the green colour from my dress.”What is an undertone?
An undertone is a natural colour from underneath the surface of your skin, which affects your overall hue.
The three undertones are warm, cold, and neutral.
Warm undertones range from peach to yellow and golden. Cool undertones include pink and bluish hues. If you have a neutral undertone, this means your actual skin tone and undertone are roughly the same colour.
It’s important to note that your undertone isn’t the same as the colour of your naked skin before you put on a dress. Even the fairest skin can have warm undertones, and darker skin can have cool ones.
How to determine your bridesmaid’s undertone?
There are five basic tests to help determine a person's undertone.
1. Check the colour of her veins
If your bridesmaid has veins that look greenish, then she may have a warm undertone. Blue or purplish-looking veins usually indicate a cooler undertone. Veins of people with a neutral undertone appear colourless.
2. Use her jewelry
A bridesmaid who looks good in yellow gold has a warm undertone. If silver and platinum flatter her more, she has a cooler undertone. A bridesmaid with a neutral undertone will look good in both.
3. Throw on something white and off-white
True white flatters a cool undertone, while a warm undertone looks better in off-white. Warm undertones also complement brown hues, while cooler tones look better in black.
4. Does she burn or tan
If your bridesmaid has a cool undertone, she will likely get sunburn fast. But if she tans and seems to never get burned, then she may have a warm undertone.
5. Look into your eyes and hair
A bridesmaid with brown, black, or blonde hair with blue, grey, or green eyes most likely has a cool undertone. A red, brown, black, or strawberry blonde hair with brown or hazel eyes indicates that she probably has a warm undertone.
How do undertones relate to a bridesmaid’s dress colour?
Once you know your bridesmaids' undertones, you can have more confidence in choosing the best dress colour. This shall be the basis also for her makeup. Here is a cheat sheet that you can use.
Sample Bridesmaid Dresses
This Cicinia Rose Coloured A-Line Scoop Chiffon Bridesmaid Dress with Pockets matches well with girls with a warm undertone. The newly designed pockets on both sides are ideal for carrying important items when attending a wedding. The cap sleeves are friendly to everyone and the lace adds even more elegance to the dress.
This Brooke Short Sleeved Plus Size Bridesmaid Dress with Pockets flatters girls with a cool undertone. This floor-length a-line dress in chiffon hugs the body in the right spots. The V Neck neckline creates an aura of just the right amount of confidence.
Conclusion
Admit it or not, a wedding can both excite and scare you.
As the bride, good thing you have your girl squad, known as the bridesmaids, to help and cheer you up from the wedding planning to the actual wedding day.
Going the extra mile and taking the nitty gritty of considering their comfort and uniqueness can be a great gift to them. And the thoughtfulness of doing this can never be replaced by a physical gift.
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Check Cicinia’s bridesmaid dress collection for clothes that provide comfort and celebrate a bridesmaid's individuality for that infectious confidence.
