20 Best-Dressed Bridal Parties from Real Weddings

best dressed bridesmaids cinzia bruschini
Photo: Cinzia Bruschini

Let these fashion-forward bridesmaids inspire your own ladies' big day looks.

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best dressed bridesmaids cinzia bruschini
Cinzia Bruschini

The expression "All eyes on the bride" is only partially true. While the big day is all about the woman of the hour, her wedding party—and her bridesmaids especially—are also in the limelight. At the very least, they'll be in your photographer's path. Ultimately, a good number of eyes will be on these special women, which is why helping them choose a look that speaks to their unique personalities and flatters their figures is paramount. In some cases, that means adjusting your vision of a specific silhouette or color palette in order to account for their tastes, preferences, and comfort levels.

Here's the good news. Thanks to all of the incredible bridesmaids' dresses out there, shifting your concept of the ideal ensemble doesn't have to mean making a sacrifice. Take the following best-dressed bridesmaids from real celebrations, for example. You'll discover that the notion of the uniform bridesmaid dress is on the decline—and it's a good thing. No one size or silhouette fits all, which is why so many brides are dressing their 'maids in the same color, but different shapes or styles (think a healthy mix of strapless, halter, or short-sleeved options, all in the same pretty hue!). Other brides are forgoing the matchy-matchy aesthetic altogether by asking their attendants to pick their own looks within a multi-hued color palette (think cream, blush, and white!).

The result? Pretty, cohesive ensembles that embrace each woman's individuality. Here's another bonus: Variations in color, pattern, or style are also guaranteed to translate beautifully in your wedding photos. Visual intrigue is never a bad thing! Don't just take our word for it. Click through to discover all of the ways to dress your bridesmaids, with ideas straight from the most stylish women at the party.

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Matching Lace

best dressed bridesmaids julie michaelsen
Julie Michaelsen

The laser-cut eyelet of these ice-blue bridesmaids dresses subtly echoed the bride's own latticed gown.

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Moody Pastels

best dressed bridesmaids lauren scotti
Lauren Scotti Photography

These attendants wore soft shades of lilac, dove gray, and neutral blush. The dusty hues contrasted nicely with the bride's dramatic look, which featured intricate beadwork and a pointed crown.

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Metallic

best dressed bridesmaids blaine siesser
Blaine Siesser

This bride didn't need any extra sparkle, but her best friends provided it in the form of sequined gunmetal gowns by Adrianna Papell anyway.

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Castle-Ready

best dressed bridesmaids taylor and porter
Tayor & Porter

Dressed in traditional Indian attire, these bridesmaids' ensembles referenced the couple's ornate venue—an English Castle.

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Different Cuts

best dressed bridesmaids charla storey
Charla Storey Photography

This bride gave her 'maids the option of choosing a flattering silhouette within the lavender color palette. Some chose strapless iterations, while others opted for versions with sheer bowed straps.

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Burgundy Beauties

best dressed bridesmaids annie parish
Annie Parish Photography

For a fall wedding, this bridal party opted for a universally-flattering autumnal shade: burgundy. Their petite floral clutches featured dark wine mums, which paired prettily with their Jenny Yoo gowns.

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Floral

best dressed bridesmaids kristine herman
Kristine Herman Photography

These Show Me Your Mumu bridesmaids' dresses featured a bold floral print. Bohemian accents, like floral hair clips and a tambourine "bouquet," made the look that much more unique.

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Mismatched

best dressed bridesmaids amy arrington
Amy Arrington Photography

This bride asked her group to all choose different gowns in shades of pink, and each woman selected the look that spoke to her unique personality. The maid of honor, seen left, stood out in a creamy number, complete with metallic accents and a statement-making high collar.

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Jewel Tones

best dressed bridesmaids jenn emerling
Jenn Emerling

The Reformation dresses in sapphire, ruby, and emerald helped this bridal party's fall-themed color palette take shape.

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Dove

best dressed bridesmaids kim stockwell
Kim Stockwell

No two of these elegant Azazie gowns shared the same exact neckline (although modified halter styles appeared to be the favorite!). A subtle satin sheen gave the light gray hue a metallic, silvery vibe.

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Jersey

best dressed bridesmaids carina bethea
Michael and Carina Photography

These ladies proved that move-with-you jersey is absolutely elevated enough for the bridesmaids' dresses—especially when the fabric appears in a neutral blush shade with modifiable sleeves.

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Generations

best dressed bridesmaids kibogo photography
Kibogo Photography

From maid of honor, to junior bridesmaid, to flower girl, these ladies all stunned in pale pink looks. Best of all, each dress referenced the rest of the group's in color or silhouette.

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Lace

best dressed bridesmaids siegrid cain
Siegrid Cain

Each of these looks might have been unique, but they were united by one common motif: floral lace.

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Pretty in Pink

best dressed bridesmaids chi chi ari
Chi-Chi Ari

Ruched bodices made these same-shade, different-shape Azazie gowns feel cohesive. Two 'maids made the look their own with the addition of an oversized white rose—the ultimate floral accessory.

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White Lace

best dressed bridesmaids flavio d
Flavio D

The drama level of these bridesmaids' all-white high-necked lace numbers (from David's Bridal) perfectly matched that of the bride's voluminous ball gown (which also featured lace accents!).

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Light and Bright

best dressed bridesmaids wendy laurel
Wendy Laurel Photography

These bridesmaids wore splashy magenta, true pink, and royal blue gowns, which added even more brightness to the bride's traditional red garment.

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Uniform

chloe shayo south africa wedding bridesmaids bride steps
Rensche Mari

At this South Africa wedding, these 'maids stunned in matching white gowns, which featured sweetheart necklines and spaghetti straps.

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Soft Palette

cassandra jason wedding bridesmaids
Katie Parra Photography

It took these stylish bridesmaids a few rounds of shopping before they settled on looks that spoke to both their bride's vision and their respective personalities. The end result—a soft, elegant palette—was well worth the extra work.

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All That Glitters

bride and bridesmaids
Elizabeth Austin Photography

…was 100% gold at this fête. These ladies wore metallic dresses that popped next to red arrangements of roses from Ambience Décor. Drop-earrings polished off the ultra-glam look.

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Emerald

madeline brad wedding bridesmaids
Michael and Carina Photography

These deep green numbers transported us to the Emerald City.

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