35 Ideas for Mix and Match Bridesmaid Dresses

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Mix and match bridesmaid dresses are gorgeous, stylish and modern.

A trend that started among celebrity brides, now, affordable dress brands and dedicated mix and match collections have made it accessible to brides on any budget, without the help of a professional stylist.

Not only can you add a little more style, colour and depth to your wedding palette, but choosing contrasting dresses is also a great way to cater for the different shapes, styles and colouring of your wedding party.

But mix and match dresses are not always an easy thing to pull off.

Not only do you have to come up with a selection of colours, tones, and fabrics, but once you introduce choices to your bridesmaids, it can sometimes lead to more complications and complaints.

But for something as prized as a wedding photo of you and your ladies all looking, and feeling, your gorgeous, individual selves, the extra effort is most definitely worth it.

Make the task of mixing and matching your dresses that bit easier, with our handy tips.

Tips For Choosing Mix and Match Dresses For Your Bridesmaids

- No one hue. Unless you opt for something like white, gold or black, don't ask all your girls to pick up a dress in a single designated colour. Chances are if you ask for five green dresses, one will stand out as the wrong hue. Many brands offer lots of styles in the same tone, so opt for one of them, and let your girls make their choice.

- Don't delegate it all. You might be tempted to give your girls a free reign, but your bridesmaids will appreciate some direction. Make a Pinterest board of colours and textures you like, or show them the rest of your wedding inspiration, so they have an idea of the look and feel you're going for. "A black dress" can be anything from an office staple to a gothic gown, so pointers are always helpful.

- Hook them up. Mix and match can be really handy if you're not all available for a group shopping trip. Say you have six bridesmaids spread across the country so you've asked your girls to get dresses in either blush, mauve or taupe. So far, so easy! Just be sure to put them in touch with one another, to make sure your hues are even spread across the bunch.

- Sparkle or lace. Don't be afraid to introduce patterns, sequins, ruffle or lace for a really fashion forward take on the trend.

- A shade away. If you're going for an ombre look, or choosing colours from a similar spectrum, try to ensure the dresses are a full shade apart, as dresses that are almost the same colour but not quite, might look odd in the pictures.

- Select some swatches. Make things easy for yourself and opt to get your dresses from a readily mix and matchable collection (like Dessy, Donna Morgan, Amsale, Twobirds or Jenny Yoo). They might already have examples of dresses that go well together, but order swatches if you're unsure.

- Toss out the rule book. There are so many articles on rules for constructing a palette of mix and match dresses, like sticking to a maximum of three colours, avoiding more than two differences in a dress, and keeping the same hemlines. But the truth is, there are no rules.

Just look at the dresses below for inspiration, and you'll see that clashing colours, wild patterns, and different textures can look great together, if your girls have the confidence to pull them off.