So what about the bridesmaids?
Naturally you won't spend nearly as much time worrying about bridesmaids dresses as you will a wedding gown. At the same time, it is important to find dresses for the ladies in your life that are going to, uhm, maintain the friendship! Last week I visited my grandfather in Arizona and he busted out a ton of old photo albums. Seeing photos of my mom from the 70's in a pukey purple bridesmaid dress makes me wonder how she was able to smile for any of pictures!
So when I got a text message from my best friend, Lena, a fabulous Bride-to-Be, bequeathing me with the awesome task of helping find the dresses for the bridesmaids, I knew I had my work cut out for me!
Now these days it has become perfectly acceptable to choose a color and a material for the bridesmaids dresses and then let your ladies go wild and pick a style that will suit their individual shape. I absolutely love this trend and, visually, I think that this choice gives your bridal party a very modern and edgy look.
However this can also be taken a bit too far! I've photographed weddings before where the bridesmaids have each chosen their own individual cut, color and pattern. Very rarely is there any visual harmony to this look, and it ends up detracting from you and your groom as the center of the ceremony. So I highly advise that there be some unifying elements to your bridal party's attire! If you go for different colors, try similar cuts, and visa-versa.
My favorite look is when the bride has chosen dresses that not only look flatter their bridesmaids, but also compliment the wedding gown. When Lena sent me an email with a photo of the dress she had chosen, we immediately began discussing 
what cuts of bridesmaids dresses would visually echo her gown without mimicking it too much.
Ultimately the visual effect of your bridal party's attire is up to you. Rely on your Maid of Honor to assist you in your decision making, and for an honest opinion on the dresses. Also consider if you want to choose dresses that can be worn again, or will be a one-time occasion type of gown.
Once you've considered all of these options you will be surprised at how much easier selecting bridesmaids dresses will be!
Jen Kiaba is a photographer and burgeoning crafter who lives in Rhinebeck, NY with her lovely boyfriend, two crazy cats and an adorable basset hound. When her hands aren't covered in tacky glue, she specializes in taking romantic portraits of happy couples in the Hudson Valley!