Picture it. A Winter Wonderland wedding. The trees are frosted, there’s a blanket of crisp white snow covering the ground. Icicles glisten in the afternoon sunlight. And your bridesmaids are shivering in knee-length, strapless dresses, while your photographer rushes through outdoor photos before your bridal party turns blue!
Keeping the date of your wedding in mind is so important when picking out bridesmaids dresses. What season will it be in? What will the weather be like? Will wind cause Marilyn Monroe moments? Is your wedding taking place away from home? If so, you’ll have to research how different the weather can be. And even on an island as small as Ireland, this can vary from coast to coast – even county to county!
Before we get stuck in, let’s get one thing straight – weatherwise, Ireland has two seasons, not four. We have Summer and Winter. Sad but true. However, that helps us whittle down our bridesmaid dress dilemmas!
Summer styles
Knee length
Strapless
Open back
Winter styles
Tea length
Floor length
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Suggested Summer Fabrics
Chiffon
Probably the most common bridesmaid fabric for Summer nuptials, this lightweight cloth is super flowy.
Georgette
Slightly heavier and less sheer than chiffon, it’s perfect for an unpredictable Irish Summer.
Voile
This lightweight fabric has a dreamy sheen to it.
Cady
Structured with a slight stretch, this is perfect for a lively outdoor wedding.
Satin
This silky fabric is soft to the touch, fabulous for draping and form-fitting styles and has a lot of natural movement for more flowing skirts.
Suggested Winter Fabrics
Mikado
This is a stiffer fabric, perfectly suited to structured designs and silhouettes and is commonly thought of as a Winter wedding fabric.
Dupioni
This fabric has enough stiffness to it to be comfortable but still perfect for voluminous or pleated designs.
Taffeta
This crisp and weighty fabric holds its shape very well and glistens beneath bright light.
Faille
Like Dupioni and taffeta, faille will hold shape very well but it’s sheen is much more subtle and can appear to have a matte finish depending on the light.
Shantung
This structured and hefty fabric tends to appear more formal.
Summer Accessories
Parasols
Practical and an amazing photo prop!
Winter Accessories
Fur shrug (faux, of course!)
This will keep you warm (and still, for photo taking, because you won’t be shivering) and adds a luxurious touch to any bridesmaid’s Winter wedding look.
