The Dress

No not the bride's dress, because let's face it, she already knows what she wants so just get ready to smile and congratulate her. I am talking about the bridesmaid dress. The reason for the movie 27 dresses, the thing that you always laugh about after that fact but curse low under your breathe as the teller swipes your card and you watch yourself paying for the dress. In lieu of shortening it and wearing it again, really?

Please, surprise me... show me one example of this actually happening. Here are some fun ways to get through the issue and dare I say use your dress again?

Here are a few shots of Grace and I in the thick of it with our June 2010 bride 

Yes sometimes it is difficult to accept purchasing a dress that maybe isn't what you would have picked but, do you like the bride? 

You know you could always be honest...no not mean, but come prepared. As in, do some of your own research on styles or specific dresses. Show up at the salon early and peek around, maybe even hide a few... And being a passive aggressive sort myself I know that this can be difficult, trying to explain the horrors of a specific dress the your friend has become convinced is perfect for all body types,  but it is your opportunity to be as involved as you want to be. Ask her where she plans to look for dresses, what sort of styles she likes, or colors. For example: hey have you checked out JCrew they have great quality dresses for the same price range as (fill in the blank).
Let her know that you are not really thrilled with the cut or material in the dress she has shown your pictures of but are more than willing to try it on with a bunch of others.

1. what's your budget look like? if the bride is paying than that's a smaller argument and say thank you

2. what's your color scheme?

3. do you want the bridesmaids to match?  it appears that brides are phasing out of this, recognizing that women don't look the same in the same dress (see all pictures)

No matter what happens it is guaranteed to be a memorial experience.