Being asked to be a bridesmaid is big honour. A bride generally chooses her girls based on close friendships.

Her chief bridesmaid will usually be her best friend, a sister or perhaps cousin – someone she has grown up with and has shared precious memories with, good and bad times and secrets that she knows will always be trusted with her.

This change in attitude toward a bridesmaid’s gown has resulted in a more fundamental focus on individuality. With many brides opting to have their bridesmaid’s in a variety of gowns united by a commonality such as colour, length, fabric, neckline or embellishments.

Another modern interpretation has seen co-coordinated separates embraced in place of the traditional one piece gown. There are so many creative dress options limited only by your imagination and possibly budget. Some aspects to keep in mind when making your decision:

Perfect Palette

It's official that purple, whatever the shade, is the new 'black', it is proving to be a popular choice for 2011 wedding colour schemes. it's easy to see why - being one of the few colours that can be both masculine and feminine at the same time, it appeals to the new young romantics at heart and teams up fabulously with a range of other colours

Chic Chicks

Some classy yet fun trends have emerged in bridesmaids fashion, like dresses with pockets; this adds a real sense of sophistication to a seemingly casual dress.

Then there is the Hollywood glamour of super soft feather detailing, and the reinvented use of petals; be it flower prints, flower detailing on the dress or a variance in the flower bouquets; often seen when bridesmaids have bouquets of different blooms and the bride has all these blooms combined in her bouquet.