Selecting your bridesmaids' dresses can be a difficult task given the fact that you're obliged to consider a variety of body types, personalities and hair and skin colours. Begin by having a tête-à-tête with all your bridesmaids, and inviting their input on style and colour. While you will have the final vote, they will have an opportunity to air their opinions and to brainstorm the options that work best for everyone. One possibility is to take your bridesmaids with you to the store, pick a color and fabric and give each bridesmaid a choice of two or three dress styles. It's not crucial that each dress be identical, but rather, that each bridesmaid look her best in a dress that flatters her figure and highlights her best features.

Remember that being a bridesmaid entails a financial commitment that can end up costing your bridesmaids several hundred dollars. Discuss a dress budget in advance, and should you exceed it, consider covering the cost of shoes and accessories such as decorative hair clips or jewelry. Finally, remember your bridesmaids when it comes time for hair and makeup on your wedding day, and invite them to have theirs done too.