Bridal Gown Colors

In the world of bridal gowns, there is white, and then there is…white. Diamond white, silk white, and natural white are just a few variations on the classic white wedding gown. A pure silk gown will never be bright white, because that is not the natural color of the fiber, even when bleached. The slightly softer shade of silk white is much gentler on most skin tones than the bright white with a bluish undertone that is often seen in polyester gowns. Whatever shade of white is available in a wedding dress, it will tend to look best on brides with darker or olive skin tones, or women with dark hair and pale skin.

Ivory is the next most popular color for wedding gowns after white. Nearly every gown will be available in a shade of ivory or cream, unless it has a special feature which would make it impossible. Some lace trims, for instance, are only created in white, so a gown with that embellishment would only be made using white fabric to match the lace. Ivory tends to have a slightly yellow undertone and looks wonderful on blondes and most redheads. The yellow undertones of ivory can, however, bring out sallow tones in olive skinned women, so they should stick with white or choose a deeper color like champagne. Always see a fabric swatch before ordering a gown in ivory; while most fabrics look lovely in that shade, some will be far too yellow. Also take care that if you are looking at pearl bridal jewelry sets that you select one which is similar in tone to your gown, rather than a strong white.

Champagne is another option for many wedding gowns. The deeper color is particularly nice for evening or winter weddings, although it might look out of place at a summer afternoon wedding. The rich color pairs especially well with luxurious fabrics like silk satin and silk shantung, which will play up the luster of the color. Champagne usually has a slightly brownish or pinkish undertone, rather than the yellowish tones found in ivory. As a result, it is a flattering color for women who find that ivory makes them look sallow. This sophisticated color is also very popular with second time brides who want a gown in a color other than pure white which still has a very “bridal” feel to it.

Last, but not least, consider the season when selecting a color for your wedding gown. The white which washes you out in the dead of winter might look fresh and crisp with a light tan in the summer. Warmer colors are often preferred for cold weather weddings, although the right shade of white is perfect for a sparkling Winter Wonderland theme wedding.

Pick the Perfect Wedding Gown Shape for Your Shape

Column or Sheath: This is the most narrow wedding gown silhouette, and accordingly it is best suited to brides who are slender. Column gowns often feature empire waists which hit just under the bustline, with straight skirts which go straight down without a flare. Sheath dresses tend to be made of more clingy fabrics than column gowns and are the sexiest of all the wedding dress silhouettes. Both shapes are very flattering for petite brides, as they are elongating. Brides who are pear shaped or top heavy would be wise to choose a different style.

A-line: The A-line gown is extremely flattering to virtually every figure. The A-line refers to the shape of the skirt, which is of a medium fullness, and has a silhouette which resembles the letter A: nipped in at the waist, gently flared over the hips, and fuller at the hemline. A-line skirts can be paired with natural waists or drop waists, which adds to their versatility. They are a great choice for pear shaped brides, petite brides, tall brides (especially with a drop waist), and any bride who wants a gown which has some fullness, but not too much.

Ballgown: The ballgown is the most traditional and the fullest of the wedding gown shapes. They generally feature very fitted bodices and very full skirts. The skirt will be supported by a petticoat or crinoline and is magnificent for a formal wedding. The full cut of a ballgown skirt may be created by gathering or pleating at the top of the skirt to increase the fullness. Wonderful for a fairy princess style wedding, the ballgown is ideal for brides who love to dress up with lots of crystal bridal jewelry and long veils. On the other hand, if your wedding is less formal, this can simply be too much dress. Petite brides should be careful about ballgowns, as they can end up being swallowed up by too much fabric.

Mermaid or Trumpet: Brides who really want to make a dramatic entrance adore the trumpet shape bridal gown. Very fitted through the bodice and into a very low dropped waist, the skirt then flares out dramatically at the low hip or just above the knee. This shape is very striking and works well with bold accessories like crystal bridal jewelry and long cascade bouquets. Tall brides with well-balanced hourglass figures can really rock a mermaid gown, but petite or pear shaped brides should steer clear of this somewhat challenging shape.

Romantic Illusion Neckline Wedding Gowns

Are you looking for a wedding gown which is elegant, romantic, and timeless? Something different than the typical strapless bridal gown? Then take a look at some of the latest illusion neckline wedding gowns, which have a special ladylike charm.

An illusion neckline is one which is created using a sheer fabric, usually either organza or a fine net or tulle. The thing that is so wonderful about a bridal gown with an illusion neckline is that it allows the dress to have real straps without looking too heavy or covered up. For brides who are uncomfortable wearing strapless or who simply want something a bit more modest, a sheer neckline can be the perfect answer. It allows you to have a bit more coverage and structure in the gown, yet does not look too covered up or conservative.

