All About Wedding Dresses

Finding the perfect dress can be quite a challenge, there are so many different wedding dress styles to choose from. One way to make the process a little easier is to figure out the different styles that look good for your own body shape and size. Wedding dresses can be broken down into silhouettes which basically refers to the shape of the dress from the waist down, and necklines which is the shape around the neck and shoulder area on top. Finding the right combination of silhouette and neckline is key to finding the perfect dress. Try on a number of dresses and make a note of how both the top half and bottom half looks on you. Does it hug your body the way you want? Is it flattering for your figure? As soon as you have a good ideas of which silhouettes and which necklines look good on you, look only for dresses with that winning combination.

A-Line Dress
This style is also known as the Princess dress with a fitted bodice that defines the waist and the rest of the dress flows down to the ground. This simple silhouette looks good on almost any figure.

Ball Gown Dress
This style of dress has a fitted bodice and a very full skirt that is usually floor length. This dress is perfect for brides with a pear shaped body, it defines the waist, but hides the hips.

Sheath Dress
This style of dress has a very narrow, almost straight shape. When made with softer fabrics, it hugs and shows off every curve. Sheath dresses can be long or short and is great for any bride that is well proportioned and likes to show off her figure.

Mermaid Dress
This style of wedding dress is also narrow and form fitting all the to the knee area and then flares out to the ground. It accentuates a woman's hips, and should only be worn by women not afraid of showing off their curves.

Empire Dress
This dress style is known for its high waistline located right under the bust. The bottom half of the dress can be either be a-line or sheath. It's a nice style for petite brides, because it elongates the body. It's also great for brides who prefer to cover up their stomach area.

Strap
A classic style is self explanatory, straps are located on either side of the shoulder. It can be worn by almost anybody.

Strapless
This style completely exposes the shoulders and arms without any straps to hold the dress up. It should be worn by bustier women or women with beautiful collarbones and shoulders.

Sweetheart
This style of neckline is shaped like the top of a heart, and can be worn with or without straps. It has a very feminine look, drawing attention to the chest and elongating the neck.

Halter
This neckline style has straps that are only connected to the front of the dress and is supposed to be tied around the neck in the back. It should be worn by women with slightly broader shoulders.

V-Neck/Plunging
This style of neckline is shaped like the letter V, exposing some cleavage in the front. If you are not afraid to be a little revealing, you should try this look.

The majority of brides around the world still prefer to wear traditional wedding dresses on their wedding day. So what exactly are the characteristics that make a wedding dress traditional? Most importantly this dress must be in the color white or a shade that is very closely related to white such as ecru, eggshell or ivory. Traditional wedding dresses are also long, typically floor length. There are classic silhouettes that are most often associated with traditional wedding dresses, they are A-line and ball gown.

Besides those three main characteristics there are a few other distinguishable traits. Most necklines can be considered traditional, although a halter or one shoulder neckline will make a dress appear more modern. Fabrics are also important, only fabrics known for making wedding dresses such as tulle, organza, satin, charmeuse , chiffon, etc. can be considered traditional. Then there are embellishments. Beading, trim and embroidery can all be seen on traditional wedding dresses, unless the embellishments are over the top.

Wedding dresses come in a range of prices, from bargain basement prices to top dollar for designer gowns. Luckily not every bride will have to shell out thousands of dollars for a wedding dress. You should be able to find a suitable dress with almost any kind of budget, you just have to know where to look. Bridal shops typically add a 300% markup to the wedding dresses they sell and the price of wedding dresses have been on the rise year after year.

If you can afford to splurge on a designer wedding dress, then there are plenty of high-end bridal boutiques that will cater to you. If you have less money to spend however, there are a number of less expensive alternatives. There are large discount bridal chains like David's Bridal. There are consignment shops where you can look for used wedding dresses. There are online retailers offering replicated versions of designer dresses. There are sample sales that are held by bridal shops during certain times of the year. Finally more and more fashion retailers are beginning to carry a wedding collection, providing affordable wedding dresses that are simple yet sophisticated. Look for them at stores like J. Crew and Ann Taylor.

Cheap wedding dresses have a bad reputation of being really poor quality, but as long as you know what to look for, it doesn't have to be. Let's start by looking at the fabric. Wedding dress fabrics are normally pretty expensive, you can reduce the cost of the wedding dress by either looking for shorter dresses or going for less expensive fabric alternatives. Take satin for instance, it comes in a variety of price points, because the quality of satin varies. You can wear a wedding dress that does not have the highest quality, but no one will be able to tell the difference. Also, look for dresses without a lot of embellishments, because they can really add to the cost. Wear some eye catching jewelry instead to glam up your look for the big day.

