Bridesmaid Shirts: 30 Bridal Party Ideas for Getting Ready, the Rehearsal and the Hen

Bridesmaid shirts get worn in the getting-ready photos, which means they are in the wedding album forever. That is a good reason to skip the generic "Bride Tribe" and make something that looks like it was designed for this wedding. Here are 30 ideas, the role format that covers everyone from the mother of the bride to the flower girl, and how to order for a party of nine sizes.

Three moments, three shirts?

Moment	Style that works	Item
Getting ready	Soft colours, elegant lettering, oversized	T-shirt or sweatshirt
Rehearsal dinner	Names and roles, a small crest	T-shirt
Hen / bachelorette	Loud, funny, matching	T-shirt or cap; see bachelorette shirts

One set for getting ready and the hen is normal. Three is a lot; the first row is the one that ends up in the album.

30 bridesmaid shirt ideas

Elegant (for the photos)

1. Each bridesmaid's first name in fine script, "Bride" on the bride
2. A single line-drawn flower matching the bouquet, in the wedding colour
3. The wedding date in small serif type on the chest
4. Bride's new surname as a monogram on her, the bridesmaids' initials on theirs
5. A tiny illustration of the venue
6. Tonal print: cream lettering on a cream shirt

Roles

7. Bride, Maid of Honour, Bridesmaid, Mother of the Bride, Mother of the Groom, Flower Girl, all in the same lettering
8. "Bride's Mum" and "Groom's Mum" in matching script
9. "Junior Bridesmaid" and "Flower Girl" on the smallest sizes worn as dresses
10. "Officiant" for the friend doing the ceremony
11. "Dog of Honour" on a bandana-sized design for the ring bearer with four legs

Funny

12. "I'm just here for the cake"
13. "Bridesmaid: emotional support, hair pins, emergency snacks"
14. "Maid of dishonour"
15. "Does this shirt make me look like a bridesmaid?"
16. "Bride's security"
17. "Vow-erfully excited"
18. "Been there, married that" for the married bridesmaids

Themed

19. Beach wedding: shells with each name
20. Barn wedding: wildflowers and a wooden-sign style
21. City wedding: the skyline with a heart over the venue
22. Winter wedding: matching sweatshirts with a small snowflake crest
23. Destination wedding: passport-stamp design with the country and date

Matching sets

24. Same design, bridesmaids in blush, bride in white
25. Bride in a hoodie, bridesmaids in tees, same graphic
26. Caps for the pool day before the wedding
27. Sweatshirts for the getting-ready morning with names on the sleeve

Groomsmen

28. Same crest as the bridesmaids in the groom's colour
29. "Groom's crew" in varsity letters, see bachelor party shirts
30. Caps with initials for the golf morning

Sizing a bridal party

Getting-ready shirts are worn oversized on purpose, so order one size up from normal. Ask everyone for the armpit-to-armpit measurement of a shirt they like and use the size chart. Print on demand prices every size the same, so a party ranging from a flower girl in the smallest unisex size to a 3XL costs the same per shirt.

When to order

Order six weeks before the hen or the wedding, whichever comes first: two weeks to collect sizes, two to four for production and delivery.

Making it

Describe it in one sentence, for example "a single line-drawn peony in dusty rose with the word Bridesmaid in fine serif underneath, no background". The Wearlie designer makes it; change the word per person and order on tees or sweatshirts.

Frequently asked questions

How much do bridesmaid shirts cost?

About $36 per custom tee and $38 per sweatshirt, shipping included, with no minimum.

Who pays for bridesmaid shirts?

Usually the bride, as part of the bridesmaid gift. There is no rule.

Can each shirt have a different role?

Yes, at no extra cost.