If you're planning on having more than one flower girl and have done your research then you'll know how expensive they can be. The cost can also rise dramatically if you have more than one or if one of your flower girls is over a certain age, as companies will often charge more for girls over 10.

If you have flower girls around the same age and size then another option is to make the dresses yourself. This can not only work out cheaper as you can adapt a pattern to fit all, but also means you can add individuality to each girls dress to make them stand out in their own special way. Read our tips below to learn how to do this.

Step one. Choose your pattern.
There are many flower girl dress patterns available and these range from about £10 to £200. The pattern has to obviously resemble a dress you like, but if you're a novice then you may also want to go for something without too much detail. It's also important to measure your flower girls and choose a pattern size which will fit the biggest of them all. Another tip here is to remember that children grow quickly, so leave the measuring as late as possible or allow a few inches for growth.

Step 2. Choose your fabric
After the pattern the fabric of the dress is the second most important factor here. The beauty about making your own dress is that you can basically have anything you want as long as you're willing to pay for it. However, do make sure you find something that will match the style of the dress too. There are a range of fabric shops online but before ordering from them, always ask for a sample to be sent to you, as fabrics range in weight and quality. If you live in London then head up to Soho where you will find a range of fabric shops. Alternatively John Lewis has a good range of fabrics in stock but they may be a little bit more expensive.

Step 3. Muslin Mock Up
Although this is something you may only associate with a wedding dress, you should make it a priority for flower girls too. For those that aren't sure, a muslin mock up is a practice run of the real dress, which can be made from cheap material. At this point, you take your flower girl measurements, get the pattern out, cut and mark the fabric, and sew up the dress. It may seem like a lot of hard work but this step is crucial to getting the real dress perfect as it will let you see what needs to be changed and if the measurements are correct.

Step 5. Cut And Mark Your Fabric
Get your dress fabric ready and place the new pattern on it. Here make sure you place the pattern against the grain of the material. The grain dictates how your fabric falls and stretches so you need to make sure you get everything in the right place. I strongly recommend using an alterations lady here to help you. Once this is done you need to carefully cut around the fabric, leaving at least an inch and a half around the end of the pattern for stitching.

Step 6. Tedious tacking
You may be tempted to just get on with sewing the dress but it's really important to make another mock up here. Tack the dress together using a fine needle and thread - you don't have to do tiny stitches here, an inch apart is fine -to make sure it all fits together and put in the zip. This may seem time consuming but it will mean you have a good guideline when you actually start to sew the dress. Get your flower girls to try on their dresses again to make sure they fit.

Final step
You should now have a mock up dress with a good outline for stitching. Thread your machine with the colour thread you require and start sewing. Once this is done you can add crystals and any other decoration.

You've found your frock and pleased your adult bridesmaids with tasteful styles they can wear again, but what about your little flowergirls and pageboys?

If you're having trouble finding the perfect outfits for your younger guests then the Little Eglantine children bridesmaid dress collection may help.

The company has just launched its 2010 collection including this too cute for words, ivory flower girl dress, which combines the luxury of gold embroidered taffeta and the softness of ivory tones. The flounce sleeves add a touch of mischievousness, essential for children.

Complimenting this lovely dress, Peter page boy outfit is composed of a white cotton double breasted shirt, a pair of ivory knickerbockers and a gold cummerbund. We think this is not only cute but also very Victorian. To find out more visit the website or call 020 3287 0648

If you're looking for a cake for a bridal shower then we think we've found the perfect one.

Datin Mary Zain's latest creation is a cake that resembles a bridesmaid dress and we're sure you'll agree that these look more than good enough to eat.

The cakes come in blue and green and have as much detail as a real bridesmaids dress, with the icing looking as smooth as a satin number.

We love the little bow detailing and patterns on the skirts, which really will have your guests fighting for a slice, instead of the bridal bouquet.

Last week we gave you some tips on what to do with your wedding dress after you had worn it on your big day but left out bridesmaids.

However, this weekend we stumbled upon this fabulous website, which we think is an ideal first port of call for ladies looking to get rid of their bridesmaid dresses.

The Glass Slipper Project is an American charity, which is asking for your old bridesmaids dresses to pass on to disadvantaged women in Chicago who cannot afford prom dresses.

It also welcomes donations of formal dresses, shoes, evening bags, jewelry and unused make-up. There are a few conditions, namely the fact that you will need to be prepared to post your frock to America. Dresses should also be less than 5 years old, be in good condition and should also be cleaned before they are sent.

Dresses should also be tea length or long formals. The girls do not take the short dresses.
Find out more on the charity's website.

We love a bridal bargain here at Bridalwave and think this offer is fantastic, especially for brides that have quite a few bridesmaids.

Dower & Hall are offering a special buy-one-get-one-half-price offer on its Twinkle rings range. The collection, which features a variety of colourful gemstones, has been designed to be collected and stacked one on top of the other for a fabulous, sparkling effect.

Visit the store between 14-30 September 2009 to make sure you get the buy one ring and get one half price offer.

Red is going to be big this season with many catwalk designers showing off this colour in their new collections, and of course these trends will filter down to the bridal looks of this year.

