Dress your bridesmaids just right for the season

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

@jjshouseofficial

Strapless

@oyokostudioweddings

Open back

@shahani_couture

Winter styles

Tea length

@specialdayirl

Floor length

@elizabethlargephotography

Sleeves

@everprettycom

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!

@nataliesoferevents

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.

@shoprevelry

Pam Ryan
WeddingDates Contributors
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