As wedding season kicks into high gear, brides the world over have their work cut out for them. Wedding planning is epic and details are endless -- not the least of which is figuring out what your bridesmaids are going to wear. So what's hot in bridesmaid dresses? We checked in with Angela Fiebelkorn, certified WPIC wedding planner and owner of The Wedding Expert  and The Bridal Coach to find out.

Bridesmaid dresses: Colours
"The overall trend with colour is that there is more of it," says Fiebelkorn. "Years ago, each season had a few main colours, but today we are seeing almost any colour for any season. The main difference is in the shade or intensity of colour that changes with the season – usually darker for fall and winter." The most popular colours for spring? "Bright colours (jewel tones) like apple green, fuchsia, coral, amethyst, emerald, orange and yellow," says Fiebelkorn.

But if candy colours are too sweet for you, Fiebelkorn says that elegant neutrals like black, brown and grey have become popular choices over the last few years, though she notes that some brides still follow the tradition of no black at a wedding.

Dress fabrics
"So many fabrics are widely available now, especially with manmade blends that mimic silk and satin," says Fiebelkorn. "This also makes the dresses more affordable for both brides and bridesmaids. The main trend is toward more feminine looks. Embellishments like lace, florals, beads and sequins are popular," she says, as are pretty details like sashes, ruching and bows.

Dress length
"Full length gowns are commonly reserved for formal (black tie) and ultra formal (white tie) weddings," says Fiebelkorn. "Tea length dresses for bridesmaids remain popular, and the newest trend is towards knee-length dresses."

Dress cut
"Feminine styles are the major trend, showing off the neck and shoulders," says Fiebelkorn. "Although strapless dresses are popular, many brides want to keep the strapless style for themselves, and have their bridesmaids in spaghetti straps or some other style that isn't quite so bare in the shoulders."

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Finding the right dress for everyone
It's not easy to find a dress everyone in your bridal party likes and will flatter every body type. The larger your bridal party, the harder this task becomes. Fiebelkorn says if you're choosing one style for the entire bridal party, opt for an A-line style of dress. This style suits all body types.

To wear again… or not?
Is it realistic to expect that a bridesmaid will wear her dress again? "For many years, no one ever wore their bridesmaids dress again, unless at a Halloween function!" says Fiebelkorn. "But that trend has changed as brides have become more eco-friendly and believe in the dress being reusable." That's why, she says, there's a trend to tea length dresses that can be worn anytime and why brides allow their bridesmaids to choose a dress in a colour and style that suits them.

Bridesmaid dress shopping tips
Fiebelkorn offers up these tips to help make dress shopping easier for both the bride and her bridesmaids:

- Instead of instantly heading for a bridal salon to choose your bridesmaid dresses, head for your favourite department store, one that might have a small bridal section. You can often find excellent dresses with substantial savings.

- Make sure your bridesmaids have good supportive undergarments so there is no sagging, drooping, bulging, or any other unsightly silhouettes.

- If you know a seamstress, and you choose a simple style dress for your bridesmaids, you can often have the dress made for a reasonable price. A lot depends upon the dress details, and the price your seamstress will charge you for a bridal party.

We have lots more tips and inspiration in our wedding guide.


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Natalie Bahadur is the Senior Editor of styleathome.com and is a regular contributor to CanadianLiving.com.