The Ultimate Guide to Wedding Gowns

This has to be our favorite part of planning a wedding, finding a wedding gown. It can get overwhelming trying to decipher the kinds of wedding dresses out there. There’s strapless, illusion necklines, lace, or an elegant satin. So many options to choose from it can surely get confusing and you might not know what you’re looking for. Here is our ultimate guide to wedding gowns.

It’s important to know what your options are before you head out to start wedding dress shopping. You have probably heard about the 4 Cs in diamonds (Cut, Colour, Clarity & Carat). We have come up with our 4 Ss in wedding dresses ie. Style, Silhouette, Shade & Sleeves to help you figure out the perfect fit for you. 

1. Style 

The first step is understanding your style. What kind of bride do you want to be? 

Classic

Have you always dreamed of a fairy tale princess style gown? Well then you definitely have a classic style. Classic styles are usually long sleeves in satin or big tulle skirts with a lot of sparkle and a sweetheart neckline.

Contemporary 

If you’re looking for something modern and trendy you most certainly have a contemporary style. You’d probably love to wear a sexy silhouette or even a jumpsuit. Contemporary styles usually have a pretty illusion back with lace or sheer fabric with sparkle. 

2. Silhouette

Next step is trying to figure out the best fit for your body type. Let’s take a look at the different silhouettes of wedding gowns.

The Ballgown

The ballgown is big and surely brings the drama. This shape of wedding gown has a full skirt with loads of volume and layers. It’s perfect for a princess and suits almost any body type as it’s a safest option.

The Mermaid

Picture princess Ariel, this dress is exactly that silhouette. Body fitted to the knees and flares out at the bottom and then extends along the ground like a fishtail. It’s absolutely stunning and definitely for the ladies who want to show off their figures.

The A-line

The A-line dress is more flowy and light weight in comparison to the classic ballgown. The skirt is shaped like the alphabet A. The A-line allows a lot of movement and is perfect for the bride who loves to dance. 

The Sheath/column 

The Sheath or column silhouette of wedding dress is ideal for petite or athletic ladies. It’s a straight cut and accentuates every curve on your body. It’s usually styled in a delicate lace or a soft fabric.

The Trumpet/ fit and flare

As the name goes this silhouette is form fitted from the bodice to the thighs and then flares out at the bottom. This sexy style of wedding gown is perfect for the curvy ladies who want to show off their figure. In our opinion it looks absolutely stunning in the photographs and is the most trendy silhouette out there.

3. Shade

Believe it or not wedding dresses come in various shades. It’s important to understand the difference in the shades so that you don’t pick the wrong one. There’s pure white which is unpopular and not the best option, but it’s available in the market. Off white is a popular favorite and is the most common shade of dresses worn by brides. Ivory is a very elegant shade if you want to have a different vibe. But if you’re a daring bride and want to try something very different, you can try a shade of pink like blush. 

4. Sleeves

When picking your sleeve style, it’s important to keep in mind the venue and climate conditions. For instance, you wouldn’t want to die in the heat on a beach wearing long sleeves, or freezing cold in the winter in a strapless gown. On the other hand, if you have an indoor venue your options are endless. You can go in for almost anything like strapless, off shoulder, straps, halter, long sleeves, illusion necklines etc.

That’s our ultimate guide to wedding gowns. We really hope it was a helpful read before your wedding dress hunt. We highly recommend trying out dresses at the store before buying anything. As what you’ve always dreamed of might not be the perfect fit for you. If yoide looking for a guide to veils check out our blog on Know your Veils.

Our very own White Bridal House offers ready to wear wedding dresses at affordable prices. Come try on a dress today! Click here to contact us