What can make a bridesmaid’s dress stand out in a crowd so that the wedding guests whisper to one another, “Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?” Why, the texture of that gown, of course with its artful draping and twists, particularly if those tucks are accented with beads. Beads On Bridesmaids’ Dresses Personalizing a bridesmaid’s gown with beads is a perfect way to customize an off the rack dress. Almost all types of beads look great on bridesmaids’ dresses from spotlight sequins to faux freshwater pearls, from metallicized barrel beads from India to the flash and fire of Swarovski crystals. Here are a few tips for embellishing the bride’s chosen handmaidens with a little bit of extra sparkle: • Don’t overdo the beads! This is a wedding, not a chorus line at the Las Vegas branch of the Copacabana. Less is always more. • Knot each bead into place before you begin to sew, typing on to the back of the fabric. (That way if the thread breaks, you’ll only lose that one bead.). With heavier beads, consider using a small amount of fabric glue. • Pair lightweight beads with lighter, gauzier fabrics and heavy beads with heavier materials. Lighter beads are easier to work with on dresses and last longer. • If you want your beaded seams to last the length of the entire wedding and a couple of hours into the reception, make sure to double stitch them into place. Beads and Bobby Pins Beads can also make beautiful ornaments for the bridesmaids’ coiffures. Even a humble bobby pin can become a work of art when embellished with a cluster of lustrous faux freshwater pearls. The basic bead unit is an approximately six inch length of 28 gauge wire, one fake pearls and two small crystals that will act as spacers. Bend the wire in half, and slide one of the small crystals followed by a pearl to that first wire bend. Now twist the wire to the side of the crystal and loop it a second time through the pearl. Twist the remaining wire together so […]
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