Finally you are living your dreams… You are engaged! Yet, when the initial giddy euphoria wears off you will come to realise that you actually need to plan your wedding.

This Guide can help with some tips, or possibly you can engage the services of a professional wedding-planner to help guide you through the minefield that is Wedding Ettiquette - on the other hand you could ignore all the rules and do your own thing. Not surprisingly, one of the most exciting parts of your planning is deciding what you will wear on the big day and this entry aims to help brides-to-be with the bewildering choice of gowns they will soon be faced with. This article only deals with wedding dresses in the western tradition - other cultures have equally varied styles to choose from and indeed some brides are happy to take their inspiration from every source.

What type of wedding dress do you wish?

Part of this decision will come from the overall style of wedding that you want; is it a very grand affair in a huge cathedral, a sophisticated evening event with a civil ceremony, a simple church wedding, a beach wedding in the tropics or a funky day in a modern hotel? This will help to inform your choice but by no means limits it. If you are having a registry office wedding but have always dreamed of a full princess-style dress with a veil and the whole works then there is no reason why you shouldn’t have it. Similarly and naturally, if your wedding is in a grand building, that doesn’t mean you need a dress of Princess Diana proportions if you don’t feel comfortable in one. You may not choose a dress at all, but instead you may feel more comfortable in a smart suit. If you have a theme for your wedding,1 that may dictate the style of your outfit - the choice is yours! Before you hit the shops it is also worth talking to your fiancé about what he likes and dislikes. As well as looking wonderful for yourself, you also want your husband-to-be to love the way you look when he sees you in your finery. He is going to be the one to love you for a lifetime.

Does your wedding dress have to be white?

In short, no. As we said before, it depends on the style of your wedding, but more and more brides are opting to buck tradition and get hitched in a coloured dress. Bridal shop owners will tell you that few brides opt for pure white dresses in any case, as they can be a disaster unless you have the right colouring; an off-white, ivory or cream shade is often easier to wear. More frequently women are opting for dramatic reds or soft pinks, pale golds or pretty lilacs - choose your favourite colour or the one that makes your skin look gorgeous. The tradition of brides wearing white to symbolise purity is a fairly recent one which was given a boost when Queen Victoria chose it over Silver for her wedding dress. Before white became popular, the bride would simply wear her best dress and colour was a matter of preference. There are many traditions and superstitions related to the colour of your dress. Of course white usually symbols purity and beauty of love.

Fabrics of the Dress

Wedding dresses come in a variety of fabrics from very light materials like chiffon and crepe, through satins and silk to heavy brocades. Take into consideration the time of year that you will be getting married. You may not want a heavy fabric if you are doing the deed at the height of summer, and a whisper of chiffon may not be the thing if you expect to have to go outside into snowstorms. You may also want to bear in mind how wearable a fabric is; you will be sitting and standing in it all day and you want it to look at its best in all of the photos. Try scrunching an inconspicuous area of the fabric in your hand to see how easy it is to crease.

Decoration of Dress

Beadwork is currently a popular method of decorating a wedding dress but there are lots of other options. Some brides choose lots of sparkle and crystals on their dress, and others prefer embroidery or patterned fabrics. Your decoration could be in the same colour as the dress or may introduce a contrast. Several designers have included things like bright coloured patterns on the bodice or skirt.

Dress styles

There are a number of different dress styles available to choose from that will flatter different body shapes but there are no hard and fast rules. Unless you are a frequent wearer of extravagant frocks and therefore know what suits you, you should aim to try on an example of each shape to get an idea of what you like. Have a think about what you consider to be your best and worst features, the perfect dress will disguise or draw attention from your least favourite parts and highlight all the best bits. Like any other type of clothing, wedding dresses are subject to fashion, but you need to ensure that the dress you choose is the right one for you. Remember, choosing a dress that is the height of fashion now may quickly look dated in your wedding photos. You can choose dresses or two piece outfits and both have advantages, but for both you will need to think about a number of aspects of your outfit.

Please note, the suggestions made here for what style suits what figure are just that – suggestions! To be certain if a style is right for your figure you need to try it on.

The Silhouette

The shape of your skirt will have a strong influence on the whole look of your outfit on the day. The silhouette can range from a traditional full-skirted ball gown shape to a more modern sleek column dress. Whatever you choose should make you feel gorgeous but should also be comfortable.

The ball gown shape is very full and is usually teamed up with a fitted bodice. The fabric from which it is made will affect the style of the skirt; it may be a full tulle skirt in a ballerina style, or a heavy or structured fabric. This kind of skirt suits many figures and can disguise a pear shape, but be aware that on a fuller-figured woman this style of dress can emphasise the bride’s size rather than flatter her best features. Ball gown styles often have a seam at the waistline where the skirt becomes fuller. Very petite brides may feel a bit swamped by this style.

A less full look can be achieved with an A-line skirt. As the name suggests, the skirt is A-shaped and flares out from a natural or dropped waist. A-line dresses usually have vertical seams that run from the top of the dress all the way to the bottom, with no seams coming across the dress at the waistline. This style is flattering to most brides, particularly those that are pear-shaped or fuller-figured. A hooped petticoat is often worn underneath a wide A-line skirt to hold it away from the bride’s legs to give the skirt a full look. A sleeker look may be achieved with a narrower A-line without a hoop.

