Bridesmaids paying for their dresses

You could ask each of them something like, "What is your budget for your bridesmaids dress? I'd like to make sure that whatever we all decide on is in range for everyone." I would ask individually and not as a group text, so no one feels pressured to raise their budget if it's lower than what everyone else lists.

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Ditto. It's considerate to consult your bridesmaids for budget and style if they will be paying for the dress.

I would simply let them know the color/style you would like and tell them to please find anything they are comfortable in within their budget. You don't even need to know the dollar amount they will be spending.

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That's another great option.

Before you ask your friends to be bridesmaids, you need to let them know that they need to pay for one list of items and you have a list of expectations of them, and be clear about both. That information lets them decide if they want to be and can afford to be a bridesmaid before any other planning takes place. Every bridesmaid situation is different and every bride has a different list of expectations. Keep in mind that a bridesmaid dress will not be worn for longer than 6-12 hours for the lifetime of the dress so try to keep costs low (for some, $100 is a lot and for others it’s reasonable for one time wear, not counting accessories). Talk to them individually about their budgets.

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The only expectation should be that they purchase the dress, attend a rehearsal if possible, and show up on the wedding day. Most people aren't aware that the couple are properly responsible for out of town wedding party accomodations. Other than that the only other expense would be to pay for their own transportation. Anything else would be up to the bridesmaid to volunteer and inappropriate to expect or ask for.

I would just ask for their budget ideas, as should be done anyway before selecting a dress.