How To Choose A Wedding Dress
Many people have been dreaming of their wedding day since they learned how to tie their shoes. Whether you think you know exactly what type of dress you want, have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to dress inspiration, or it’s never crossed your mind, there are many steps to take before you decide on your wedding dress!
No matter how excited you are, finding your dream gown can be exhausting. Sequins, lace, tulle, A-line, mermaid, sheath, the list goes on. There’s an entire world of wedding dresses to discover, and I’m here to help you decode which style is right for your big day.
Consider Your Body Type
Different dress silhouettes accentuate different parts of your body. Here are some body types and accompanying silhouettes that will flatter them the most. If you need help figuring out what body you have, check out this calculator.
Before we dive in, it’s important to remember that you should wear whatever you feel the best in! These are just recommendations.
Hourglass | Suggested Silhouette: Mermaid
A mermaid style wedding dress is designed to flatter and accentuate your natural feminine curves. Try to avoid loose-fitting sheath styles that could drown out your figure.
Tall & Skinny | Suggested Silhouette: Princess/Ballgown
Your long legs can handle a beautiful flowy flared dress. Try to avoid empire waists since they have a prominent skirt section that can be overwhelming with your tall stature.
Petite | Suggested Silhouette: Sheath
Sheath dresses hug your body but not too tight. This silhouette will give off an illusion of more curves. Try to avoid dropped waistlines, they tend to shorten you by visually lowering the starting point for your legs and hips.
Pear | Suggested Silhouette: Ballgown
A ballgown dress is great for pear shapes because it sinches in your waist and gives you flare at your hips and thighs. Having a voluminous skirt is great for creating more proportions. Try to avoid extreme fit and flares if you’re trying to hide your hips.
Inverted Triangle | Suggested Style: Trumpet
This style will bring attention to your hips and balance your figure. Try to avoid high-neck tops that will put emphasis on your upper body.
Apple | Suggested Silhouette: A-Line
Since A-Lines are narrow at the top and flare out at the waist, this creates a slenderizing “A” shape that will help elongate your figure and define the shape.
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Keep Venue In Mind
If you’re planning on getting married on the beach during an intimate ceremony, a ball gown dress might not be your best option. Keep your venue and theme in mind as you browse dresses because the last thing you want is for your dress to clash with your overall wedding style. Here are some typical dress styles and accompanying venues they would look perfect in.
But before you dive into the next topic, if you haven't decided which venue or wedding dress is the right one for you, take our 1-minute quiz and discover your wedding vision. Having a complete idea of your wedding vision will guide you to choose the beautiful wedding dress you always dream about and the great venue you deserve.
Classic: These dresses are designed to be timeless and come in tried and true simple silhouettes. A classic wedding dress is usually not overly ornate or trendy.
Where to wear: A traditional or holiday ceremony. Since these dresses are so timeless, they’ll look great during a luxurious, regal night.
Romantic: These dresses are airy and effortless. If you want to feel like you’ve just crawled out of a fairytale book, this will be a dress for you.
Where to wear: Any kind of outside ceremonies like a beach, vineyard, or woods. The beauty of nature will make your dress pop.
Fashionable: These dresses are trendy and typically make statements. They’re bold and will definitely be the center of attention.
Where to wear: At an art gallery or museum of any sort. If you’re wearing a trendy dress that screams high-fashion, you need a room that can fit your big personality and dress.
Vintage: Vintage dresses suit the era they were first worn in. Shopping vintage can slash costs while you find a totally unique, timeless style for your wedding dress.
Where to wear: Any wedding that has a specific theme. Maybe you want a flare of disco, Ancient Greece, or Great Gatsby. A vintage dress would truly shine in one of those themes.
Styling Pointers To Remember
The number one rule to remember is to be yourself! Whatever your personality and style fits will look best on you. Don’t get too carried away in the planning that you forget about letting you and your partner shine through the day.
A fitted mermaid, sheath, or trumpet gown will accentuate your curves, or even help you create them.
Come to your fitting in full makeup and heels. You want to imagine what you’ll look like on your big day.
Bring the right entourage. If you know your friend is very blunt and always disagrees with you about red carpet looks, maybe you should tell her to stay at home.
Pleats or gathers can magnify your waist if they gather in that area. A well-fitted high-waist and loose or voluminous skirt will combat this.
If you don’t know where to start, A-Lines are a great place. They’re extremely popular due to their universally flattering features.
Give yourself time to find a dress. Some dresses can take four to eight months to create, and any alterations you need will add even more time.
Before your first appointment, figure out what your budget is. This can save you from heartache if you try on a dress that you fall in love with that’s way over your budget.
