There’s a full-shoe, grass-sinking protector: http://grasswalkers.com
I did’t see any bad reviews, but think that taping both the sole and heel would be awkward to walk in.
I’m dipping my toe (pun intended) in this thread because it looks like 2017 will be DS and his fiancee’s year!
OMG, @aMacMom: I clicked on the link to see them – I’ve generally been aware of this product – because I’ve been thinking we should buy a bunch of these for the ladies to grab as they approach the grassy area. But a “party pack” of 50 pairs costs $400!!! I think cheap flip flops would be less expensive.
ETA: Of course with flip flops, no one could wear stockings or hose and then put on the flip flops.
I posted earlier about the costs of bridesmaid dresses for my sons wedding.
S and fiancé visited this weekend. Dresses were in the $200 range not $300. Fiancé was not communicating with D very well, the other girls were aware of the price of the dress. But fiancé texted pictures to D and I told D that my offer still stands. So whew, the price was still high but I’m covering the cost so everyone seems happy.
A cousin’s daughter had an outdoor wedding at a farm. On their wedding website they advised female guests not to wear heels, but to wear wedges or flats instead. The bride wore high-top, white sneakers; MOB wore flat sandals. I wore wedge sandals and had no problem sinking into the ground. The reception was under a tent with a dance floor.
@VeryHappy I must say when I glanced at the Grasswalker’s “party pack” I read it as $40. $400??? Yikes. I travel with cheap fold-up ballet slippers because I always over estimate how long I’m going to be able to deal with heels at an event. There are websites that sell them as bridesmaid/guest gifts, but I didn’t find anything that wasn’t also pricy.
I like the ballet slippers idea. I’m going to go to a few local stores and see if they can give me a deal if I buy, say, 40 pairs.
What size should I get that will work for most women?
I would do a range of 7-10 mostly 8 or 9 though. But my petite footed daughter is a 7 and my Shrek feet are a 10. 
Honestly…let folks bring their own flat shoes. Last summer we went to a wedding where everyone could take a pair of flip flops with the bride and groom’s name on them. I think they had 100 pairs, and most didn’t get touched.
Ballet slippers are expensive (we had a DD, and bought them for years). What about those oriental black canvas Mary Jane style shoes? They are about $2 a pair. If you decide to get them, get some small, some medium and some large. Medium with the largest number.
But really…this is an necessary expense, in my opinion, when almost everyone who will want them owns a pair of flats they can tote along.
I hate to admit it, but I have been practicing walking in heels, with the majority of my weight on the balls of my feet instead of the heel in case the ground is soft. I don’t like flats or wedges, so you would have to pry my 3 or 4 inch heels off my dead body at D’s wedding.
Okay, I may be a bit shallow. @-)
If you can handle 3 or 4 inch heels so well that you can actually shift your weight forward in them, @CottonTales, go for it! I’m green with envy. I have horrible feet and will be hard-pressed to manage an hour in tiny 1-inch heels while photos are being taken.
There’s a horribly embarrassing photo from d2’s wedding of me walking in to the reception with dh. I had changed from my baby heels into some nice, sparkly Toms flats. In the picture it looks like I’m wearing canvas sneakers. Aaack.
Oh, to have better feet.
I saw on another thread that some September '17 MOBs and MOGs already have found dresses and are focusing on shoes and other accessories. I have yet to begin to even look for a dress for a May engagement party, much less their September 3 wedding. When it comes to shopping, the phrase that best describes me is analysis by paralysis. I think I’d better get started!! Actually, though it seems backwards, I’d rather shop for shoes than dresses.
runnersmom, I started looking for a dress in April '15 for a late August '15 wedding. It all worked out fine. I planned to start earlier, but then got sick. If you start now, you’ll be able to do it, but I wouldn’t wait much longer.
What do you do when MOB says she hasn’t yet found a dress but it will be “fabulous” and FDIL says she doesn’t care about color, length etc. She suspects her mom will wear long because she doesn’t like to show her legs and the dress for the wedding is “cocktail attire.” I can go either way, and am very comfortable in short…well anywhere from just above the knee to floor length. Wedding party will likely wear short dresses, but even that is not set in stone, AFAIK. The only color that has been mentioned is navy and B suggested I wear that, too. I worry that navy is not one color and I don’t want to clash/compete. How would you proceed?