If you don't want a red theme for your wedding, but want to stay on top of the latest fashions then Swarovski may have the answer.

The crystal company has designed a range of red gemmed jewellery, which we think will add a touch of colour to your white wedding dress or complete your bridesmaid's outfits.

The facetted Bordeaux crystal gleams in deep shades of red have been made into earrings, necklaces and ring and we absolutely love the (pictured) necklace, which brings a winter feel and can be worn with a strapless dress or sweetheart neckline.

Prices range from around £80 to £100, but with the red trend looking set to stay, you can wear these items again and again.

Bridesmaids dresses for adults can be tricky to get right, especially if you have a few bridesmaids and want them all in one style. There's always one who want like the colour, style or fit.

However we have found some dresses that your bridesmaids won't hate you for. The Autumn/Winter Collections by Uttam, Yumi and Jin-Ja are plain, yet elegant and come in a range of different colours to suit all your bridesmaids.

We love the Mauve 50s style dress (below), which will suit most body shapes. The Pink lace dress (above) is also perfect for brides who want to add some vintage to their special day.

All styles are available from Uttam Direct and range from £60 to £100.

If you don't want the traditional white meringue dress for your wedding day then you'll love this new range by Deploy.

The collection, which has literally just been announced (we hope we're the first to report on it) has some gorgeous satin dresses in a range of colours, which are guaranteed to make you stand out on your big day.

I love this gorgeous silver straight cut halter neck dress, which costs £395 and can be accessorised with a tiara or headscarf.

The blue chiffon dress (below) with sleeves is also another favourite of mine and costs £475.

However, if you're still not convinced then you could always pass them on to your bridesmaids. I certainly wouldn't complain if I had to wear one of these.

There's never really a way to show your bridesmaids and Maid of Honour how thankful you really are for all their help in the lead up to, and on the wedding day.

They'vey consoled you when you've stressed out and organised a big hen night, which, if you hadn't drink so much, you would remember for the rest of your now, married life.

However, with so many bridesmaids presents on the market we're sure you can show them in some way how important they are and how thankful you are for their help.
We have a look at the top bridesmaid's gifts.

Click on the picture to begin the gallery.

We all like to thank our bridesmaids for being such a help on our wedding day and if they like to follow the stars then these pendants are perfect.

Designed by PepperPink, these star sign necklaces are handcrafted with a diamond highlight. They come with a choice of either 9ct white or yellow gold.

However, make sure you give them to your trusted aides after the ceremony. Yes they are nice but we're not sure how well they would go with a bridesmaids dress. Prices start from £90.

From what I hear from past Best Men, the toast is the most nerve wracking and stressful thing ever. How long should it be? Should you include that crude but hilarious anecdote? If you do, will the bride kill you? Should it be funny? Or should it be sentimental? So. Many. Questions.

If you're having a hard time with yours, you might like this amazingly useful website, where you can generate a pre-written toast with just a few clicks. I had a go myself in the name of research and I think Gertrude and Bob will be very happy with what I ended up with. It may be lazy, but hey it works!

Related: Life's little essentials with the Best Man Survival Kit | The Best Man? | YouTube: Bitter best man none too forgiving in his speech

I'd never really thought of black and white as bridesmaids' colours until I saw the photos from the Obama wedding, where all attendants wore monochrome shades. In my bridesmaiding days I stuck to lavender blues and metallics - thankfully escaping the horrors of brown and mauve. But black and white can create the perfect contrast and work particularly well in photos if you're looking for a smart, chic effect.

Many of the outfits here are currently on sale, so if you're planning a winter wedding, now could be a great time to stock up on outfits. Follow the jump for details of each item pictures.

'Maid to Order', Vera Wang's new collection for bridesmaids is a fashion-forward, flattering and versatile collection of dresses that have been designed specially with wedding attendants in mind, but drawing on Wang's impecable talent as an eveningwear designer, they'll make outfits to treasure forever.

With prices starting at the $200 mark, this is not cheap bridesmaid attire, but once your girl friends have seen some of the styles on offer they'll probably be keen to splash out! Colours are all chosen to match wedding themes and all dresses have the option to be made in different shades.

Buying your bridesmaids' dresses for them is a lovely gesture if you can afford it (and, of course, provided you don't harbour a sadistic wish to cramp their style!) so if you're on the lookout for flattering dresses that you can give as gifts without breaking the bank, Matalan has some styles that may interest you.

This 'Et Vous' structured-waist detail dress would make perfect wedding wear, either for attendants or guests. It's a classic and very flattering shape in a colour that works well at summer weddings. Best of all, it's just £28.

Related: Budget Bride: Bridalwave's guide to surviving the credit crunch | Bridesmaid chic: Yellow fever!

Yellow is the big 'fashion colour' at the moment, and thanks to the success of Hollywood rom-com I Love You Man, it's a shade that's starting to creep into wedding style too. So this season, bridesmaids are no longer fading into the shadows wearing dark and drab hues: they're glowing and radiant in hints of gold.

Click on the image below for a larger view, and follow the jump for information on our outfit picks for bridesmaids and attendants!