Choosing bridesmaid dresses is primarily a bride-to-be's privilege, as she may have a theme or motif to her wedding preparations. But any bride-to-be should know that to make the entourage -- no, the whole wedding -- successful, she'll have to make sure that everyone looks good, not just her. Bridesmaid dresses are not junior bridal gowns. They should not create a distraction, nor offset the bride-to-be's ensemble. Rather, bridesmaid gowns should be designed and make to the bride's gown. Choosing your bridesmaids' gowns is no easy task. Here are a few tips on how to pick them out:

1) Proportion is the key. Bridesmaid dresses should not only be attractive in form and style, but it should also be comfy, as your bridesmaids may have to wear them in the next three, maybe four hours. There's also each bridesmaid's budget, figure measurements, and styles to consider. First, have all your bridesmaids measured. Draw attention away from flaws and concentrate on a beautiful neckline instead. Stay away from any style that is straight or narrow. A-line dresses look great on all different body shapes and sizes are very popular. The current vogue in bridesmaid dresses today are two-tone, two-piece floor length styles, with sleeveless strapless tops, halter tops, spaghetti straps.

2) Expense and later use. Only the bridal dress can get away with being worn once, but with wedding budgets these days, bridesmaid dresses that can be re-used, albeit with slight alterations, is now a definite reality. Wearing an expensive dress that your bridesmaids may wear only once and then stow away in the back corner of the closet never to see the light of day is no longer in vogue. You might as well, get a rental and save yourself from overspending and maxing your own chase rewards credit card.

3) Style and color. A very important wedding rule for dresses is that elegant simplicity always trumps styles and trends. It is possible to choose different gowns for your bridesmaids that are a similar enough style to your dress, but also are guaranteed to suit a range of body features and tastes. If you simply must have them in the same dress the key to this is choosing a style to suit the largest size among them. Keep it simple. You may either try setting different styles in one color or shade, or favor different shades done in one style. Always, always, always ask each of your bridesmaids what style (or shade) they would like for their dresses.

4) Set your appointments for dress alterations. AS with choosing your bridal dress, or suit, setting appointments for bridesmaid dresses and groomsmen suits have to be done in the earlier part of your preparation. This is so you may be able set dress fitting sessions for any alterations and added sewing required to make all your bridesmaids beautiful and radiant. Most dresses will need some degree of alterations, so allow time for at least two fitting appointments, with the last one, a three days to a week, before your wedding date. Remind your bridesmaids to bring their shoes and accessories to the fittings (or if none have been prepared, other accessories that may approximate the actual ones to be used).

5) Keep your bridesmaid dresses in perfect condition for the wedding. There are steps you can pass on to your bridesmaids to ensure that their dresses stay clean and ready for your wedding day, such as:

> A garment bag is key to making sure the dress stays clean and relatively wrinkle-free (if you're planning to change at the wedding venue)
> If you are doing your makeup, make sure to do it before your dress is on and if you have to do some touch-ups afterward putting it on, use a towel, or hankie so you don't leave smudges.
> Murphy's Law: If anything wrong can happen, it probably will. Think of the worst possible thing that could happen to your dress and plan for it. Watch out when get

Choosing the right bridesmaid's dress starts with proportion. Picking out bridesmaid dresses won't be too difficult if you follow these tips. Just let your dressmaker or designer know what your wedding motif would be, the color and shade you'd like to have. Inform your bridesmaids about your preferences too, so they may be able to add their own individual touches to their own bridesmaid dresses. No doubt about it, your bridesmaids would be delighted that you've asked their input in picking out bridesmaid dresses that will suit each of their particular tastes and preferences.