Men's Wedding Style

As the new comedy Bridesmaids hits theaters this weekend, we wanted to celebrate those unsung heroes of the wedding.

From the ill-fitting dresses to the ridiculous camera poses to the bridezilla attacks, these ladies deserve a medal for their bridal bravery.

Be prepared to cringe at our awfully great and greatly awful collection of maids. Click on the thumbnail images below:

Your best friend's getting married. Great! You now have to fork over hundreds of dollars on a hideous bridesmaid dress. Boo.

Don't fret, Rent the Runway has come to the rescue. Granted, we all can't look like Pippa Middleton and wear a knock-out Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen gown for the occasion. But we can still rock a designer frock thanks to the bridal collection offered by the borrowers-friendly site, which supplies dresses and accessories for all occasions.

Launched in January of this year, Rent the Runway's newest service allows cash-strapped, fashion-conscious maids to rent color-coordinated dresses from top-notch designers, including Robert Rodriguez, Nicole Miller, Shoshanna, Calypso and Badgley Mischka for fees ranging from $300 to $1000. "Because bridesmaid dresses are the quintessential dress women only wear once there is very high demand," says Jenny Fleiss, the company's president and co-founder.

Here's how it works: Search the available dresses by color, length or designer. Then, select a delivery date. Dresses can be reserved for four- or eight-day periods. You also have the option of a one-day fitting, in addition to the rental term.

You'll get the dress in two different sizes, so you won't have to play a guessing game! Plus, as extra peace of mind, you can add a back-up style for $25. Once you're done wowing the crowd with your I-can't-believe-it's-a-bridesmaid dress, send it back. Rent the Runway even handles the dry cleaning!


The only drawback? If you love the dress, you can't keep it. Jennifer Hyman, CEO and co-founder, explains that the company currently doesn't offer the option to buy because the dress may have already been promised to another bridesmaid for an upcoming wedding.

In addition to the attendants' looks, brides can also browse options for their own wedding-related events, such as engagement and bachelorette parties, receptions and even the honeymoon.

Vera Wang and David's Bridal's marriage has just produced its first offspring.

The designer, who recently debuted her wedding dress designs for the retailer, has released a sneak peek of the accompanying collection, Women's Wear Daily reports.

Starting in June, your bridesmaids will be able to drool over seven different dresses, priced from $158 to $200.

Get the scoop on Vera Wang's bridesmaid dresses >>

Gathering a wedding party is somewhat akin to amassing a small army. There are battles over dresses and napkins and whether or not the DJ should play that chicken dance song. It's hectic. However, none of that should trickle down too far. That's where the ring bearer is standing, and he's too young to deal with such adult tensions. Except for the chicken dance. He's for it, and really, doesn't he deserve that much?


The ring bearer is part of the "ah" moment -- the cute duo consisting of the young man and his lovely counterpart with the petals. They give everyone a smile and a chance to prep their tears. Plus, rings aren't cheap. It's a lot of pressure on a kid.

What the ring bearer wears shouldn't be a concern. You've got enough trouble with the DJ (hokey pokey? really?). Don't fret! The good people at Nautica are teaming with Aisledash.com to help. One lucky reader won a boy's suit from Nautica, and their ring bearing day will be so fresh and so clean. And then smeared with unattended pieces of cake.

That lucky reader is Barbara Coatsworth. Congrats, Barbara!

Thanks for entering the Boy's Ring Bearer Suit from Nautica Giveaway!

Red is the hottest color this season judging by celebs seen on the red carpet. To incorporate this hue into your bridal party we've found the best red dresses and accessories. Choose a cream floral bouquet to balance out this vibrant color.

Lazaro red Mikado floor length gown with strapless sweetheart corset, $280, jlmcouture.com; Gerard Yosca red deco earrings, $275, charmandchain.com; Kate Spade bow-hinged bangle, $78, nordstrom.com; Zara Terez red clutch, price available upon request, zaraterez.com; White House Black Market ruby satin rose heel shoes, $108, whitehouseblackmarket.com; Melissa Sweet red satin cocktail dress with oversized bow detail, price available upon request, priscillaofboston.com.