At Camille’s, we’ve seen it all when it comes to brides and their “tribe” shopping for bridesmaid dresses…everything from bridesmaidzillas to last minute panic and indecisiveness. Because we’re seasoned pros, we know when to step in and help steer you in the right direction based on your color palate, budget, and theme. Over the years, there are common mistakes we see brides and/or their bridesmaids make when deciding on gowns for their wedding day. We hope this list of tips help save you time, money and frustration as you prepare for your special day.
Avoid Ordering Bridesmaid Dresses Online
You may or may not have seen the endless horror stories on sites like Huffington Post showing what their gown from China was “supposed to look like” versus what it actually looks like. We see brides and bridesmaids every year that make this mistake and we do our best to find an alternative solution for them.
Things that can happen when you order “knock off” bridesmaid gowns from China
- Incorrect Measurements
- Unpredictable Shipping Time and Conditions
- Unpredictable Fabrics – quality and color may differ from gown to gown
- Low Quality Fabrics
- You Item May Never Arrive – these types of businesses have been known to “disappear” without a trace
Pick Your Wedding Gown First
Before shopping for bridesmaid dresses, it’s important that the bride has already chosen the style of her wedding dress and wedding before shopping for bridesmaid dresses. This ensures that the look of the bridesmaid dresses compliment the bride and theme of the wedding.
Give Yourself Enough Time
For a designer gown, it will take 15 weeks for the order to arrive (within 8 weeks for a rush), and then another 4-6 weeks for alterations, so planning for six months is ideal. Because off-the-rack dresses may sell out quicker, as soon as you find a style you love, don’t waste any time pulling the trigger and making the purchase.
Make an Appointment
By calling the store at (910) 471-4212 or using our online booking form below, you can make an appointment for your group to make sure there are enough consultants available.
To Match or to Mis-Match
The simplest strategy is to have all your bridesmaids in the exact same style and color from the same designer or have them in the same color and pick the style of their choice.
For mismatched dresses, the two most popular (and easiest) ways to tackle this with your bridal party is to either have each girl wear a different style dress or a different shade of the same color. Try to keep differences in the dresses to no more than two. Choose between color, fabric, or style so that there is still some consistency among the group.
Get Professional Measurements
This is so important! Trying to measure yourself (or each other) can be a disaster. We have professional consultants on site that know how to take your precise measurements to ensure a flattering and comfortable fit.
How Measurements Work…
We will measure bust, waist & hips and order your size based on the size chart for the designer you’re ordering from. The size ordered will be based on your largest of all 3 measurements and then you can get the dress altered in the areas where it does not fit.
Once your bridesmaids are measured and dresses are ordered, they are shipped to our store for pickup or we can ship your gowns anywhere in the US for $15.
Study the Trends on Pinterest
Pinterest is a great place for bridesmaid inspiration!
Here are some of our favorite bridesmaid styles that we carry and/or can order for you
Christina Wu Celebrations
Morilee Bridesmaid Dresses
Sorella Vita
