Because your bridal style will ultimately depict your wedding day style.
Your wedding day style should ultimately be a reflection of you and your fiancé; however, a bride is typically the leading lady on her wedding day.
Everything from the bride’s dress, hair, bouquet, and other delicate details come together to tell her unique story. That’s why choosing your bridal style is truly a significant step in your wedding planning process.
Once you have determined your budget for your overall wedding, a certain percentage should be factored in for both you and your fiancé’s wedding attire. Selecting a price range for your wedding dress will make your wedding dress shopping more efficient & streamlined.
So with your wedding dress price range selected, here are the 3 things you should consider when choosing your bridal style.
STYLE
Style is a broad word for what is considered the overall look & feel of a bride on her wedding day. When choosing your bridal “style,” you should choose a word or words that describe both your personal style, as well as your vision for your wedding day.
Note:
Your personal style may be refined or completely elevated on your wedding day. You may even embrace a “Beyonce-like” mentality when she becomes Sasha Fierce on stage. Either way, there is no wrong choice of descriptive words AND you may even choose more than one word to describe your bridal style.
Just keep in mind that not all styles marry well with one another – see what I did there? – Wink Wink
For example, Casual Chic sounds divine, but Rustic Glamour may not blend well. And most importantly, don’t forget to HAVE FUN!
Here are 15 examples of words you can choose from to describe your bridal “style”:
- Romantic
- Vintage
- Traditional
- Glamorous
- Rustic
- Modern
- Casual
- Sexy
- Elegant
- Boho
- Chic
- Fairy-tale
- Whimsy
- Sophisticated
- Bad-Ass Queen
SILHOUETTE
The silhouette is considered the “shape” of a wedding dress.
Here are some examples of silhouettes, as well as a short description for each option.
*Please see the key below for a visual representation*
Ball Gown – a dress with a fitted bodice (sometimes with a corset). Featuring a wide, full skirt, most often achieved by using crinolines or layers of tulle in the skirt.
Empire – a dress with a fitted bodice ending just below the bust, giving a high-waisted appearance, and a gathered skirt which is long and loosely fitting but skims the body rather than being supported by voluminous petticoats.
Trumpet – a dress that fits similarly to a mermaid gown. It hugs the body and gradually flares outward. The key difference between mermaid and trumpet wedding dresses is where the flare begins, which in the case of the trumpet style is mid-thigh.
Princess – a dress with a fitted bodice and a large voluminous skirt. The skirt most often consists of several underskirts and tulle below to keep the shape.
Drop-Waist Ball Gown – a variation of the ball-gown dress with a very low waistband – typically in line with the hips rather than the natural level of the waist.
A-line – a dress with a triangular shape; it is narrow and fitted at the top and widens out at the bust or waist in a straight line, all the way to the hemline. More specifically, this dress stands away from the body to form the sides of the letter A.
Mermaid – a dress that is characterized by its fitted style, which hugs close to the bride’s body. Unlike A-line or ball gown dresses, this style doesn’t flare out at the waist. Rather, it flares at or below the knee, creating a mermaid like “tail.”
Tea-Length – a dress that has a hemline that finishes above the ankle but below the knee. The dress can either be fitted, or flare out from the body with multiple layers of fabric.
Sheath or Column – this cut follows the natural shape of the body, and is essentially cut straight down to the hemline
If you choose a silhouette prior to trying on dresses at the bridal salon, and end up disliking what you chose, no worries! You can always go back to the descriptive words or “style” you chose, and shop for a new silhouette in that specific style.
In fact, many of my brides are surprised with the silhouette they end up choosing for their wedding day – so don’t get discouraged if you don’t find your perfect silhouette on your first attempt at wedding dress shopping!
Oh, and don’t forget to HAVE FUN!
COMFORT
Last, but certainly not least, is comfort.
Yes! You should and you CAN be comfortable on your wedding day!
Say what?! Yes, with all of the hustle & bustle – pun intended – that goes into your wedding day, why not be effortlessly stylish AND comfortable? You should never have to sacrifice style for comfort on your wedding day when you ultimately can have both. And even better – comfort will inevitably make you feel confident!
So how do you go about ensuring you are comfortable, and in turn, confident?
Start by considering the above style and silhouette you have chosen, and ask yourself, how will I ensure I love how I look while still embracing comfort?
Here are some variables you should take into consideration – the season, your shoes, and your hair & makeup.
If you have a winter wedding, perhaps you should consider having a faux-fur jacket to wear with some gloves. Choose accessories that coincide with your dress and that will photograph beautifully, all while keeping you comfortable during those snowy picturesque portraits. Perhaps you have a hot, summer, outdoor wedding. You may consider wearing a more breathable fabric and rule out longer sleeves.
Next up, your shoes. You don’t HAVE to wear heels all day long; you may simply choose to wear your heels for the first look and the ceremony. Then perhaps you could switch into a flat shoe or a wedge for the reception. Believe me, your feet will thank you later if you select a shoe that is accommodating for both the weather, and the length of time you will be wearing them.
Finally, your hair & makeup. If you don’t typically wear a full-face of makeup every day, and you don’t have your hair professionally blown-out or cut each month. Be sure to choose a makeup artist and hairstylist who are experienced in helping brides look and feel bridal, without looking and feeling overdone. The seasoned professionals will know how to bring your unique, bridal style to life, by simply elevating your every-day style.
Note:
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t feel absolutely beautiful or even fancy as a bride, it just means you should feel like your exquisite, bridal self, without sacrificing your comfort level.
And lastly, in my experience as a luxury wedding photographer, if the bride’s style, silhouette, or comfort are in any way imbalanced. It will be evident during her portraits – because if the bride is unhappy, regardless of the reason, it inevitably shows up on her face.
The best advice I can offer is to choose your bridal style wisely so you can both LOOK & FEEL your best on your wedding day. Then you can ultimately focus on the important things like marrying your best friend and celebrating your big day with your friends & family. It would be a shame if your focus was on your dress fitting too tightly or your feet being painfully blistered!
And once again, don’t forget to HAVE FUN! It’s a requirement!
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