Hi mywedding brides! We just hit the 11-month mark on the countdown to our wedding, and we're right on track as far as planning goes (for now, anyways!). I'm starting to think about bridesmaid dresses, and we've decided on cobalt blue for the ladies. One trend that I'm loving is having some variety in the bridesmaid dresses, rather than having every bridesmaid wear the exact same dress. Rather than trying to find one dress that is flattering on everyone (a.k.a. a nearly impossible task), having different dress options allows your girls to have a little more say in their dress, which means that hopefully they'll truly love their dress. Because unlike your wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses are best when your girls can get some extra wears out of them.

Here are a few ways to try the mix and match bridesmaid dress trend:

1. Have the girls pick their own dresses in a given color or shade. This method works best for a beautiful, semi-formal outdoor wedding. If you have a friend in the bridal party whose sense of style you don't necessarily trust, ask the girls to send you photos of the dress before they buy it so you can yea or nay the dress. They'll be more than happy to oblige, since this method allows them to choose a dress that fits their style (and budget!). Or, offer to make a fun day of it and go bridesmaid dress shopping with your girls so you can see the dresses and help them decide in person.

My cousin Claire and my friend Kim both did this method for their bridesmaid dresses, and it turned out fantastic. Claire chose shades that ranged from coral to poppy for her bridesmaid dresses, and even mocked up a PDF with Pantone colors so the girls knew what shades to look for ( Coral and poppy were ideal. Salmon or guava could work too. Hot pink, red, or light pink were out.).

Kim asked us to find green dresses that were a true green (not dark forest green or light mint green). All the girls shared pictures of the different dresses we were vetting and got the opinions of the other bridesmaids and of course, the bride.

2. Have the girls pick their own dresses in a varying color schemes (rather than one color). My cousin Erin is doing a citrus color scheme for her bridesmaid dresses, which includes orange, poppy, and yellow. I think it's going to look beautiful, and we're using this photo for inspiration:

I've also seen this done beautifully with varying tan, cream, and blush tones.

3. Pick an infinity dress that can be wrapped different ways. If you're not sure how you feel about having different shades of one color, but still want a little variety, this can be a great option. Infinity dresses can be wrapped so many different ways, and your bridesmaids will know what styles will look flattering on them.

4. Pick one brand with different styles in the same color (and even throw in a coordinated print dress or lace dress). This is another great option if you want to make sure the dresses are the same color, but also want to allow for different styles. I've seen some brands that not only include bridesmaid dresses of the same color in different styles, but also a printed dress that coordinates with your color.

I hope these ideas help inspire your perfect bridesmaid dress scheme!

Photo credits: Mike Fiechtner // Joelle Wagner & Nicole Salmeri // Eric Kelley Photography // Dessy // J Crew // Amsale