bridesmaid

The Art of Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses & How to Achieve the Look

At Move Mountains Co., we’ve seen countless trends come and go, but one that has truly captivated brides in recent years is the artful approach to mismatched bridesmaid dresses. While some brides still want their bridesmaids to wear identical gowns, more and more couples are opting for a mix of patterns, textures, and styles, all unified by a cohesive color palette. This trend not only allows for individuality but also adds visual interest and depth to your wedding photos.

Why This Trend Works

The beauty of mismatched bridesmaid dresses lies in their versatility. By selecting dresses in the same color family but varying the patterns and textures, you create a look that is both cohesive and dynamic. This trend allows your bridesmaids to choose a dress that flatters their unique body type and style, making them feel more comfortable and confident on your big day.

If you want your maid of honor to stand out, consider a dress in a slightly different shade or a unique pattern within the same color palette. Another option is to add distinctive accessories like a statement necklace, a floral crown, or a more intricate bouquet. These subtle differences will highlight her special role while still maintaining the overall harmony of your bridal party’s look.

Brian and Libby’s wedding perfectly captured this trend. Libby's bridesmaids wore light blue dresses that beautifully complemented the wedding colors. Each dress had a unique cut, with some featuring solid colors and others adorned with sweet white floral patterns, all perfectly enhancing the springtime celebration:

 
 

Additionally, the visual appeal of mixed dresses creates a richer and more layered aesthetic, which translates beautifully in photos. When done right, this approach can elevate the entire bridal party's look, creating a sophisticated yet relaxed vibe. At Luke and Cassie's wedding, the bridesmaids dazzled in a variety of green shades, with some donning floral patterns and others in solid colors. Each dress was uniquely cut, cocktail-length, and perfectly suited to match the personality and style of each bridesmaid:

 
 

How to Achieve the Mismatched Look

  1. Choose a Color Palette: Start by selecting a color palette that complements your wedding theme. Whether you’re drawn to soft pastels, earthy tones, or bold jewel hues, the key is to stick to shades within the same family.

  2. Mix Patterns and Textures: Once your palette is set, you can introduce variety through different fabrics and patterns. Think lace, chiffon, velvet, or even subtle prints like florals or polka dots. The variation in textures will add depth and keep the look from feeling flat.

  3. Keep Some Elements Consistent: To maintain a sense of unity, consider keeping certain elements consistent across all dresses. This could be the dress length, the type of fabric, or even just the color intensity. For example, you might choose to have all your bridesmaids in floor-length gowns or all in muted tones of the same color.

  4. Involve Your Bridesmaids: Allow your bridesmaids to have a say in their dresses. Provide them with the color palette and style guidelines, but let them choose the dress that suits them best. This not only ensures they’ll feel comfortable but also adds a personal touch to the bridal party’s look.

  5. Accessorize Thoughtfully: Complete the look with accessories that tie everything together. Consider matching bouquets, similar hairstyles, or coordinating jewelry to add another layer of cohesion to the ensemble.

Real Weddings, Real Inspiration

At Move Mountains Co., we’ve had the privilege of capturing weddings where brides have masterfully executed this trend. Whether it’s a seaside ceremony with bridesmaids in varying shades of blue or a rustic barn wedding with earth-toned dresses, the results have always been stunning. These real-life examples serve as inspiration for how you can bring this trend to life on your wedding day. Taylor and Emily went for a unique look—Emily’s bridesmaids wore dresses in various greens, pinks, and blues, with different cuts and a mix of patterns and solids. The result was a spring garden party vibe, perfect for their May wedding:

 
 

The mismatched bridesmaid dress trend is more than just a passing fad; it’s a celebration of individuality and creativity. By thoughtfully mixing and matching dresses within a cohesive color palette, you can create a look that is uniquely yours. At Move Mountains Co.untains.co/, we’re here to capture every beautiful moment, ensuring your wedding day is as unforgettable in photos as it is in real life.

Kevin + Marissa

Belle Mer Wedding

Newport, RI

There are some weddings that really do stick with us. Kevin + Marissas definitely being one of them. The fun loving and warm energy that they carried throughout the whole day made it for a wonderful experience that we will always think back on. But that warmth didn’t only pertain to the couple but it seemed to be the common theme of the entire event. Warm colors and beautiful details. Supportive and excited loved ones all around. It all came together seamlessly and we’re honored to have captured a few glimpses of it all.

