So you’re engaged, YAY! and of course, Congratulations!

One of the very first things on your wedding checklist will be shopping for your wedding dress. If you haven’t been scouting gowns on Pinterest or previously involved in planning a friend’s wedding, you might be confused, or even overwhelmed about wedding dress lingo. It’s important to do a bit of research on your perfect silhouette before  consulting with your bridal stylist.

Here are the four basic wedding silhouette’s:

Ballgown Silhouette

The ballgown is by far the most popular bridal silhouette. Often deemed the ‘princess’ or ‘fairytale’ gown. The ballgown will cut you off at the waist line and provide an elaborate full skirt, typically floor length

Honorable Meniton: The skirt of a ballet ballgown will be just as full but the length of the hem on a ballet ballgown will hit between 2-4 inches above your ankle and show off your gorgeous bridal shoe-wear

Mermaid Silhouette

Also a very popular style of wedding dress, the mermaid silhouette will tightly hug the curves of your body just before flaring out in the most dramatic of ways either slightly above, or below your knees.

Honorable Mention: A trumpet silhouette will have a cut similar to a mermaid gown with the flare starting just below your hips but not as dramatic as that of a mermaid silhouette. If you are looking to dance up a storm at your reception a trumpet gown will be the way to go.

A-Line Silhouette

If you are in love with the ballgown silhouette but feel it’s a bit ‘much’ for you in the skirt department, Good News! An A-Line Silhouette may be just what you are looking for. The skirt of an A-line will begin just after your natural waist line before slightly flaring out and forming the structure of the letter ‘A’. The skirt of an A-line will not be as full or ‘poofy’ compared to that of a ballgown.

Honorable Mention: A Modified A-Line wedding gown will have the same construction of an A-Line with a tighter fit and less flare on the skirt if you still need to pare down on fullness.

Wedding Dress Mini

A mini wedding dress will be a short wedding dress with the hemline falling above your knee. The mini dress can be form fitting or flouncy. Perfect for the hot summer months or a bride who is no frills

Honorable Mention: A Tea-Length wedding gown will fall just below your knees but will still provide a shorter hemline than that of a ballerina silhouette. If you are not ready to bare it all in a a mini, a tea length may be more for your modesty. 

 

 

 

Be Inspired

I am of the opinion that a bride should feel like her most amazing self on the day of her wedding, which I was I chose to omit the ‘which silhouette is best for your shape’ rhetoric. I don’t subscribe to the theory that certain dresses are for certain body types. If you are in absolute love with a gown that you’ve tried on or found, then you should trust your own instinct, it’s your body and your gown, be true to your own style and sense of self.

It’s your wedding day and it will only come but once, you are not only marrying your partner but you are creating a lifelong memory together as you embark on your journey to be wed.

A bride is only as gorgeous as she feels.