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Tag: bridal party

Without a doubt, choosing a bridesmaid dress was one my hardest wedding planning decisions. Why? My bridesmaids (a.k.a my sisters) are some of the dearest people to me, and I wanted them to wear something they loved on my wedding day — and that came at an affordable price point. They’re all stylish and savvy ladies with high standards, and I didn’t want to let them down.

If that sounds like the predicament you’re in, I give you Joanna August’s newest collection. We’ve used her dresses for many projects over the years, including in the most recent issue of our magazine. JA is a trailblazer in the movement to “modernize” the bridesmaid, specializing in chic, fashion forward options for the style-conscious bride and her friends.

The new Joanna August collection features jumpsuits, separates, and lace options in addition to beautiful short and long dresses. I’ve actually worn many of my bridesmaid dresses after their wedding day debuts, and I know I’d pull these Joanna August looks from my closet for special occasions, too — and so will your gals!

Blending bohemian ease and timeless sophistication, JA dresses are both comfortable and glamorous – a hard to find combination! Their modern approach encourages the mixing and matching of colors, styles, and hem lengths so that you can piece together a look that is completely your own and perfectly tailored to your wedding aesthetic.

Ready to browse? Head to the Joanna August site to see all of the lovely options!

Photographer: Danila Mednikov | Hair: Stacy Pitt and Laureen Krawse | Makeup: Sharon Becker | Flowers: Wyld | Location: Gramercy Park Hotel and the Miracle Community Garden

This post is brought to you by Joanna August-–thanks for your support of the brands that make Southern Weddings possible!

emily Written with love by Emily
1 Comment
  1. avatar Michelle reply

    These dresses are all so beautiful! If I had to wear these as a bridesmaid I could definitely wear them again!

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We feature inspiration shoots here and there on the blog, and boy do we love them when they’re done right! They’re a great way to share creative, beautiful, and fun ideas. But you know what we really love? When we see y’all take those ideas and use them as a springboard for real-life events with those you love most. That’s exactly what our reader Bri did when she created a special celebration to ask her best friends to stand beside her as bridesmaids. In her email, she reminded me of how wonderful it is that an engagement gives us these opportunities to “celebrate along the way,” and I couldn’t agree more!

This is the point of inspiration, friends. Our fondest hope is that you’ll take the inspiration shoots we share and not necessarily create magical, perfect images from your own events, but create events that feel magical and perfect to the people in attendance. I’m guessing this is a night Bri and her friends will remember for a long, long time, and I hope it inspires y’all to go make your own magic!

I used heirlooms for this dinner, including my mom’s china, my grandmother’s glass, and my great-grandmother’s silver. Each gal received a handwritten keepsake when I asked her to stand next to me on the most important day of my life. I also asked them my question on the family property where I’ll be married. It was seven Southern women coming together on a hot summer night with a sunset for the books, and it was an evening full of magic I will never forget.

Photography: Brian Sumner Photography | Design and florals: Gather Event Company | Paper goods: Script Mercantile

emily Written with love by Emily
1 Comment
  1. avatar Olivia reply

    This is such a sweet idea! All of my girls love in different states, but I wish we could get together like this! Simply beautiful!

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Hey SW mavens! Did y’all have a pretty/spooky/fabulous Halloween? I think Katharine is still on a high from the one holiday a year at least partially dedicated to the consumption of candy. But on to all things etiquette! Today’s query comes from a reader who’s planning a wedding in Greensboro:

“My wedding is next May in Greensboro, NC. My future husband and his groomsmen (including his father, who is best man) are all wearing light khaki suits. My family is confused about what my father should wear. Should he purchase the same “stone” colored suit to match the men in the bridal party? Or, since he is not technically a part of the groom’s party, should he wear a classic black suit? Our wedding is at 5pm indoors in a church. And while our ceremony is traditional, my groom was set on wearing the light khaki suits. To complicate things a little more, I have a step father. My mother feels that my step father should definitely wear a black suit, since he will not be playing an official role in the bridal party or wedding. Do you think this makes sense?”

Great question! It’s hard enough to coordinate a bridal party these days, isn’t it? Add in all the other moving family parts and things can get tricky pretty quickly, sartorially speaking. If your father wants to match the groom and his men and your groom (and his father, I suppose) were fine with that, I would say that’s an excellent option. You won’t need to worry about finding another appropriate outfit, and everyone is guaranteed to look cohesive.

I also love, however, when the parent on either side doesn’t match exactly but coordinates. Perhaps your Dad could wear the same suit, but a different tie (still within your color scheme, of course). Or, conversely, maybe he could wear a black suit but the same tie as the groomsmen. To give you an example, the groom and groomsmen at my sister’s wedding this summer wore khaki pants, a navy blazer, and a navy and yellow tie. My Dad wore the same thing. The groom’s Dad, however, wore a khaki corduroy blazer and navy pants along with the navy and yellow tie. My Mom wore a blue dress, and the mother of the groom wore yellow. Everyone looked (both together and individually) fantastic!

If you’re worried about the black suit looking too harsh or overly formal next to the khaki, I’d suggest a gray suit. The same goes for your step father: gray or black is perfect, and though he could choose to coordinate his accessories in some way to your color scheme, it’s not necessary.

I hope that answers your question! Readers, what do you think? Weigh in in the comments section! And if you have an etiquette conundrum of your own, don’t hesitate to email me at emily at iloveswmag dot com.

Photo in post by Kate Murphy. Photos in header by Millie Holloman.

emily Written with love by Emily
4 Comments
  1. avatar Adrienne reply

    On the subject of having the groom’s father as the best man, must he also wear the same thing as the groomsmen? Is it it appropriate for him to wear something else? I ask because my groom will be in a charcoal suit, my groomsmen in a lighter gray, and my father in black. Would it be too distracting at the altar and in photos with so many disparate colors?

  2. avatar Madolyn smith reply

    Hi,
    I am getting married in October 2016. My wedding colors are rose pink (blush) for the bridesmaids and the groom and groomsmen will wear a navy suit . I am confused on what the fathers should wear ? Do they also wear navy suits just with a diff tie or should my dad wear a darker grey suit ?

  3. avatar Step Mother Of The Groom Dress Etiquette | Supreme Wedding Dress reply

    […] Southern Etiquette :: Father of the Bride Attire – But on to all things etiquette! Today’s query … And while our ceremony is traditional, my groom was set on wearing the light khaki suits. To complicate things a little more, I have a step father. My mother feels that my step father should definitely … […]

  4. avatar Step Mother Of The Groom Dress Etiquette | Get Beautiful Wedding Dresses reply

    […] Southern Etiquette :: Father of the Bride Attire – But on to all things etiquette! Today’s query … And while our ceremony is traditional, my groom was set on wearing the light khaki suits. To complicate things a little more, I have a step father. My mother feels that my step father should definitely … […]

Southern Weddings reserves the right to delete comments which contain profanity or personal attacks or seek to promote a business unrelated to the post.  And remember: a good attitude is like kudzu – it spreads.  We love hearing your kind thoughts!

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