One of the most intriguing things about illusion neckline wedding gowns is that they can also be quite dramatic. The sheer fabric can be used to provide structure over a plunging back or daring low cut bodice. On a gown which would otherwise be very tricky to wear, the stability of the sheer organza or net makes it structurally practical. This is an effect frequently used in the world of figure skating, and it works just as well for a wedding gown. It allows a bride to have fun trying a style which is daring, yet not scandalous!

Oftentimes, an illusion panel will be embellished with light beadwork. It can be absolutely breathtaking to see a sheer fabric which twinkles and sparkles with the glow of many tiny crystals. The effect against the skin which is visible through the illusion material is just gorgeous. Play up the crystal detail with fabulous crystal bridal jewelry to match. The overall effect will be a truly sophisticated and elegant bridal ensemble.

Princess Style Wedding Gowns

What elevates a bridal gown into something so regal that it makes the lucky bride wearing it feel like a princess for a day? The answer is drama! A true princess wedding gown must have outstanding features that make all of your guests’ jaws drop and will leave your groom speechless. In other words, it must have that “wow” factor that will cause everyone in the church to gasp when you take your first step down the aisle. There is more than one special feature that can have this marvelous impact; here is a look at the top details.

Elaborate embellishment is one thing that will set a bridal gown apart. Think about it, when you see a royal wedding, they will always have the finest of everything, including lavish embroidery, exquisite lace, and opulent crystal beading. Sparkle is definitely a plus, as is silver embroidery or silver lace. A true princess style wedding dress has details that just look rich, and that are impressive enough that they will be instantly noticed. Subtlety has its place, to be sure, just not on a royal style bridal gown!

Another fabulous feature to look for in a princess wedding gown is a show-stopping train. Your wedding may well be the only day in your life that you get to wear a dress with a long train on it, so why not go all out? If your ceremony will take place in a grand venue with a long aisle, a cathedral length train will look impressive. Many of the best princess style wedding dresses have trains that are not especially long, but which have amazing details. There is nothing like a mountain of cascading ruffles to give your gown a stately presence when you glide down the aisle.

Once you have found a wedding gown to love, don’t forget to plan your accessories. They will certainly add to the overall impact of the dress you have selected. Every princess needs a crown, after all. Choose a bridal tiara with plenty of sparking crystals. To complement the tiara, glittering Swarovski crystal necklaces will hit the perfect note. When wearing a strapless gown, bold multi-strand necklaces of Swarovski crystal are amazing, or opt for a large crystal drop to highlight a V-neck. Finish it off with a fabulous pair of Swarovski crystal earrings and a bracelet to catch the light when you move. Gorgeous!

Winter Wonderland Wedding Attire

Planning a Winter Wonderland theme wedding? Great! It is a fabulous and festive theme for a wedding in the cold winter months. A Winter Wonderland wedding needs equally fabulous attire for the bridal party; here is a guide to the most spectacular outfits for everyone from the bride on down.

The hallmarks of a Winter Wonderland wedding are icy sparkle and plenty of shimmer. This is a very fun idea to capture in a bridal gown. Look for a lustrous white silk gown, rather than one in ivory or champagne. Choose a style that has a grand presence, such as a very full ballgown with a box pleated skirt. Then think about the details. Silver embroidery and crystal beadwork are a must!

No wedding gown is complete without the perfect finishing touches. A sparkling headpiece is great for a Winter Wonderland bride. Choose a tiara, a double headband, a festive comb, or a set of hairpins. Crystals and rhinestones can be mixed with tiny pearls for the perfect icy snowflake look. In fact, you can even get hairpins or other jewelry that is made in the shape of a snowflake. A snowflake pendant is a fantastic gift idea for your bridesmaids. You will want plenty of other twinkling touches, too, such as stacks of Swarovski crystal bracelets, chandelier earrings, and a fabulous crystal necklace.

The bridesmaids for a Winter Wonderland wedding should also look spectacular. As popular as red is for winter weddings, it makes too strong a contrast to the icy white palette that characterizes this theme. Opt for bridesmaid dresses in a color like silver, platinum, or champagne instead. They will look just as festive, yet will not be a distraction from the décor. Certainly the bridesmaids will also want to shimmer. Sets of Swarovski crystal bracelets, earrings, and necklaces would be the perfect finishing touch.

Fabulous Cover-Ups for Winter Brides

Brides get married at all times of the year, and yet it seems like almost all of the wedding gowns you see are strapless or sleeveless. For many women, there is an easy solution to this problem: choose your favorite gown and then accent it with a cozy cover-up. From wraps to shrugs to boleros, these are some of the most fabulous cover ups for fall and winter brides.