Look: MMC 2

Package: The Deluxe

Casey + Cassandra

Rosecliff Mansion Wedding

Newport, RI

As you scroll down, does it look like we’ve just photographed a royal wedding? Yeah we thought so too. Although Casey + Cassandra aren’t technically royalty they sure got in front of our camera as if they were and we were not complaining. Their venue can definitely take some credit for this effect. If you’re getting married at Rosecliff Mansion you can only expect to feel like you’re in some sort of fairy tale. Along with about every other detail, this day couldn’t have been more picture perfect (which is all we could ask for). So, we were obviously more than head over heels for their gallery. Take a look and I’m sure you will be too.

Look: MMC1

Package: Luxe

Caterer: Blackstone Caterers
Venue: Rosecliff Mansion
Florist: Winston Flowers
Hair: Cassandra Broccoli
Makeup: Glam Done Write
Music: Silver Arrow Band
Invites: Ruby the Fox
Dress: Pronovias

Spiros + Bianca

Peconic Bay Yacht Club Wedding

Southold, NY

Its not often we go on somewhat of a road trip with our team for a wedding but we took on this day with much anticipation. Shooting in a new venue quite a ways from our home base, we didn’t know what to expect but, in the end, we couldn’t be happier with the turn out. The minute we met both Spiros and Bianca we knew they were going to be a down to earth couple that were gonna click so well with our team. You know the stress that comes with wedding days? Yeah, that was nowhere to be found here. Nothing but smiles and excitement from these two. Thank the Lord for their wonderful taste as well! Did you see those center pieces?! And don’t even get us started on the music. This couple partied all day and all night all the while basking in their new titles as Husband and Wife.

Look: MMC2

Package: Deluxe

Caterer: Peconic Bay Yacht Club
Venue: Peconic Bay Yacht Club
Florist:
Hair: Hairbyluli
Makeup: Angela Zavala
Music: None Entertainment
Invites: Minted
Dress: Kleinfeld bridal

Kevin + Jordan

Spring House Hotel

New Shoreham, RI

Kevin and Jordan’s Block Island destination wedding was a beachy, boho masterpiece! This was an emotional, meaningful weekend for Jordan’s family, as they have vacationed on Block Island for generations prior. Our wedding photography and videography team had the best time getting to know the bride and groom over the long weekend they spent together. Creativity ran wild as we explored all the island had to offer through drone coverage and renting some mopeds prior to the day of the wedding! This fun loving, down to earth couple made the weekend unforgettable.

Vendors:

Venue: Spring House Hotel
Florist: Painted Rock Designs
Catering: Aldo's Bakery
Hair/Makeup: Koru Eco Day Spa
Music: Jon O'Neill
Invites: Minted


I can’t help but smile and tear up as I write this review for Move Mountains. We partnered with them for our wedding in September on Block Island, Rhode Island and we could not have worked with a more perfect team to capture our special wedding weekend. From our initial conversations a year before through the final logistics of the big day, it felt like we were working with a group of our best friends. It was easy, natural and amazing. We had the awesome opportunity to work with 5 amazing MM team members. They were so incredibly helpful when organizing the weekend with us. I haven’t even gotten to the final product - our pictures and videos! We received our AMAZING pictures so quickly and I was at a loss for words when looking through them. All the emotions came flooding back and I couldn’t believe how beautiful they were. We’re so excited to receive our videos soon and I know they will be absolutely breathtaking. Thank you MM for being so incredibly wonderful during the best weekend of our lives! We love you guys!
— Jordan

Mike + Mel

Mad River Barn

Waitsfield, VT

Mike and Mel’s destination wedding at Mad River Barn in Waitsfield, Vermont was a dream come true! Our wedding photographers and videographers teamed up with an all-star vendor crew to make this New England Wedding one of our favorites from the season. Having a wedding planner made a world of difference for this Boston Couple, they could simply celebrate and let their upbeat and genuine love flourish. Thanks to Cristen & Co. the day went by seamlessly and allowed our team to get some incredible wedding photos and wedding video at this up and coming barn venue. We can’t wait to do it all again soon!

Vendors:

Venue: Mad River Barn
Planning: Cristen & Co.⁣
Flowers: Conroy’s Florist
Hair/Makeup: Pretty Wife Beauty
Music: Speechless
Invitations: The Paper Perfectionist


Thank you so much for this! We could not be more thrilled, what a beautiful job you all did!
— Mel

Mike + Becky

Castle Hill Inn

Newport, RI

Mike and Becky’s sunny, bright, romantic mansion wedding at Castle Hill Inn in Newport, Rhode Island was filled with so many sweet candid moments that our wedding photography and wedding videography team had so much fun getting to capture. Our wedding photographer and wedding videographer’s photojournalistic approach to the wedding day allowed the wedding team to stick to the background and let the bride and groom really enjoy their day while still capturing all of the heartfelt, beautiful moments in photos and in video. If this laid back photography style fits what you’d like for your wedding photos and wedding film, reach out to us today before our season books up!


