Design Your Wedding Dress

The style and cut of the wedding dress you have in mind will look different based on the fabric used. Some fabrics cling to the body, while others are more stiff and stand away. Other fabrics are cherished for their crispness and others for their light-as-air feel.

Silk- A wedding dress made with silk is the most sought after because of its strength and resiliency. This natural fiber is considered very luxurious and a very elegant fabric. Silk threads can be woven into many various fabrics such as satin, chiffon, organza and tulle.

Satin- is commonly used in wedding gowns. Satin is a densely woven silk that has a super lustrous gloss. By blending silk and rayon, the fabric becomes lighter and more affordable than a pure silk satin fabric.

Charmeuse- is a lightweight fabric woven with a satin weave. The front side of the fabric has a satin finish that is lustrous and reflective while the back has a dull finish. This fabric can be made of silk or synthetic lookalike such as polyester. Charmeuse is softer and lighter in weight than silk. Bridal gowns that use charmeuse are more clingy and hang against the body.

Shantung- is a heavier fabric that is often blended with silk or synthetic fibers. The texture of shantung is somewhat rough but pleasant to the touch. It is a low sheen textured silk that has a rough nubby feel.

Textured silks like chiffon, tulle and organza are generally used in multiple layers on the gown skirt because they are transparent with a lightweight feel.

Chiffon is often used to create overskirts on a wedding gown. Due to its transparency, multiple layering is needed. Organza is like a chiffon but has a sheer, crisp and stiff texture. This fabric is great for making sleeves, skirts and the back of wedding gowns. Tulle is a type of netting created from rayon, nylon or silk and makes excellent ballerina style wedding dress skirts.

The Jewel neckline has a high neckline that is rounded at the base of the throat and is considered more conservative in style. The neckline style is great for small busted women because it will make you look bustier.

The Off The Shoulder neckline sweeps across the chest and rests below the shoulders. This style emphasizes the shoulders and collarbone. This style looks great on women who are full busted or who are pear shaped.

The Portrait neckline is similar to the off the shoulder but is made with more fabric that has a wide soft scooped from the tip of one shoulder to the tip of the other. This style looks good on women who have fuller arms and prominent collarbones.

Your dress bodice should accentuate and hide your flaws or at least not draw attention to them.

Your choices for a bodice neckline are:

Strapless
Sweetheart
Halter
Plunging Neck
Boat
Squared or Scooped

When selecting your wedding dress, there are many sleeve options to consider. You will want to consider the time of day or season in which you will be getting married. You will also need to take into consideration whether the dress will be more formal or casual. Many bridal shops, seamstresses or designers will let you see a wedding dress with different sleeve types. Try on several dresses with different sleeves to see which one looks best on you.

Cap sleeves hug just the top of the shoulder and give a dress a very sweet and romantic look. The material for this sleeve can be made with very lacy delicate fabrics or the same fabric as the dress. The cap sleeve looks best on women who have slender arms.

An alternative to the cap sleeve is the Petal sleeve. This style has two pieces of fabric that overly each other on the upper arm to create the look of a petal. Women with larger arms will find this style more appealing than the cap sleeve.

Spaghetti straps work well in drawing attention away from exposed areas of your back and chest while holding up the bodice section of the dress.

Short sleeves cover your shoulder while leaving most of your arm exposed.

The Bell or Poet sleeves flare out at the bottom near the wrist. Both sleeve styles look great for winter or evening weddings.

A Juliet sleeve is long and puffs around the upper arm and then is fitted down to the wrist. This style works well for winter or evening weddings.

The Balloon sleeve features a puffy effect at the top of a short sleeve.

A Three Quarter length sleeve provides some arm coverage because it stops just below the elbow or mid way between the elbow and wrist. This style looks great with lacy sheer fabrics that provide just enough coverage.

Long sleeves provide some warmth during cooler and cold winter days or nights

Most brides that are getting married for the first time prefer a wedding dress that goes all the way to the floor. If you are planning a formal, casual, themed or beach wedding then you can have some fun with the length of your gown. Design your wedding dress is all about having choices.

Listed below are some wedding dress lengths you can choose from:

The Floor length is the most popular on wedding gowns. This length can touch the ground or have a one inch clearance. This length is found on more traditional gowns and works for all occasions. Brides planning an outdoor wedding should avoid this length since it will be touching the ground.

The Ballerina length dress has a very wide, full skirt that falls just above the ankle. This gown style and length works well for outdoor weddings.

The Asymmetrical style dress or skirt has one side that is longer than the other. This look is very dramatic and works well with an informal or evening wedding or reception.

The Knee length style dress falls just below the knee. This length works well for beach or outdoor weddings and for second weddings.

The Intermission length falls between the knee and the ankle. Wedding dresses this length are best worn at informal or casual weddings.

The Miniskirt length is very bold look for a bride to wear since it falls on the thigh.

A wedding dress can come in several shades of white. You can choose which shade of white looks best for your skin tone.

Stark White
Natural White
Eggshell or Ivory
Champagne

Maybe you want to select a wedding dress in pastel pink, blue or yellow or a white dress with splashes of a pastel color.