Do bridesmaid dresses have to match the groomsmen?
When wedding planning, it can be all too easy to get focused on the bridal party. After all, they are some of your closest friends. However, coordinating outfits between bridesmaids and groomsmen can lead to fantastic results. This can take into account colours, textures, and themes. On the other hand, it can be a lot of extra work to make sure that both groups match.
In this blog, we’ll be talking about whether or not bridesmaids and groomsmen have to match at weddings.
Is it traditional to match bridesmaids and groomsmen?
History tells us that bridesmaids and groomsmen served a protective role for their respective individuals. Both were responsible for warding off evil spirits that would seek to damage the wedding event and cause harm to the bride and groom. It was said that bridesmaids would therefore dress similarly to the bride to confuse the spirits.
It’s not known whether this meant there was also coordination between bridesmaids and groomsmen. Although, it could be inferred that there would have been some shared features relating to the two families being wed. For example, Scottish weddings might have both the bridesmaid’s dresses and the groomsmen’s suits adorned with the tartan of both families.
Should you match bridesmaids with groomsmen?
Nowadays, trends can influence wedding decisions just as much as family and friends. Many of these originate on social media and pop culture. There are so many films out there centred around weddings, some of them more realistic than others. Similarly, Instagram is a treasure trove of matching bridesmaid dress ideas.
Ultimately, t’s completely up to you. Your wedding should be done the way you want it. Of course, get opinions and do your research but at the end of the day, you know what the vision for your wedding day looks like. You might have always planned to match the groomsmen and bridesmaids. Nevertheless, there are some pros and cons to be aware of if you choose to go down the matching route.
Pros
The primary idea behind matching bridesmaids and groomsmen is that it helps create a pleasing, unified aesthetic. This makes it easier to establish a clear theme with the wedding, especially if you want to go for a very sophisticated overall look.
In addition, there will be many pictures taken with both the bridesmaids and groomsmen present. Matching their outfits therefore makes for stunning photos that will last a lifetime.
Cons
Matching bridesmaid dresses with what the groomsmen are wearing can involve a lot of back and forth. You are dealing with roughly twice as many people than if it was just the bridal party. This can add more time and logistics onto the wedding planning process.
Trying to match outfits can also make it harder to please everyone, especially if you have chosen to have your group all wearing the same bridesmaid dress style. Some members could view it as another level of restriction to their look.
Tips for matching bridesmaids and groomsmen
The main challenge that comes with choosing bridesmaid dresses that match the groomsmen is it’s something extra to consider. Each bridesmaid might have their own preferences, plus you have to keep the wedding theme and time of year in mind. As such, the first thing to do is check in with your group. Then, if you’re going ahead with the matching theme, it’s important to keep communication open between all the bridesmaids and groomsmen. This will help adjustments get made to keep everyone happy.
You don’t have to be strict with the matching. If you’re worried about everyone looking their best while still matching, feel free to add a little wiggle room. This means just matching the groomsmen on a single angle. For example, colour, texture, or accessories. Therefore, if any of the cohort is opposed to a certain aspect of the groomsmen’s outfits for whatever reason, it can be avoided when matching the bridesmaid dresses.
Lastly, stick to a primary colour. As mentioned above, you don’t have to match your bridesmaid dresses exactly to the groomsmen. However, having a colour in mind helps inform how you coordinate. Here are some ideas we’ve put together:
- Grey bridesmaid dresses –charcoal suits
- Midnight blue bridesmaid dresses – dark blue three-piece suits
- Green bridesmaid dresses – slate grey suits
- Grey and cream bridesmaid dresses – black tuxedos
Shop bridesmaids dresses UK
Maids to Measure has an extensive range of bridesmaid dresses and accessories, including sashes, wraps, ties, pocket squares, and jewellery. We can give you everything you need to create a fully matching set of bridesmaid outfits that work with both your theme and your bridesmaids. Our stylists specialise in picking out wonderful bridesmaid dresses that you’ll be able to wear again and again. Contact us today to book at appointment.
