It's June, which means a lot of you are probably shimmying into bridesmaids dresses you paid a bunch of money for and can't stand.

JoAnn From Bensonhurst is back and in this episode she tells whiny bridesmaids what's what -- namely, the bride has more on her mind than worrying about what dress YOU like! Check her out in the video after the jump. She is a trip. And she's right about this, but I have the key to getting bridesmaids to stop complaining behind your back about what you made them wear.

Pick a color and let them choose it themselves! I did it, and it was one of the better bride decisions I made. Check out the photo!

Letting your bridesmaids pick their own dresses means your friends can wear something that uniquely flatters them, instead of you trying to find one gown that will look good on women with a whole range of body types and coloring. Your friends can stay within their means and not spend $200 on a dress they hate, and you might even achieve the holy grail of bridesmaids' dresses: something they will wear again!

The most important thing is to send out a swatch of the color you want them to wear well in advance of the time they'll need to get to shopping. Make it a color that won't be impossible to find in non-bridal stores; black is good; "pink champagne" is not. And make your parameters clear: Floor length or short? Sparkles or no sparkles? If it's a religious ceremony, how covered up do they need to be?

Another tip: Be forgiving. If you go this route, you will get a million texts asking things like "when you said a solid color, do you mean on the whole dress?" or someone will show up in a dress you can't stand. Remember, though, that you did this to give your friends a break. Better that you hate their dress than they do.

For more of Joanne's unique take on life, and more on parenting and beyond, subscribe to CafeMom Studios YouTube Channel. 

What's your worst bridesmaid dress story?


Image via Dave Pampreen