How I Found the Perfect Maternity Bridesmaid Dress

Wondering how to find all of your bridesmaids—including your pregnant bridesmaid—a wedding-worthy look? Don’t fret. You’re not the first bride-to-be with an expectant mom in your wedding party, and you certainly won’t be the last. Trust me, I speak from experience.

Asking four of my closest friends to be my bridesmaids was a highlight of my wedding planning experience. And when it came time to find bridesmaid dresses I was beyond excited. I decided to go for a mix-and-match look for my bridal party, giving them the freedom to pick their own dress based on a color theme of my choosing. (Blue and white with the option to go floral, to be exact.) My newly-married bestie, Niamh, threw herself into dress shopping and soon ordered a stunning floral dress from Anne Louise Boutique. We planned a try-on party so I could give my seal of approval in person, but to my surprise she showed me a picture of it instead. “Great…but can you try it on for me?” I asked, rather perplexed. “That’s the thing,” she said with a smile, “I don’t think it’s going to fit me come May.” The penny finally dropped and we all squealed in delight as she pulled out a picture of her 12-week ultrasound. My bridesmaid was officially pregnant!

And so the maternity bridesmaid dress hunt began in earnest. Niamh’s due date was days out from my wedding, so I didn’t just need to find a dress that looked good—I had to factor in her comfort as well. And while there are plenty of stunning maternity bridesmaid dresses on the market, even I, someone who knows the maternity world inside and out, found the search to be a challenge. Keep reading to find out what I learned during my hunt for the perfect maternity bridesmaid dress, and browse a few of my personal favorites to shop right now.

How I Chose the Best Maternity Bridesmaid Dresses

As an e-commerce editor for The Bump, I like to keep abreast of cool new brands in the maternity fashion world, and when it came to the perfect dress for my friend, I had a long list of requirements. Here are the steps I took to find a gown for my pregnant bridesmaid and how I sourced other options for every wedding style, theme and color scheme:

• I leveraged my familiarity with leading brands, combed through countless options online and researched trending maternity bridesmaid dress styles.
• I considered several factors when sourcing stylish maternity bridesmaid dresses for this article, including color, fabric composition, style and fit.
• I read user reviews from expectant moms to get a better understanding of how these dresses look and feel, and didn’t consider anything with less than an average four-star rating.

Editorial integrity is at the heart of everything we publish. Read about how The Bump develops and reviews all articles, including product reviews.

My Top Three Maternity Bridesmaid Dresses

I had four bridesmaids in total, and my initial plan was to have two wearing florals and two in solid blue dresses. But as the saying goes: The best laid plans often go awry. And as the other looks had already been chosen, I faced a mad dash to find a floral maternity bridesmaid dress fit for a queen (AKA my pregnant bestie). To take the pressure off, I considered a few plain options. Prime among them was this light blue dress by Bumpsuit. It’s a brand both Niamh and I had heard of and she was eager to try, so I was delighted to see they offered a few maternity bridesmaid dress options. The dress is made from a double-lined jersey and has a pretty off-the-shoulder neckline, but ultimately we decided that something with a strap would work better on the day. We also ordered and tried a fitted floral bodycon dress by Club L London. I loved the romantic porcelain print and the asymmetric neckline. But I felt that the bodycon silhouette may be too restrictive and the longer length swamped Niamh’s petite frame.

After much deliberation—and online sleuthing—we settled on The Rowena Dress by Hill House Home as the perfect dress for my pregnant bridesmaid. Now to be clear this isn’t technically a maternity dress, but it had many pregnancy-friendly features. (Full disclosure: We ordered one size up and Niamh did have the length altered so that it didn’t rise up too much in the front.) For starters, the empire-waist cut is extremely flattering and practical. It nips in just under the bustline and then flares out into a full skirt leaving plenty of room for a baby bump. Another perk of having a free-flowing skirt is that your movement won’t be restricted, so she was able to walk with ease rather than doing an awkward penguin shuffle up the aisle. Other features of note include a ruched back panel for added stretch and the viscose fabric, which is silky-soft and breathable.

Aside from the stellar fit and fabric choice, I think you’ll agree that this dress is downright beautiful. The washed out botanic print inspired by pressed flowers totally fits the theme of my summer wedding and the satin-effect material has a lovely sheen to it. My bridesmaid loved the minimalist design, and said it was super-comfortable to wear on the day. And despite the fact that she was 8+ months pregnant, she was one of the last people to leave the dancefloor at our wedding reception. Unfortunately, this dress is now sold out in most sizes, but Hill House Home has a selection of maternity-friendly frocks that I urge you to consider if you’re part of a wedding party in 2025.

Best Maternity Bridesmaid Dresses

Of course, my top three choices won’t resonate with every bride or mom-to-be. Each wedding style and color-scheme is different, and when it comes to maternity bridesmaid dresses the options are endless. Thankfully, as I pored over brands in my search, I discovered more than a dozen dresses in a wide range of gorgeous colors and styles. Below find a few favorites that didn’t match my wedding aesthetic, but may be a perfect fit for yours.

Things to Consider When Shopping for a Maternity Bridesmaid Dress

Timing is key when it comes to selecting a maternity bridesmaid dress. A boutique is a great option for those seeking some extra style guidance from bridal experts, but keep in mind that it can sometimes take two to three months for a dress to arrive. For my own May wedding, we had to have a decision made by February at the latest. If you’re shopping online, the lead time may be shorter, but you’ll still need to factor in alterations, which can take two to six weeks. And while tailoring definitely has its place, don’t assume a regular dress can be altered to fit a pregnant body.

In terms of style, look for pregnancy-friendly silhouettes—like an empire-waist gown or a sheath dress—that’ll look beautiful and still accommodate a growing baby bump. (After all, that bump will be bigger by the time the wedding takes place!) Pregnancy skin can be prone to irritation, so consider opting for soft and flowy fabrics (think: jersey, chiffon and silk) that won’t rub or chafe.

Consider how the maternity style will work with the other outfits in your bridal party. To keep things cohesive you can opt for coordinated rather than matching dresses. Simply select a color palette or preferred style, and allow your bridesmaids to choose their own dresses (pending your approval, of course). That way, your pregnant BFF can select a dress that makes her look and feel great, and still works within the wedding theme. Remember that people view color subjectively: for example, my take on dusty blue may appear gray to others. To get around this particular niggle in the planning process, I created a mood board for my bridesmaids with pictures of dress styles I liked as well as color swatches.

When ordering a dress, sizing up may be advised, especially if you’re using a pregnancy-friendly gown rather than a dedicated maternity dress like Niamh and I did. If you’re shopping in-store, ask the retail experts for advice. Alternatively, if you’re browsing online, stick to the maternity section and read the site’s size guidelines before making a purchase.

About the writer:
Martina Garvey is a 2024 bride and editor at The Bump, where she writes and edits e-commerce content covering pregnancy, postpartum and parenting. Over an eight-year career in educational publishing and digital media, Martina has developed a keen eye for detail and robust reporting skills. As a staff member on The Bump for over three years, she leverages an in-depth knowledge of must-have baby gear, maternity fashion and postpartum essentials alongside a passion for the latest trends to create informative content parents can trust.