So excited about our wedding photos! We are beyond happy with them.
— Becky

The Morning Of

Getting the Best Bride Prep Photos

You wouldn't think it at first, but some of our favorite wedding photos/videos are taken in the morning when the bride is getting ready! It’s the beginning of the day, excitement is in the air, and we don’t want to miss a thing. This is a critical time for your wedding photographers to capture some really important photos that you’ll love to look back on later. In order to make sure that your bride prep looks great, here are a few suggestions that we can offer!

Location

We recommend choosing a space/location that is open, has plenty of natural light and is free of clutter! This will ensure the photographer or videographer has plenty of light and room to work with and will keep your photos looking nice and clean! Try to avoid hotel rooms that are cramped and don't provide much natural lighting. Indoor lighting can be difficult to work with and usually produces orange skin tones, and hotel rooms can also be limiting when trying to find a nice place to shoot details, such as the dress! Often times these rooms have TVs, phones, desks and lamps which can take away from the elegance of the dress and other details that need to be shot.

If you've already scheduled a hotel or are in a smaller/darker space this is totally okay! Here are a few tips for working in this type of space:

  • Make sure your hair and make up artists position you by a window (This is important in any scenario, we love natural light!)

  • Keep indoor lighting off, it may feel dark but the pictures and video will still come out bright!

  • Keep the space clean

 
 

Details

Be sure to bring all the details that you want us to photograph or catch on video on the morning of. This may include but is not limited to:

  • Shoes

  • Dress

  • Wood or Custom hanger for the dress (Example)

  • Bridesmaid dresses

  • Invitations

  • Rings (All 3)

  • Ring Box (Example) (Another Example!)

  • Any jewelry 

  • Any card/gift you'll be exchanging with your fiancé

  • Your bouquet

 
 

Time

Bride prep is such an important part of the day and can sometimes be neglected and undervalued. This is the most relaxed time of the day: you're spending time with your girls, getting pampered, and getting ready to say I do! It’s a great time for your photographer or videographer to warm up and build a rapport with you, your bridesmaids, and your family! But beyond that, shooting details takes time! We ask that you give our team at least an hour (but we recommend more) to style invitations, rings, florals and shoes, and also find the best place to hang your dress!

If we are shooting video and you're planning on exchanging cards on the morning of, please allow your videographer an extra 15 minutes to capture good visuals and audio!

We hope that this is helpful for you as you continue your wedding planning! As always, feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have!

 
 

Chuck + Lindsay

We had the whole team on for this one shooting photo and video. We started at The Hampton Inn in Providence,  RI, venturing over to Waterplace Park for the first look, formals at Rhode Island's State House and partying at The Dorrance in Downtown Providence. Here are some of our favorites along with a highlight video we shot.

Photos shot by Chris, Kearsten and Sean. Video shot by Sean and Shayna. Editing by Kearsten and Sean.

What Kind of Photographer Should You Hire For Your Wedding?

Getting married is the biggest and most important day of people’s lives. They want it to be perfect, they want it to be remembered, and they want it to be captured. Capturing a couple’s big day is your photographer/videographer’s job, no pressure, right? This can be both a very exciting time and a very stressful time for people and your job as a photographer is not just to take photos it should be much more.

 

There are good photographers and then there are great photographers, but what makes them different from each other? There are many good photographers out there that take amazing photos and are very good at what they do, but how are they with interacting with their clients and ensuring that they are having the best time ever? I once heard someone say that when you are looking to hire any vendor for your wedding day you need to make sure you hire someone who will be a stress reliever not a stress inducer. There will be enough chaos and things going on during that day, but if your photographer has learned how to work with their clients and go above and beyond to help make them feel comfortable and stress free then they are a great photographer.

 

That is one very important thing that separates Move Mountains Co. from other wedding and event photography companies. We strive to make your special day as memorable as possible and as stress-free as possible. The day is all about you and what you want, it’s that simple. We are here to capture those once in a lifetime moments so they can be remembered forever. We strive for excellence in our work and absolutely love what we do. If you or someone you know is in the process of planning a wedding then Contact Us, we would love to help make your day one that you will never forget.