Bridesmaid Dress Swatches 101: Where to Get Them and Why You Should

It may be the only "free" item on your wedding to-do list.

Snag Free Bridesmaid Dress Swatches at These Top Shops

Photo: Leslie Hollingsworth

Updated Oct 01, 2025

Selecting bridesmaid dresses may be, low-key, the toughest task on a bride's to-do list: She has to please multiple people, be cognizant of costs, and pick something that flatters all body types and skin tones. The secret weapon? Bridesmaid dress swatches.

Bridesmaid dress fabric swatches are exactly what they sound like: Small samples of the fabric a dress will be made in. The small scraps of material can be ordered—often for free—well ahead of placing a dress order, so brides and their bridal parties can get an IRL look at the exact color and feel of the fabrication.

Birdy Grey is one of a few go-to bridesmaid brands that offer swatches to help narrow down your bridesmaid dress ideas. We spoke with its founder and chief creative officer, Grace Lee, about what swatches are and all the reasons brides should order them.

In this article:

What Are Bridesmaid Dress Swatches?
Why You Should Order Bridesmaid Dress Swatches
Where to Get Free Bridesmaid Dress Swatches

What Are Bridesmaid Dress Swatches?

"Fabric swatches are small samples of bridesmaid dress materials and colors—so you can see, touch and compare shades and textures in real life before committing to a full order," Lee says. Each retailer treats them slightly differently. "At Birdy Grey, they come packaged in a branded folder, so it's easy to keep them organized while wedding planning." Swatches especially come in handy if you plan on doing mismatched bridesmaid dresses or matching the gowns to the groomsmen's ties; seeing the exact shade in person can help ensure everything is cohesive. While they don't totally take the place of bridesmaid dress shopping (a swatch won't show you what the dress silhouette looks like on, of course), free bridesmaid dress swatches can help the bride narrow down her vision ahead of time.

Why You Should Order Bridesmaid Dress Swatches

There's really no reason not to get swatches; here are more than half a dozen benefits.

Seeing the color IRL: Ever see that disclaimer on a retail site, "colors may appear different on different monitors"? That's because it's practically impossible to showcase a true hue online; plus, same-named bridesmaid dress colors may look different across brands or in different fabrications. "Seeing colors on screen is one thing—but swatches let you experience them in real life, so you can pick your favorites with confidence," Lee says.
Feeling the fabric: Especially if you are opting for a textural material—velvet, jacquard or brocade, rather than silk satin—getting a physical feel for the fabric can help determine its quality, weight and exact color variation.
Curating mismatched styles: "Mix and match has been on the rise, and swatches are the best way to see how the colors marry together," Lee says. Especially if your bridesmaids will be shopping different brands, coordinating mismatched bridesmaid dresses is key. (Seeing the swatch can also help you coordinate the bridal party with the groomsmen attire, mother-of-the-bride dress color, flower girl dress color and other key outfits.)
Bridesmaid styling: Even after the dress is selected, you can use the swatches to help style each bridesmaid's look. Hold the fabrics up against shoe options, or use them to choose between gold and silver jewelry.
Wedding planning: Besides the bridesmaids, there may be other people interested in seeing the swatches. "Brides love sharing them with their wedding planners, florists, photographers and more," Lee says. "It makes it so much easier to coordinate flowers, decor and accessories." Pin the swatches onto your wedding vision board to reference the color palette again and again.
Proposing to your 'maids: The swatch itself doesn't have to be a throwaway; there are countless ways to use it throughout the wedding planning journey. "We've seen them incorporated into the bridesmaid proposal boxes," Lee says, "which gets the bridesmaids excited to be a part of the big day!"
Adding to flatlays: Another fun reuse? Hold on to the swatches and bring them with you the morning of the wedding for wedding flatlay photos. Flatlays are styled images that showcase the wedding invitation suite, accessories, fragrance, personal heirlooms and more, usually captured by the photographer or content creator while the bride is getting ready.
They're free: We hate to say it, but there are very, very few free wedding items—so when you come across one, why not? Swatches for bridesmaid dresses can offer so much information gathering; they're basically free peace of mind.

Where to Get Free Bridesmaid Dress Swatches

The really good news? Bridesmaid dress color swatches are usually a free wedding item. Some of our favorite places to buy bridesmaid dresses offer at least a certain number of swatches at no cost, with the option of purchasing more.

Birdy Grey

Birdy Grey is one of the top bridesmaid dress brands, and it's easy to see why: There is something for everyone, with more than 90 (yes, you read that right) colors and patterns to choose from (the label's floral bridesmaid dresses are some of our faves). They offer a variety of fabrics, from matte satin to velvet to crepe, and note that the colors can look up to 25% different when rendered in different materials. As for swatches, "brides can order as many as they'd like!" Lee says. "The first six are on us, so you can test-drive your full palette before committing."

Get 10 free swatches, first time customers only with code KNOTFRIENDS.

Number of free swatches: 6 swatches for free, no code needed
Regular cost per swatch: $2
Number of color options: 96
Number of fabric options: 7

Get Swatches

Revelry

If you're looking to mix and match, this is the place to do it. Revelry has prebatched palettes of colors and fabrics that go beautifully together (think: Coastal Blues, Enchanted Pinks) and packages them together on a comprehensive multi-swatch page. Plus, their one-off "mega swatches" are larger than the average fabric swatch at 8.5 x 9 inches, all the better for flatlay photos!

Number of free swatches: 1 swatch page free (contains a palette of 9–17 swatches)
Regular cost per swatch: $3
Number of color options: 132
Number of fabric options: 13

Get Swatches

Azazie

Azazie offers individual swatches or preset swatch cards that showcase a collection of colors; you can also purchase a swatch of their skin-tone tulle liners and a flexible fabric measuring tape to take each maid's measurements. In addition to fabric swatches, Azazie sells its fabric by the yard for a closer look or to create matching accessories, like silk purses. The options are endless!

Number of free swatches: 6 free swatches, no code needed
Regular cost per swatch: $1 per swatch, $3 per page
Number of color options: 94
Number of fabric options: 13

Get Swatches

Kennedy Blue

Here you can order individual swatches, swatch pages or a bundled book of the entire swatch inventory if you're extra indecisive. In addition to swatches, Kennedy Blue also offers a try-at-home option, allowing bridesmaids to try on the whole dress for $10 each and return it with a prepaid label.

Number of free swatches: 3 free swatches by entering your email address
Regular cost per swatch: $2 per swatch, $4 for a fabric page, $16 for a bundle of all chiffon colors, $32 for an all-fabric swatch bundle
Number of color options: 78
Number of fabric options: 3

Get Swatches

Bella Bridesmaids

Bella carries bridesmaids' dresses by dozens of designers, so it's a little trickier to offer swatches. Four of their top labels, however, do: Amsale, Jenny Yoo, LulaKate and Dessy Group. Here you'll find swatches for ultra-unique fabrics, like Jenny Yoo's sequin tulle or LulaKate's floral jacquards.

Number of free swatches: no free swatch package
Regular cost per swatch: $5–$7
Number of color options: more than 50
Number of fabric options: more than 20

Get Swatches

Jenny Yoo

Jenny Yoo is a leader in luxe bridesmaids' dresses—you have to see (and feel) the fabrics to believe it. The label's swatches are $5 each, but they also have an online style board tool, where you can pin favorite dresses and swatches right on the website to curate a vision before placing your swatch or dress order.