An empire line dress is usually straighter than the A-line styles without being too figure hugging. This style has a seam just underneath the bust and then falls away to the floor; it usually suits smaller-busted, slim women.

A column dress has a sleek modern line that is usually quite figure-hugging. These usually suit slimmer brides and those that are tall. Petite brides might prefer this look to the fuller styles.

A mermaid or fishtail dress is similar to a column dress but will usually put more emphasis on the bride’s curves. This style is often cut on the bias, and is quite figure-hugging until after the knee when it flares out. A fishtail dress is usually flatter at the front than the similar mermaid style but flares at the back and sides.

Wearing Sleeves or not?

The question is, do you like your arms? If not then you might want to consider a dress with sleeves, alternatively you could choose a sleeveless dress but cover your arms with a jacket, shrug or wrap.

Wearing Necklines

Now think about the kind of neckline you want as this will draw attention to your upper body. Your bust, face, neck and shoulders can all be accentuated or downplayed by the shape of the top part of the dress. It helps to think about what you would normally choose for a going-out top – do you often wear halter-, round- or V-necked outfits?

Low round or scooped necks will suit most brides and do not give too much prominence to any particular feature, therefore will not detract from a pretty face.
A halterneck looks best on a bride with great shoulders, but may look unbalanced on a woman with a large bust.
Queen Anne, or sweetheart necklines have a heart-shaped line at the bust and are great if you want to discreetly display a bit of cleavage.
A V-neck can draw attention from a large bust as it guides the eye inwards and down the midline of the dress
A high round neck or slash-neck dress will look best on a bride with a small bust and both are good if the bride doesn’t wish to show too much of her chest.
Square necklines will suit most brides, the shape is created where the neckline comes across in a straight line between the straps of the dress.
Strapless outfits are very popular and may be straight across at the bust or may have a sweetheart shape. They suit most brides but may not be suitable if you are uncomfortable showing too much of your shoulders, chest or upper arms.
Asymmetric necklines, where the dress has a single strap or irregular shaping are also becoming more popular in line with current fashion trends.

Trains

You may also want to consider about a train for your dress; this is where the material at the back of the dress extends out. Trains come in varying lengths and styles; the shortest is a sweep or duster train, these extend no more than 50cm from the hem of the dress and are the easiest to manage. A puddle train is often found teamed up with a fishtail or column dress in a lighter fabric. It is round in shape and begins at the sides of the skirt to make it appear that the bride is standing in a ‘puddle’ of the fabric. A chapel length train is usually around a metre in length and cathedral length can stretch out for two metres or more. When choosing a train it is important to think about how you will manage it on the day. It is the job of your bridesmaid to arrange the train when you have walked down the aisle and for the photographs but the longer and heavier it is the more difficult it will be to cope with. There are a number of solutions to this problem, depending on the style of your dress. The easiest to manage is the detachable train, this is usually fastened to the skirt near the waist and can be removed altogether once the ceremony and photos are out of the way leaving the bride unencumbered if she intends to dance up a storm! A clever seamstress can attach a series of loops and laces to the inside of the skirt so that the train can be hooked up into a bustle shape5 or if this isn’t possible then a loop can be made that goes over the bride’s wrist or thumb so that she can hold the train out of the way while she is dancing. This last option can be a little awkward and tiring for the bride if she intends to hit the dancefloor for a long period.

Veils and other headdresses

Once you have chosen your outfit you may want to think about the accessories that you want to wear on the day. These are likely to include some kind of headdress so you need to decide if you want to wear a veil, tiara, jewellery or flowers in your hair. Remember, small details are the tips to make you reach the perfection in your dress.

Veils come in different types and lengths and may have one, two or more layers. They can have a simple stitched edge or have a ribbon or other edging material around them, some are covered with scattered crystals, sequins or beads so you are likely to find something that suits the style of your outfit. You may decide that you would like a very short single-layer veil. These are worn at the back of the head and only come down to the tops of the shoulders, they are not designed to be worn forward over the face. Two-layer veils have a layer that stays at the back and a shorter section that can come forward over the face, this is called a blusher. These styles can be worn at the back of the head or further forward on the top. The back of the veil can be long enough to reach the elbows, hips, the floor, or all the way to the end of your traain!

It is your choice whether or not to wear the blusher covering the face, some brides prefer the fuller look of multiple layers but don’t like the idea of covering up, others like the idea that the blusher can obscure the occasional lip-wobble or happy tear as the bride walks up the aisle.

Tiaras come in a variety of colours and shapes, from small ones designed to sit just in front of the veil, to large and colourful crowns. They may be covered with crystals, beads or feathers, or whatever most suits the style of your dress. If you are crafty then you may want to have a go at making your own with supplies from a craft shop. Other versions of this look can be achieved using decorated combs or pins, or you may prefer to have your hairdresser weave in some flowers. If you do choose flowers then talk to your florist about the best types to use, they will be out of water for a long time on the day so it is best to choose something fairly robust that won’t start to wilt after an hour or two.