Top trends for bridesmaids, from bridesmaids dresses to asking manners

A wedding ceremony today is a distinct combination of what it was years and decades ago with something it will be years from now. In other words, what we see today is a combination of the past and the future, a temporary definition of how people want to get married at this particular point in time. Wedding might not be the most changeable event, since it is so strongly steeped in a conservative tradition, and yet there is still room for reshaping during the big day and around it. This change of shape refers to a number of different aspects, from fashion to etiquette. It also encompasses every single person who is involved in celebrations, particularly the bride, the groom and the wedding parties, but not even guests are left unaffected by never-ending modifications. So, what are some of the latest trends as regards bridesmaids.

Ironically, one of the most exciting changes is that brides are no longer afraid to ask a male candidate (a brother, cousin or others) to act as a man of honor, instead of having a maid of honor. As a result, the bridal party does not have to include women only. This novelty can also serve the purpose of diffusing tension that some brides might have in relation to having to decide which female friend deserves to assume the role of the maid of honor. Another situation when it is useful is when a bride has no one to ask to serve this role.

In a similar vein, wedding organizers are more and more interested in staging bachelor and bachelorette parties together or at least trying to establish contact between them at some point. Instead of having two entirely separate occasions, which might increase the bond between separate sexes, organizers bank on coed events, where integration can have fewer boundaries. If not entirely coed, then at least parties should include games or hunts that lead the bride-to-be and the groom-to-be to each other at some point.

Another trend is that brides are becoming more and more creative about the way in which they are asking their friends and family to stand in as bridesmaids. Sending a bouquet of flowers with a note that explains you intentions, writing poems or puzzles, staging a game where candidates discover your intentions – these are all ingenious way to make the moment a little bit more exciting.

As regards dressing, the trend is towards more universal, wear-again pieces. It might not be true about designer wedding dresses, since there is a clear case for a one-off investment for the bride, but more so about bridesmaids dresses. Designers bank on simplicity and on designs that can be used for other special occasions. This has to do with a realization that it is hard to justify a large expense on a piece that is used only once and bridal attendants are willing to pay even a bit more, but be able to extend its life.