Find the perfect Wedding Dress for your body shape with these simple tips and tricks..

“Accentuate the positive and hide the negative” should be the theme song for choosing a bridal gown.  Every woman wants to look her absolute best on her big day and a wedding gown will probably be the most photographed and memorable gown a woman will ever wear.  For that reason alone, it should be the one she puts the most thought in to.

Over the years, we have worked with countless brides to create their beautiful gowns and one of the most important things we pass on at the start, is to keep an open mind when trying gowns on. It’s best to try every style of gown on, even ones you never thought you would like. If nothing else, it can work as a process of elimination and help you confirm what does and doesn’t work on you. You may have dreamt of a particular look since you were playing Barbie & Ken wedding, however many of our dream gowns aren’t always the most flattering on our adult body shape.

Here are some simple tips to help you select you gown:

Body Types

• Tall & Slim- Column shape / straight up and down / small hips & bust
• Petite- Petite sizing below size 10 / petite features & height
• Hourglass- Full bust & hips / Curves/ small waist
• Curvy Petite – Petite height /still with curves / fuller hips & bust
• Pear shaped- Small to medium bust / Full hips & legs
• Full & Curvy- Size 16+ Full bust &/or Hips

Dress Types

A-Line

• This style skims the body from waist to floor
• A line dresses are wider at the hemline and fitted over the body
• Generally the most flattering dress shape for all body types
• A line styles can work on all body types but work best for PEAR SHAPED / FULL & CURVY/ HOURGLASS /CURVY PETITE  body types

Ball Gown

• Reminiscent of a fairytale princess bride
• This shape is generally fitted at the waist and full over the hip and at the hemline
• The ball gown is suitable for most formal weddings and its size can suit a large church or cathedral wedding
• The ball gown works well on PEAR SHAPED / CURVY PETITE / PETITE body types and works especially well on TALL girls
• This style also works well on FULL & CURVY girls when the waist is defined.
• This style isn’t recommended for short girls as it can further shorten you, however, by reducing the fullness of the skirt, it can be a winner.

Empire Line

• Empire line dresses are fitted under the bust line and fall in graceful lines straight to the floor
• This dress shape can emphasize a smaller bust
• It can also hide fuller hips
• This style emphasizes under the bust which is most women’s narrowest point
• This style is great for FULL & CURVY / PEAR SHAPED / PETITE & CURVY PETITE girls.
• This style hides the waist and can also create the illusion of extra height for PETITE or SHORT girls

Mermaid

• Reminiscent of a mermaid – this silhouette is fitted to the knee and flares to a full hemline
• This dress works well in strapless and the addition of capped sleeves can balance out the full hemline
• This style is designed to show off an HOURGLASS figure it also works well on PETITE / CURVY PETITE and TALL &SLIM girls

Embellishments

• If you can’t go past your ‘dream’ gown, then the clever use of surface embellishments can assist with hiding a multitude of sins  as well as highlighting attention to other areas of your body
• Lace, crystals, sequins and dimentes can add fullness to a small bust or de-emphasize a larger hip and help distract the eye and/or blend in problem areas
• Accessories can also work with you to emphasize/hide certain areas eg. A gorgeous necklace can draw attention to a nice décolletage or a tulle wrap or lace jacket can cover tuck shop lady arms

The final choice

• Always keep an open mind
• The dress you’ve always dreamed of may not be the most flattering for you figure
• Consider the style of your wedding and reception style – a ball gown may not be the correct choice for doing the salsa at your beach side wedding reception
• Consider 2 dresses, one for the church and one at the reception (Victoria Beckham did it).
• A detachable train can also take you from a cathedral mass and a quick unbuttoning can have you busting a move on the dance floor! A detachable lower skirt on a multi-layered dress can also be an option
• Lastly, remember this is YOUR day, so don’t be influenced by a gaggle of voices pushing (ever-so-lovingly) their opinions. Take one trusted friend or relative and don’t be pushed into a quick sale by a shop-assistant. Follow your heart!