As mentioned before, there are many places you can go to find cheap wedding dresses. You should however, make an appointment with a bridal shop to go in for a fitting. You don't have to buy from them, just try on a few styles to see what looks good on you. Once you know, go elsewhere to find inexpensive off-the-rack wedding dresses in that exact style. If it doesn't fit perfectly, you can still buy it and look for a professional seamstress to make alterations for you.

One of the most popular places to go for discount wedding dresses is discount bridal chains such as David's Bridal. Wedding dresses from this type of store may be from a few seasons ago. They are all off-the-rack so you try on a number of dresses, buy the one you like and take it home that day. The store is not responsible for alterations, so if the wedding dress does not fit perfectly, you have to look for a professional seamstress yourself to do the alterations.

Other places to look include sample sales, consignment stores and the Internet. When you get discount wedding dresses from these sources, they come as is. They don't come with the service of giving you fittings and having it altered multiple times. The key is the look for someone who is really good at wedding dress alterations in case the dress does not fit you perfectly. Getting dresses at a discount is great, because you get to save a lot of money, and most of the time people won't even be able to tell. Wedding dress styles remain pretty much the same for many seasons so you will never be out of style.

If you can afford designer wedding dresses, then you are one lucky bride. You get to choose from some of the world's most beautiful wedding dresses. Expect to find a dress that is stylish, made from the be highest quality fabrics and is intricately detailed. All of that goes into the price of the dress which will range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. The more well known the designer, the higher the price usually.

Designer wedding dresses are regarded so highly, because they are often on the covers of bridal magazines and worn by famous celebrities for their weddings. So any woman who wants to look like a million bucks on her wedding day will want to walk down that aisle in something designer. Unlike off-the-rack wedding dresses, these dresses tend to be much more exclusive. If there is a specific designer you have in mind, look for bridal boutiques that carry that designer's collection.

White wedding dresses are still preferred by the majority of brides. Even though different color wedding dresses are becoming more acceptable, most brides still choose to be more traditional. It wasn't until 1840 when Queen Victoria wore the color white for her wedding did it become the dominant wedding dress color. People began associating white with innocent and purity, this meaning is no longer relevant, but the tradition remains. This western tradition has been so popular that it is being adopted by brides in eastern cultures where the bridal attire is not typically white.

It's difficult not to go with white wedding dresses. It's in all the magazines, the industry is saturated with white wedding dresses or colors that are closely related to white. Luckily there is a shade of white that will look good on any skin tone. Some brides might be afraid that white will make them look washed out. If this is the case, they can try dresses that are closer to the color ivory. Common shades include eggshell, ecru and dove among many others.

Brides that are a little less traditional and a little more daring might want to wear wedding dresses with color on her big day. There are different meanings for each color, and the bride might want to project that when she walks down the aisle. Colorful wedding dresses are becoming more acceptable so it won't be a complete shock to be seen in one. Here are some basic colors an unconventional bride might choose and what they mean:

• Pink - Love and Loyalty


• Red - Passion and Excitement


• Blue - Peace and Harmony


• Green - Fertility and Life


• Purple - Royalty and Power


• Yellow - Happiness and Warmth

Some brides may want to wear wedding dresses with color, because it just looks better against their skin than the color white. Or they just want to use color to better express their personality. There are bridal boutiques that carry wedding dresses in different colors, although the selection is relatively small. For more variety, check out retail stores that specialize in evening gowns.

Most girls dream of becoming their favorite princess characters growing up. When they do grow up and their prince charming asks for their hand in marriage, it's only natural to want to look and feel like a princess for the wedding. That is why princess wedding dresses are among the most popular styles that brides choose. There are two silhouettes that perfectly capture the princess style, they are A-line and ball gown. Having a floor length gown in either of these silhouettes with a fitted bodice will make any bride look like a princess. For this particular look, the more intricate beading and details, the better. Princess wedding dresses are anything but plain and simple. Look for a lot of embellishments along the bodice. To top off this look, do not forget to wear a tiara.

There are a handful of brides who are just looking to keep things simple. They don't want a fancy wedding, nor do they need to wear a dress that is over the top. Common silhouettes for simple wedding dresses include A-line and sheath. You will not find a lot of embellishments or intricate details on the dress, but that does not mean that the dress is boring. A lot of simple wedding dresses hug the body nicely and give the bride a sleek and sophisticated look.

Brides who wear simple wedding dresses mostly just want to be comfortable, and not weighed down by unnecessary adornments. These dresses are much more versatile, making it a good look for both indoor or outdoor weddings. It's also nice to have a dress that could possibly be worn again after the wedding is over. For these reasons you will find that there are more and more of these kinds of dresses available.

More and more unconventional brides are choosing to wear short wedding dresses for their weddings. A lot of this has to do with the location of the wedding. It is often inconvenient if not downright uncomfortable to be wearing a heavy long wedding dress if the wedding takes place in a garden or the beach for instance.