One thing that you really have on your side this year is fashion. Much more than in recent years, the wedding gown designers have been showing dresses with matching cover-ups.  Small fitted jackets like shrugs and boleros are one of the most popular options for bridal cover-ups this season. Many of the top designers were showing them with their bridal gowns. This style is wonderful because it fits closely to the torso, so it will not add any bulk, and it is short enough not to obscure any of the special details on your gown. A bolero can be created from a matching fabric to the gown, such as a silk satin or mikado, or it can be a sheer accent like lace or organa. The lace boleros are particularly lovely, as are those with couture details like oversized organza ruffles. For jackets with high necklines, it is best to omit a necklace and instead accessorize with a standout pair of Swarovski bridal earrings. If you need to cover your arms and shoulders for religious purposes, consult with your officiant, as a sheer jacket may not suffice.

If you are looking not for a ceremony cover up, but more for something to throw on at any time in case of a chill, a silk wrap is a great choice. They can be made in almost any weight, ranging from lightweight sheer silks for the early autumn, all the way to double layered silk satin or silk velvet for the winter months. Many of the wraps feature very special detailing; look for one that coordinates with your other accessories. For instance, if you have chosen sparkly Swarovski bridal earrings, a wrap with a crystal beaded edge would be fantastic. Brides who are having very feminine weddings might opt for a wrap with floral embroidery. Although many brides will prefer a white or ivory silk, a wrap can also be the perfect place to add a dash of color to your wedding ensemble.

Wonderful Striped Wedding Attire

Stripes are fresh and crisp, tailored and classic. They can be formal and restrained, as in a pin stripe suit. Stripes can be exuberant when they are done in a rainbow of bright colors. They can be vertical, horizontal, printed or woven, even made from ribbon embellishments. With all this variety, it is no wonder that stripes are one of the best patterns to choose when dressing your wedding party.

You can find some amazing striped dresses for your bridesmaids. The most classic are a two color stripe, woven in a fairly stiff fabric. This looks fantastic for a knee length strapless dress, in any color. If you are having a preppy wedding, pink and green stripes are perfect, especially when paired with pearl bridesmaid jewelry. For summer weddings, you cannot beat the fresh and easy look of seersucker striped bridesmaid dresses, in pink and white or blue and white. The classic elegance of pearl bridesmaid jewelry also looks pretty with this style of dress, and will not compete with the patterned fabric.

For a formal wedding, I love the look of a ball skirt made from wide tonal stripes (which have a very subtle contrast between colors). Rich gold tones created in wide vertical stripes look magnificent and grand. The top of the ensemble can be a fitted strapless or square neck top in a solid color that matches one of the stripes, a cashmere twinset, or even a white wrap blouse in a dressy taffeta. The last style also works beautifully for the mother of the bride or groom.

The men in the wedding will also look handsome in stripes. A very subtle pinstripe or even a chalk stripe suit can be a nice option for a fairly formal wedding which is not black tie. Just be sure that the effect is not overly business like, and avoid double breasted pinstripe styles, which look more mafioso than stylish. A solid suit can be made more interesting with the addition of a striped shirt. This looks especially nice for a summer wedding when the groom and his groomsmen will be wearing linen suits. A pastel striped shirt adds a nice detail to the mix. And of course, don’t forget about dressing up a solid suit and shirt with a boldly striped repp tie.

Even the bride can get into the act. A white on white seersucker stripe would be fresh and beautiful for a spring or summer bridal gown. The detail is very subtle, but so pretty when seen up close. You can also find some wonderful wedding dresses which have horizontal or vertical bands of lace, which creates a striped effect. Pearl bridal jewelry with crystal accents would be a lovely finishing touch, especially if the lace is beaded.

Dramatic Fabric Embellished Bridal Gowns

Bridal gowns this season offer some incredibly unique and distinctive elements. Many of the most intriguing details are created from fabric that matches the body of the gown. These are some of the wonderful fabric embellishments that you will find on bridal gowns, from the dreamy to the dramatic.

Floral motifs are huge in bridal this year, and so are the flowers! Big, bigger, and biggest is the order of the day when it comes to floral accents on wedding gowns. Picture a layered organza gown with one enormous flower on the skirt. Or a graceful one shoulder dress with a corsage of exaggerated blossoms cascading over the shoulder and down the back. The most subtle floral effect that you will find is a voluminous organdy ballgown covered in hundreds of three dimensional floral appliques. The really terrific thing about all of these feminine floral extravaganzas is that they can easily work for weddings as diverse as an afternoon garden wedding or a formal evening affair.

