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As you may already know, this year I decided to expand my portfolio and add “professional bridesmaid” to my resume. The best part about being in a gazillion weddings this year (other than finally getting to give a goddamn wedding toast) is that I also get to test out the rolodex of awesome wedding companies I’ve gotten to know over the years, and report back to you. So when it came time to choose a bridesmaid dress for my sister’s wedding, the first website I went to was Brideside.
I’ve been excited about Brideside since they came on the scene a few years ago promising that I could try on and buy a bridesmaid dress without ever having to leave my house. Because nothing feeds my sparkly little hermit heart more than getting to wear fancy things, and also not going outside. But now that I’ve used them personally, I’m convinced that working with their personal style consultants is hands down the best way to order a bridesmaid dress. Here’s why:
They’ll keep your hot-mess friend organized: Brideside is set up to make it easier for you to order bridesmaid dresses for your whole wedding party. So if you’re the one getting married, you just sign up with your wedding details, provide Brideside with the contact information for your wedding party members, and they’ll make sure to take your marching orders and get everyone squared away. They can provide your bridesmaids with style tips, help them choose a dress that flatters them most, and make sure no one procrastinates on placing their order. I was acting as a solo bridesmaid, but they still took my sister’s contact information so that she could be looped in on my choices.
Now, this is where Brideside really shines. Once they got my contact information, I got a handful of follow-up emails and texts checking in and asking if I had any questions or needed help making a selection. Normally I hate repetitive contact from anyone who isn’t blood related to me, but I was super pleased with Brideside’s approach to customer service. Here’s why:
- Real humans who treat you like a human: I was surprised to find that my style consultant was an actual human! I texted her in the spring to tell her I was going on maternity leave and wouldn’t be ready to talk dresses for a few months at the very least, and you know what she did? She left me alone for three months! When maternity leave was over, she contacted me again, asked how maternity leave was going, and if I was ready to talk dresses. So it didn’t feel like talking to a pushy sales person, or worse, a robot. It felt like talking to my personal assistant who was also helping me choose a bridesmaid dress. A bridesmaid BFF, if you will.
- Just the Right Amount of Push: I work in sales. My inbox is full of advertising companies who can’t take a hint. So I’m super sensitive to any kind of communication that feels pushy. But with Brideside, I felt like my style consultant was pushing me just enough to make sure I actually followed through and didn’t wait until the last minute to choose a dress, but she was respectful and responsive when I told her now wasn’t a good time. And y’all, that’s a hard balance to strike.
The most convenient trying-on experience I’ve ever had: Sadly, living clear across the country from my family means that I don’t get to participate in a lot of wedding festivities. I missed my BFF’s bachelorette party, my other BFF’s shower, and group dress shopping with my sister. But because Brideside lets you try on bridesmaid dresses at home, I was able to coordinate a mini fashion show with my mom and sisters while I was back east for a hot minute over the summer. My style consultant was really helpful making sure I had access to the exact dresses I wanted, and when there was a shipment delay with one of the dresses I wanted (another bridesmaid held onto it just a little too long), she overnighted my package to make sure it arrived before my outbound flight. And the best part is that it was so easy to return the dresses, I just slapped the shipping label on the box before heading home to California, and my sister was able to take care of the return for me. And if you’re more into the IRL experience, like my sister’s squad was able to do, you can visit one of Brideside’s showrooms for an appointment. (Bubbles included! 🥂)
Dresses you actually want: None of this would even matter if Brideside didn’t also have one of the best selections of bridesmaid dresses online. They’re constantly updating their selection, so you’re not stuck with the most popular dress from three years ago. I’m talking sequins, and florals, and separates, and anything else you could think of (though they do have the old standbys too of course). And hot tip: I’ve been raving about Brideside for so long that when my sister went to buy a dress for a wedding she’s in this year, she hopped over to their website and ended up finding it for $50 cheaper than where she’d previously been looking.
Nothing makes me happier in this job than when expectation meets up with reality, or when a wedding service is actually as good as it seems to be. And in the case of Brideside, better.
This post was sponsored by Brideside, the complimentary styling service that makes bridesmaid dress shopping a piece of cake. With hundreds of bridesmaid dresses, in size 00–30, and a team of dedicated style consultants ready to help, Brideside lets you choose the best way to shop. Shop online, use their Try At Home program or visit one of their new showrooms. Click here to explore Brideside’s bridesmaid dress collection today.
