You don’t need to be on Pinterest to get a ton of style, cooking and decorating inspiration. You just need to follow Lauren Conrad on Instagram. And if you’re a bride-to-be, then LC is like the ultimate wedding fairy. The designer recently opened up at a Martha Stewart Weddings event in Chicago (alongside the magazine’s Editorial Director Darcy Miller) about the do’s and don’ts of bridal party dressing, the inspiration behind her Paper Crown bridesmaids dress collection and the totally amazing gift she gave to guests at her September 2014 nuptials to William Tell. (Brides, you should probably bookmark this immediately.)
Amanda Megan Miller Photography
Find the right balance between the length of your bridesmaids dresses
“I personally like long dresses. I definitely wouldn’t go too short and I think if you’re mixing, like a tea length and maxi, I probably wouldn’t go full maxi and a mini. Also, it depends on the venue.”
Have your maid of honor stand out in a subtle way
“I didn’t have a maid of honor because I didn’t want to pick, but I think there are different ways to do it. For example, in our line, we have some pieces that have a little lace detailing up top and then we have a piece that has lace over the whole thing. For us, we say that as a maid of honor dress. So it’s something a little different but still the same materials, similar design. A little tweak, but not too different so it still sits nicely.”
Check out her bridesmaids dress collection
“It was really sort of the same vibe that comes from the contemporary line. Just soft, romantic pieces, easy to wear but still feel special.”
Courtesy Kayt Jones
Don’t be afraid to push the guy in your bridal party
“You can do anything from just matching his tie color or pocket square to the [bridesmaids] dresses. I mean, I think you can go as far as he’s willing to go! You could have a matching suit.”
Have a conversation with the MOB and the MOG about what they should wear
“I know in my wedding, they both wanted their dresses to sit well with the color scheme. My mother wore blush and my mother-in-law wore a champagne color. I remember my mother-in-law told me, when she was picking out the dress, she said, ‘I know my job. Show up, shut up and wear beige.’ She’s awesome. It’s fun to include them so when you’re taking photos, it wont be like everyone is in neutral and then one person is in hot pink.”
Put some extra TLC into your wedding favors
“One of my favorite things about the wedding were the favors. They were amazing. Martha Stewart Weddings was kind enough to work with us on. They really took the time to make it specific to us. We did a sort of game night theme so it was a really cute little wooden box with cards that we had made to match our invitations, little candies, a little pencil and pad to keep score, with game rules. We’re also really nerdy so we did little puns. We renamed card games, like ‘Crazy Eights,’ was, ‘Crazy Love.’”
Make the groom sing whenever possible
“I also insisted that husband sing, and it was by far my favorite part of the wedding because it was such a special moment. You have to do things like that. It’s really all about you.”
Are you a fan of the dresses Conrad designed? What tip do you find most valuable? Sound off below.
–Brittany Talarico
