So etiquette says you don’t wear white to a Wedding. That’s reserved for the bride. Or is it?

There are lots of things about our wedding that you might consider “non-traditional” so why should the bridesmaids dresses be any different? Let’s face it, your traditional run-of-the-mill bridesmaid dress is not always the most fun piece of clothing to purchase or wear. It’s pretty common nowadays for bridesmaids to wear different styles in the same color or multiple colors, even patterns! Pinterest is full of amazing examples of non-traditional bridesmaids’ dresses.

Even this Wedding Obsession feature from last week; I love the checked dresses on the bridesmaids pictured below. (Such a cute wedding by the way.)

image by Mimmo & Co.

I also love this option that I came across:

image via Wedding Bells, by Jesslaine Elise

Originally I had planned for the girls to pick different styles from Etsy designer Amanda Archer and have them made in gray. I love her designs, since they’re less formal, in my opinion. They would really fit the style of our wedding. Then plans for the groomsmen’s outfits changed and gray went out the window. So then I thought they could wear varying warm shades that matched the theme of the wedding, because I couldn’t make up my mind on one color. Now I’m second-guessing myself.

Randomly last weekend, I wondered what if they wore white dresses? White dresses, with accessories in bright warm shades like pink, yellow, and orange.

After a quick Google search, I realized it wasn’t totally unheard of. Might shock the grandmas a little bit, but it’s not the craziest thing in the world.

image via Style Me Pretty, by Jason Burns

image via Atlas & Campbell

image via Southbound Bride, by Ryan Graham

I told one of the girls what I was thinking and she was all for it. The guys could even wear coordinating shoes in colours to match the girls’ accessories. Or does that seem over the top?

I still can’t believe how indecisive I’m being. But with more than 300 days to go, and all the “big” details nailed down, I’m not really feeling much pressure. It’ll be easier to pick a style for the girls once I’ve picked my dress. Hopefully that will all be figured out by the end of August.

What you do you guys think about white bridesmaids dresses? Fun or no-way?

By the way, have you ever thought that what makes a Good Bridesmaid?

But what exactly makes a ‘good’ bridesmaid? Here’s what some of you said when I asked for your opinion on the Wedding Obsession Facebook page.

I Just Said Yes – A good listener, available to assist last minute and pick up things, keep the bride calm and make sure she gets to the church on time.

Heather – Being understanding, considerate however honesty goes a long way. Nothing goes further than a bridesmaid that can tell the bride whether the dress she has to wear and buy is ugly and overpriced.

Abby – Not being honest about ur opinion…go with what the bride likes n keep opinions to yourself!

Sarah – Check in with the bride often to see if there is anything she requires assistance with and order the dress when she asks, the bride has enough to worry about without you not ordering on time

Chrissy – Show that you care!! Actually ask the bride if she needs help or even how everything is going. Don’t just go dress shopping and then never contact the bride until almost the wedding!

Debby – Don’t worry about yourself or how “you” (bridesmaid) look that day, how your dress fits, hair looks, makeup etc(don’t get me wrong-look presentable;))…realize it’s the bride’s day and be helpful in any way even if it takes your get-ready time:)

I know that when I was first asked to be a bridesmaid, I was in my early 20′s..just getting into the groove of being an adult and enjoying (and hating the studying part) of school. My friend Manda was marrying the love of her life, Shaun and even though I was in a group of three, I don’t think that we were at all helpful. I’ve confessed this to Manda ever since and although she says it didn’t matter, I sheepishly feel deep down that I should have knocked my head out of my books and done more. We’re still best friends – I love her to death. So I’ve been there and I’ve also been a bride, so I’ve seen both sides.

So taking into light the suggestions above and with the experience of getting married myself, I thought I’d share some of my tips of being a great bridesmaid or maid of honor.

Be Honest (but know when to reel it in).

She trusts your opinion or else why would she choose you to stand by her side on her wedding day? When she asks you to join her for a visit to choose wedding dresses, be honest but be sensitive of her feelings. If you don’t think the dress is right for her, consider explaining that another style might look better. But if she’s had her eye set on a specific dress, don’t crush her dreams and say you absolutely loathe it. Help her find an alternative. Help her see that there are other options.

Be present (in person and in spirit)

If she asks you to join her for a vendor consultation, bridal shop or just go out to release wedding planning stress, consider it a compliment! She wants you there for advice, a shoulder to lean on and in the case of visiting a bridal shop, she wants YOU to help her choose the most important outfit of her life. If you can’t make it because you’re out of town or your schedules don’t work out, help her out prior to the day and don’t forget to ask her how it went afterward. Like Chrissy said, ask her before she even has to ask you. Offer your help and let her know she can count on you.

Understand that there will be costs

Realize that being a bridesmaid might not be free. You may be required to purchase the dress, get your hair/makeup done and contribute to the bridal shower. You might not like the style or color of the dress..you might not wear it again, but smile and own it! But of course, be honest if you can’t afford everything. The bride doesn’t want you to be strapped for cash and go bankrupt because of her wedding.

Listen

I can’t stress this one enough. I guess you could say it fits in with being ‘present’. Sometimes all she wants is an open ear to vent or bounce ideas off of. And when you’re at the bridal shop and you’re being taught how to bustle the dress, make sure you know how to do it so that you aren’t confused when you’re asked to do it.

Smile on the day (and always)

On the wedding day, the most important person is the bride and her groom. Realize that she likely has a lot on her mind and if you have questions, try to turn to the wedding planner or maid of honor. Don’t ask her too many questions about what’s going on or what’s next on the schedule. The last thing she needs to do is have another person chase after her for attention. Just smile and be prepared to help her if she needs anything.

So if you’re a bride, you’ll want to kindly hint for your bridesmaids to read this because likely they’re not going to pick up that “Bridesmaids 101″ book before they take on the task.

But keep in mind that you should also give lee-way to your bridesmaids because in the end, all they want is for you to be happy and help you make the day special. Don’t forget that!