Designers are also doing some intricate work in pleating, scalloping, and ruffling for brides this year. Some of the styles can be very bold and dramatic. If you are thinking about wearing a gown with a striking cascade of scallops down the train or a wild profusion of ruffles, the key to pulling it off is to really own the look. Choose your accessories wisely to complement your unique gown. Custom bridal Swarovski necklaces will make it possible to have a wedding day necklace that is as distinctive as your gown. One of the best things about bridal necklaces that are custom made from Swarovski crystals is that they will give you a bold look at a small price so you can splurge on your dream dress.

Another special detail to look for in this season’s crop of gowns is an impressive train. The aforementioned scalloped train is one option. You can also check out some of the dresses that pair a slender gown with a billowing train. This is a great way to have a dramatic ceremony gown without being encumbered by a large and heavy dress during the reception; some of these styles feature removable Watteau trains.

Indulge your romantic side with a frothy chiffon gown, or treat yourself to a gown made from numerous organza pleats or one with a billowing organza skirt. Any of this season’s dramatic and yet ultra-feminine gowns will help you to feel chic and gorgeous on your wedding day.

Luxurious Bridal Lace

Lace has always been a favorite of brides. It is prized for its beautiful designs, romantic feeling, and fine needlework. Whether you use a lot of lace or just a few accents, it will add a sense of luxury and elegance to your wedding.

Of course the most obvious way to use lace in a wedding is on a bridal gown. There are a variety of different effects that can be created with lace, depending on which type is chosen, and how it is used. One of the most classic styles is to appliqué sections of Alencon or Venise lace to the bodice and hem of a wedding gown. For a fresh daytime look, keep the lace details delicate. If you prefer a more formal or grand effect, use a wider border of lace on the hem of the gown, and heavily bead it with crystal and pearl beads to match the bridal jewelry.

Lace is a beautiful addition to many parts of a wedding beyond the bride’s attire. A romantic bouquet of sweetpeas or lily-of-the-valley would look amazing finished off with a wide lace ribbon. This idea would work equally well for the bridesmaids’ bouquets, perhaps in a colored piece of lace. Another lovely way to use lace in your wedding ceremony is as a runner. Lace aisle runners can easily be rented from your florist and create a very pretty path for the processional.

At the reception, lace is a wonderful accent for the tables. An ivory lace cloth laid over a solid tablecloth will look romantic and luxurious. For the solid underlayment, choose a color in a contrasting color to help showcase the design on the lace. Pale blue or yellow look fresh and summery under a crisp white lace; a deep tan color is elegant and understated when paired with an ivory lace.

Small squares or circles of lace can used to wrap the wedding favors. You can also purchase or make tiny lace drawstring bags, which are ideal for the classic wedding favor of Jordan almonds. The lace squares would be pretty packaging for any type of favor, and are especially fitting for a country wedding.

Creative Places to Shop for Bridal Gowns

When shopping for bridal gowns, most brides will usually go traditional bridal salons. When you want a classic wedding dress, this is a great option, but for brides looking for a more simple gown, a bridal shop may not be your only choice. These are some ideas on creative places to shop for bridal gowns.

Many of the newest bridal gowns on the runways are inspired by vintage fashion. If this appeals to you, why not go right to the source? It is possible to find stunning wedding gowns at vintage or antique shops for a fraction of the cost of a new vintage inspired gown. When shopping for vintage, it is important to be educated about what you are looking at. Inspect the gowns carefully for damage, dry rot (often seen in lace), or embellishments that are glued on instead of stitched on (common in the 1970s, and a very big problem when it comes to cleaning and alterations). Find out if the vintage shop will let you buy a gown on approval to take to your seamstress to see if it can be altered to fit you properly.

Women today love the ease of shopping online, and many will use the internet as a starting point when seeking out a wedding dress and bridal jewelry. You will often find very nice bridal accessories, such as crystal jewelry, veils, and shoes available online, but be cautious about buying a wedding gown sight unseen. The best source for internet gowns is a well-known retailer that has a special occasion collection, like J Crew. They offer chic streamlined styles for the modern bride, as well as easy return policies, in case you don’t love the dress when it arrives. Unlike some of the so-called “discount” online gown retailers, when you go with a well-known clothing company, you will know that they are reputable.

When you are looking for a gown that is offbeat or non-traditional, also check out your local boutiques. Especially in major cities, there are little shops that carry unique and beautiful styles appropriate for weddings or other special occasions. You might just find the perfect little beaded or hand-sewn dress that will give you the one-of-a-kind look that you have always imagined.