How to Choose Fall Wedding Bridesmaid Dresses
A particular type of romantic atmosphere comes with an Autumn wedding. As you near the magical season of the holidays, you get to touch on the warm and rich color schemes, hot drinks after dinner, and cozy fireplaces that bring a warm smokey texture to your special day.
Having a wedding in the fall allows you to have a much larger variety of styles for yourself and your bridal party. Fall lends itself to indulgent textures, warm, classic colors, and bright jewel tones yet still allows for plunging necklines or open backs.
Fall-themed bridal showers are oh-so popular for this very reason. As you plan a romantic autumn wedding, you want your closest friends to feel as gorgeous as you do, so keep your options open. Remember your wedding theme, dress code, and venue’s potential weather so your bridal party can be glamorous and comfortable.
With so many dress options, it’s not always easy to know how to choose fall wedding bridesmaids dresses. Luckily, we have a step-by-step guide!
1. Select a Fall Dress Style
Besides warm pumpkin spice lattes, fashion is one of the best aspects of fall. When it comes to bridal and bridal party fashions for a fall-style wedding, a few fit the bill more than others. When deciding how to choose a fall wedding bridesmaids dress, consider the area you plan to have your wedding in and the theme of your wedding.
This will help inform the dress style. Is your wedding sophisticated? A high neck dress could be a good choice. Is your wedding sexy and semi-formal? Consider an A-Line or a V-Neck style bridesmaids dress. Will it be chilly on your wedding day? Select a a full-length dress to keep your bridesmaids warm.
Once you have a fall bridesmaids dress style selected, all other pieces begin to fall into place. We have included the most popular fall bridesmaids dress styles below.
High Neck Dresses
Dresses with a high neckline are gorgeous in Autumn weddings, especially when they tend to have open backs. High-neckline dresses can allow bridal parties to wear whatever they need beneath their dress and add a touch more color in up-close photographs featuring your wedding’s color scheme. High-neckline dresses are a favorite among brides who want a classic, elegant wedding theme.
V-Neck Dresses
Plunging V-neckline dresses, however, can flatter everyone in your party. They add drama and a romantic flair to anyone who wears them; they are a timeless classic. Some V-necks plunge, and others fall off into the abyss if you know what we mean. However deep your plunge, a bridal party will love how a V-neck dress shows off jewelry and long necklines and holds any curves.
A-Lines
The magic of an A-line dress is like the sisterhood of the traveling pants; they fit and flatter all. A line dress cinches at the natural waist and flares out, giving a triangular bottom. If you prefer this silhouette, try the infinity-style dress for your bridal party. The fabulous thing about these dresses is that the top can be tied however you want. So there can be a variety of necklines in your party while the fabric and color will be exactly the same.
Modified A-Lines
Modified A lines are slightly different because the cinch doesn’t happen at the waist and is just below the hips. However, this may not be as flattering on your entire bridal party, so be sure to see it on everyone and be mindful of everyone’s self-confidence in the silhouette.
Pencil Skirts
Pencil skirts are an excellent option for fall weddings because they have a uniquely vintage silhouette. One of the best features of most pencil skirt dresses is that you can think outside the box with the dresses. They can be unique colors, beautifully embroidered, a boned corset top, or interesting necklines, and bridal parties love the extra bit of flair.
2. Pick a Fall Dress Color
Selecting your bridesmaid dress color primarily depends on your wedding’s theme and color scheme. Most autumn weddings choose rust tones, gold, burnt oranges, and deep burgundies. Some choose deep romantic blacks, navy blue, and dark forest greens.
Some of the most remarkable wedding colors come from beautifully selected jewel tones; accents of bright magenta, sapphire, and rich plum colors will keep you in the fall color palette while also bringing a unique vibrancy to your event. However, this may be the time if you’ve ever considered mismatched bridal party dresses.