Short wedding dresses are great for a number of different reasons. They are less expensive, because less amount of fabric is used. They make the bride look trendy and stylish. If the bride has a petite figure, it's the perfect dress to elongate her legs and make her look taller than she actually is. The best part about short wedding dresses is that you get your money's worth, because they can be worn again and again. A bohemian, ruffle or one shoulder dress can be worn for almost any occasion. No one will even know it was your wedding dress.

Looking for vintage wedding dresses is another great option that a lot of brides are beginning to realize. It's surprising how timeless most vintage dresses are. They can either be passed down as an heirloom or bought at a consignment store. If you want to buy a vintage wedding dress at a consignment store, make sure to ask the clerk specifically if they have any wedding dresses. A lot of the time they do not hang wedding dresses out in the front, but rather keep it stored in the back, because it takes up too much room.

VIntage wedding dresses that go as far back as the early 20th century can still be current today, depending how you wear it. You can always take the dress to a seamstress to have it slightly altered. Throughout the years there have been many iconic styles of wedding dresses. They are especially fitting if you are having a wedding theme that is based on a certain period in history.

Lace has been used for centuries to make wedding dresses, it makes any dress look more feminine and that is exactly why so many brides want to wear it on their wedding day. Lace wedding dresses never go out of style, because they are classic and timeless. When we think of lace, it is usually associated with vintage wedding dresses, however each season wedding dress designers still use it in their dress collections. For this reason, lace will always be current and stylish.

You can either have a dress that is completely made out of lace, or more commonly incorporate lace into specific parts such as the sleeve or bodice. Lace looks amazing layered over lightweight fabrics such as tulle or organza. The price of lace wedding dresses will vary depending on what the lace is made from. If the lace on your dress is made from silk then it will definitely cost a lot more than if it were made out of cotton or polyester.

A lot of brides want to be different and they need a look that is completely out of the ordinary. They will need to find unique wedding dresses to show off their personality. What exactly makes a unique dress unique? For starters, you can try to go for wedding dresses with color, that always makes a statement. Other ways a dress can be unique is if it has special textures or over the top embellishments. Or simply go for dresses that no one will think of wearing as a wedding dress such as a bohemian or grecian style dress.

The great thing about unique wedding dresses is that you don't necessarily have to look for them in bridal boutiques. There are a variety of retail stores that have nice dress options for you to choose from. If you are having a themed wedding or a wedding with a heavy cultural influence, that is all the more reason to have on a unique wedding dress.

There are so many couples having destination weddings at the beach that beach wedding dresses have become an important part of the wedding dress lineup. These dresses are typically less formal, short and very comfortable. Since you will need to move around a lot for photos, the dress cannot be too restrictive. Beach wedding dresses are usually made with very delicate soft fabrics that drape the body really well.

Beach wedding dresses do not have to be purchased from a bridal boutique. In fact, there are many places to look for this kind of dress, because of the simplicity it can be found at a number of retail clothing stores. There will be less embellishments on the dress, however it can be paired with some fun jewelry to complete the look.

Full figured women used to have a lot of trouble finding the perfect wedding dress, however in recent years more and more stores are carrying plus size wedding dresses. Designers are expanding their range of sizes to accommodate women of all sizes. If you plan on going to a bridal boutique for a fitting, ask them if they have dresses in your size to try on when making the appointment. Discount bridal chains will also have a good selection of plus size wedding dresses.

If you are on a very tight budget and cannot afford an expensive wedding dress, then one of the best alternatives is to consider used wedding dresses. Often these pre-owned dresses will cost 50-75% off of the original retail price, which equals incredible savings for you. Most wedding dresses are only worn once so the condition of the dress should still be very good if it has been properly stored and maintained.

Besides looking for used wedding dresses in brick and mortar consignment shops, there are now more places to find them online. For instance, there are specific wedding dress auction sites that allow you to directly contact and buy wedding dresses from previous brides. Sites such as Bravo Bride and Once Wed are worth checking out. There should be many pictures of the wedding dress as well as detailed descriptions about it including the measurements. If the dress does not fit perfectly, it can always to altered. This option is not only very affordable, but also extremely eco-friendly.

When the economy is not that good, more brides are becoming budget conscious. For this reason, the wedding dress rental industry is emerging and expanding very quickly. A lot of brides are beginning to realize that a wedding dress is only worn once and it's not practical to become so emotionally attached to a dress that will remain in storage for decades. One of the best ways to get a beautiful wedding dress at an affordable price and not worry about what to do with it after the wedding is over is to just rent it for the wedding day.

Wedding dress rental businesses should be available in every major city. Not only do they have a good range of wedding dresses from the inexpensive to the designer gowns, they should also have other wedding accessories to help you complete the wedding day look such as bridal shoes, veils, tiaras and jewelry. Remember it's important to ask a lot of questions regarding when it will be available for pick up, when it needs to be returned, do they allow alterations of the dress, what happens if there are damages, etc.