ACK! Adding bridesmaids 3 months to go...

[Lynnie]

Wedding is in April. Since the engagement last January, FI and I have maintained a commitment to a simple outdoor ceremony. MOH & BM. He has 2 sisters. I get along with them fine, but between his mom and his sisters, there is always some sort of drama. And lots of tattoos and piercings. Which is fine, just not my taste. Money is always very tight with his family, and after speaking with the sisters and FMIL, we decided on the MOH and BM only idea. His sisters were totally fine with the idea. No qualms (and believe me, they would surely let me know if they were upset about not being bridesmaids). FMIL was another story. She was upset for a bit (I can understand why), but got over it.
Now, I have 2 brothers. One is 10 years older, and I am not close with him at all, really. We get together around the holidays and stuff, but don''t hang out regularly or anything. My younger (by 14 months) brother and I are very close and hang out all the time- I am so happy to be able to say that he is one of my best friends. I had been planning on having my younger brother walk me down the aisle (our father was MIA for most of my teen years, and we have a weird/civil but not close relationship).

This past New Year''s Eve I worked overnight. FI''s youngest sister (21... I''ll call her D), was at a bar and there was a shooting. 3 people shot, one died. D is fine, thank God.

That following weekend, FI and I were hanging out with some friends. We got home, FI was pretty buzzed (but not falling down drunk or anything), and you know how booze brings out the truth? He says to me something along the lines of "I''ve been thinking about this for a while now. A couple months. I really want my sisters in the wedding. And with what happened to D over New Years... I decided I couldn''t not tell you"... and he had tears in his eyes. And he goes on to apologize about not saying anything until now.

I couldn''t say no. I totally understand how he feels - I''m not upset in the least (well, except for the fact that he should have brought this up 2 months ago, but I think the incident with D was the last all-important straw). So I called his sisters and asked them to be Bridesmaids, and they said yes. And I called my brothers and they said yes. FMIL is thrilled, despite the sarcastic "late in the game" comment she made.

Prior plans had been for me and MOH to go shopping once more stores had spring lines out, and I was gonna pay for her dress. She could pick out anything she wanted in any shade of green or pink. Now that those plans are scratched, we are all heading to David''s Bridal this Tuesday.

Questions:
Are the dresses going to have to be rush-ordered?
Any suggestions for BM dresses that won''t break the bank? I''m thinking I may put $75 towards each dress. I know his sisters don''t have/make a lot of $.
I can still have my brother walk me down the aisle, right? The girls can walk by themselves, while the guys wait at the end? Or should my older bro walk with both sisters? Will that be weird?

Arg. TIA

 

[Smurfysmiles]

I think having the girls walk by themselves is fine with the guys at the end, a lot of people do it that way and then your brother can walk you down the aisle
you could still have each girl pick her own dress, have you considered that? I think David''s Bridal is pretty good about getting dresses. We went there for my bm dress for my sisters wedding and it was ready within like a month and half and I am very short and had to get it altered. I think everything will be fine, no need to stress

 

[bee*]

They''ll be fine walking up themselves-I''m having even numbers in the bridal party and the girls are still walking in themselves. If you have to put a rush order through, maybe have a look around some of the normal stores and see are there any dresses that you like that you can take away with you on the day.