If you are planning a wedding under a kaleidoscope of Autumn leaves, what better way to celebrate that than with bridal party dresses that accentuate that? An entire bridal party in rust tones or coordinating with gold, orange, and caramel browns could bring the beautiful color palette of fall to life.
What you should consider most is your bridal party’s fabric. Fabric and fabric textures give you the most visual interest but also change the colors and how they appear. A deep sapphire color can look almost black in velvet while shining bright in satin.
Feel free to ask for fabric swatches when you are dress shopping so you can compare their colors in person.
3. Choosing Sleeves
Sleeves are probably the most contended part of any bridal party and for good reason. With sleeves, you need to consider anything your bridal party may or may not need under their dresses and even how self-conscious they are about their shoulders, backs, or arms. Having your wedding in Autumn also makes you consider the practicality of sleeves on your bridal party due to the weather.
Suppose your wedding will go late into the evening and is up north. In that case, you might want to consider sleeves so that your bridal party doesn’t get cold, or if the weather is a little more forgiving, maybe you can gift them all matching shawls for after the ceremony.
Full Sleeves
Full sleeves are a necessary option as you start traveling north and getting into those brisk temperatures. When choosing a dress with full sleeves, be mindful of the fabric, skirt, and back for comfort and temperature. Bridesmaids are in their dresses for as long as you are, and we all want to find the balance between feeling gorgeous and feeling comfortable to dance the night away.
So if you opt for a heavy velvet dress, be mindful that an open back may give the wearer some relief from the heat, or a larger flowy skirt could have a slit.
3/4 Sleeves
If you want the look of a full sleeve but don’t necessarily have the proper temperatures for it, you could opt for a ¾ or even a half sleeve. They give the appearance of full sleeves without overheating everyone in your bridal party.
Flutter or Cap Sleeves
Flutter and cap sleeve gowns are fabulous in the fall in the South. You get a gorgeous ruffle texture on the arms, giving intrigue and covering the shoulders and upper arms. We also like how these shorter sleeve options provide the bridal party with better opportunities to wear whatever they need underneath.
We are all about support! These sleeve types are also a good option when looking into matching pashminas for bridal party gifts and can coordinate complimentary colors.
Off-the-Shoulder or One-Shoulder
Off-the-shoulder or one-shoulder dresses may not work for every bridal party, but they are oh-so-glamorous. These necklines make it hard for bridal parties because of the need for more support and insecurities within your party. Everyone can rock one of these necklines, but not everyone may feel comfortable doing so.
They are glamorous and show off just that extra bit of skin that highlights jewelry and collarbones. If you go for a full off-the-shoulder dress, you might want one with a structured bodice. A structured bodice on a dress might have boning or a corset, giving whoever wears it lift and support; plus, it will help hold the dress up so that everyone isn’t tugging their dress up all night.
Consider Additional Stylish Pieces
Fall is all about accessories. It’s the perfect time of year to show off additional fashion pieces without needing to bundle up in heavy coats. If you’re considering adding some additional fashion pieces, think about items like shawls, jackets, fashionable gloves, or any other items to keep your bridesmaids warm while providing a styled look.
Beautifully embroidered or monogrammed pashmina shawls would make the perfect bridal party gift and keep them warm into the evening. Some tea-style gloves provide a sophisticated look. Shoulder covers or jackets are the perfect, cozy addition.
Conclusion
However you want to dress your bridal party, try to have an open mind and give your party options. Don’t limit yourself to a single dress but allow them to help you to choose. This will keep everyone happy. It’s a tricky balance when multiple people are trying on dresses. You want to have everyone wear what you want them to wear, but they need to be comfortable in it too, and hopefully like it. There are many voices to be heard, but make sure you listen to your own.
Fall is a beautiful time of year, but wedding budgets are very real. If you’re looking for a wedding theme to go along with your fall wedding bridesmaids dresses, consider reading Fall Wedding Ideas on a Budget to save yourself some valuable cash.