Buy what you like, what looks good on you, and what is in your budget. If the bride has no strong preferences stated, then it’s fair game. I don’t think everything has to be all match, matchy.
I ordered a custom-made dress online, and got it a couple weeks ago. My two sisters drove long-distance to shop with me–after I’d already ordered the dress. They warned me not to order from one of those “cheap websites,” but I took a risk. I was looking for something very specific–long gown/sleeves to cover elbows (or jacket)/no plunging backs or necklines/church appropriate/not too long as I don’t wear heels over 1". The price-$80.99 plus $14 shipping–with no need for alterations–was very reasonable. I didn’t tell my sisters about it until after I got the dress and saw that it was absolutely fine–better than expected, same quality or better than what we saw in stores. (I admit I was nervous opening the package–afraid it would be flimsy fabric, etc., but it was very good).
Sisters and I shopped an enitire day–exhausting, as I hate shopping (I’m a jeans/t-shirt/tennis shoes person) but fun memory with my sisters-- we don’t get together that often. (They live about 11hr drive away in same city–and they don’t get along that well, rarely talk to each other at home–so it really meant a lot that they came up with this idea together!) The very first dress I tried on was great, and we were thinking–“So much for a day of shopping–we’re done!” But unfortunately, the smallest size it came in was a 6 (I’m a 4) and because of the highly textured fabric, would likely not look right if taken in. It was a bit expensive, too.
The only other “perfect dress” I tried on that day did not have a price tag on it.The sales lady said, “Oh, that’s my FAVORITE dress!” when she saw me going to try it on. Sisters and I were joking about the lack of price tag (like, "if you have to ask, you can’t afford it. . .) I liked it so much–I did ask for the price: $550! No way (more than the bride’s gown. . .) I was looking for something under $200, or under $100 if I could find it. Which I did. The only “success” that day was that I found D’s prom dress on sale at another store for 20% off–so bought it and returned the other one. And got a $30 gift card with that purchase, which D later used for shoes.
A few weeks later I was shopping for Easter dresses for my daughters at Burlington. I found a nice gown there for only $39. It wasn’t the best color for me, but would’ve been acceptable if I didn’t already have a dress.This is the dress I got, btw.
(And in looking for this link, I see a lot of new styles that I like as much or better than the dress I got!
I also see that the price is now $9 more than I paid a month ago. http://www.lightinthebox.com/2017-lanting-bride-a-line-mother-of-the-bride-dress-elegant-floor-length-3-4-length-sleeve-chiffon-lace-with-beading-sash-ribbon_p5209497.html?category_id=2545&prm=1.4.1.1
The color I got is “ink blue”–sort of a dark teal or greenish blue. (Preferred navy, but bride’s mom has navy. . .)
I think it’s a very pretty dress!
That dress is gorgeous, atomom. And I love a peplum.
Very elegant, @atamom, and what a great price!
Thanks! I didn’t know how the custom made dress would turn out, but it fits perfectly. It is nice not to worry about alterations. Most of the dresses I tried on in stores were way too long because they are made for high heels. (And I’m 5’7"–they must be way WAY too long on shorter ladies.) Even on this site, they say that they automatically add 2" for heels. I saw some reviews complaining about the length (too long) so I took those 2" off my measurement, and it came out just right. BTW, I’d say the dress is more “substantial” than it looks in the photo–fully lined, built in bra. Actually higher quality than I was expecting for the price.
runnersmom - I wasn’t sure what MOB was going to wear 2 years ago. DIL wasn’t very helpful when she said her mother was probably going to wait til a month or 2 before the wedding to go shopping, and thought her mother would wear a green dress, length unknown. The bridesmaids were likely wearing tea-length blue dresses.
Imagine my surprise when I get an email from DIL telling me her mother picked out a silver, full-lenght dress, and that the MOH was also wearing a long dress. I was expecting to wear knee-length given what she’d told me earlier. I ended up getting a full-length dress, but if I had to do it over again, I would’ve gotten the knee length I wanted originally. DIL didn’t really care what dress I got as long as I was happy with it.
Get what you want as long as the bride is fine with it.