My Getting Ready Dress
~ I knew that for my wedding day, I wanted to do something a little bit different when styling the “getting ready” looks for the day! While I have always loved wearing comfy pajamas as a bridesmaid (*who doesn’t love a good pajama set?!), I really wanted to wear something that made me feel like a bride all day! I’m admittedly one of those brides that had more than one dress on my wedding day. I loved pulling together each look for my wedding week! As a stylist, it’s something I had dreamed about for years! Which is why I felt like I wanted a true LOOK to get ready in.
I had been looking for a little while and loved a two-piece set I saw from Farm Rio. One day after work with one of my clients, I asked a colleague (*who is also a very talented designer) for his input. We sat down at his computer and within 5 minutes, he pulled up this Farm Rio dress, which was the DRESS version of the set I had loved. It was PERFECT! It was only available for pre-order at the time and would be cutting it close, but I knew immediately when I saw it that it was the one! It’s a shirt dress (*so I wouldn’t ruin my hair and makeup) with the most perfect scalloped collar and the lace just so happens to have a pattern that reminded me so much of Half Moon – the villas, the palm trees, and of course, the PINEAPPLES (*a symbol of hospitality AND something that was also on our wedding crest!)! It was by far the quickest wardrobe decision made for our wedding week and something I’ve worn multiple times since. This is the dress I wore, and here it is as a mini dress (*which they came out with after my wedding and I love!)
My Bridesmaid’s Kaftans
~ Since we were on an island after all, I thought something that could double as a swim cover-up could be a fun alternative to PJ’s for my bridesmaids! I ended up ordering kaftans from the same factory in India that our block printed linens came from! These kaftan cover-ups were “one size fits most” and worked well because the neckline was wide enough that it wouldn’t smudge everyones makeup when slipping it off! I had one tailored to be smaller for Laney, but it ended up being a bit too tiny (woopsies!), so I safety pinned hers a bit once she had it on and it still looked adorable oversized! I found a similar one-size kaftan cover-up for under $30 here, for those interested in doing something similar. These getting ready photos are some of my favorites of the day, and I love how comfortable (*and stunning) all of my bridesmaids look in these photos!
What to Look for In a Getting Ready Dress
~ From a styling standpoint, there are two big things to keep in mind when looking for the perfect getting ready dress for you or your bridesmaids!
one ~ make sure to look for a dress with a wider neckline so that you can easily get out of it without ruining hair & makeup! Additionally, anything with a back zipper or anything you can slide down and off works too!
two ~ I recommend a softer cotton fabric! Think about how will the fabric lay when you are sitting and definitely opt for something that moves with you. Try to stay away from linen or anything that will wrinkle too easily. Also, in thinking about fabric, keep in mind that you want to be comfy! The rest of the day isn’t always the most comfy for brides and bridesmaids, so why not relax in something soft before the big stuff begins?!
Below are a few ideas for brides, bridesmaids, and beyond! Click to shop!
Getting Ready Dresses for Brides
Getting Ready Dresses for Bridesmaids
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