To present teenage bridesmaids with their dresses - no choice?

[IslandG1rl]

I have rather had my arm twisted by guilt tripping relatives to have three tween/teenage bridesmaids from the family. Bless them, two are super excited, one a bit more "meh" but in a polite way.

We are incredibly squeezed on budget. I'm not having any adult bridesmaids. I have said we will get them dresses but been looking at prices and don't want to fork out over £100 each for something they are unlikely to wear again. AIBU to get them online on H&M for £30 and simply present them as fait a complit? (assuming they fit).

I was thinking of ordering a selection and sending some back, but I really want to select the dresses myself rather than go looking round a mall with the girls in tow, so as to contain cost. I'm sure the two keen ones have visions of going to a proper bridal shop etc. Am I a big meany?

www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_63411+9778D1A_-1

I got my bridesmaid her dress from quiz, it was a maxi dress. It was a lovely dress and she was more than happy to wear a dress from there.
When I was bridesmaid for my mum when she married my stepdad, I got. T bridesmaids dress from quiz. That's where I got the idea from to go there.

So I'd say that's fine.

3 tweens here. Dresses came from Debenhams for less than half of that. All looked lovely.

I always thought that it was the brides choice to choose the bridesmaid dress anyway.

bridesmaid dresses

The clearance section on Next has a good range at very reasonable prices, including brands other than Next.

I bought the teenage bridesmaids gorgeous dresses from oasis. They were strapless and above the knee, which they wore with ballet pumps. They loved the dresses so much that they wore them for their school prom.

Also try Chi Chi - I got my most recent bridesmaid dress from there when they were doing a special offer and it was £55.

I chose my bridesmaid dress for her from the bhs wedding collection... I did check she liked it first and she tried it on before I bought it but it was my choice and my budget

I think it's normal for the bride to choose.

No advice...but it brought back memories of me being a bridesmaid in 1977...I was 11...the dress was corduroy yellow/brown pattern pinafore, with brown polo neck jumper... oh the shame it was a January wedding though.

Can you compromise? Ask them to tell you anything they really don't want to wear, e.g. one may hate wearing red, or another may not be comfortable in strapless. Then use your own common sense about what will look good on them, taking into account their figures and colouring, and just do your best within your budget.

Another possibility is to tell them a colour, give them a budget, and ask them to find their own (obviously you get the right of veto if you don't like their choices). Lots of brides do this, with bridesmaids co-ordinated but not necessarily matching.

If there is a Costco near you and you or anyone you know has a membership you can get beautiful flower girl/bridesmaid-worthy dresses there for not much money.