Wedding Dresses - From Traditional to Modern Wedding Gowns

Shopping for wedding dresses and deciding on your look and style for the wedding is usually one of the bride's most anticipated activities. Whether you are the type of bride who can not wait to start shopping, already know exactly what you are looking for, or have no idea what type of wedding gown you want to wear, this section of the website can help you out a lot.

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Wedding dresses come in all types of varieties from traditional to modern – keep reading to find out the type of wedding gown you might want to wear for your wedding!

Beautiful Bride Wearing Elegant Lace Ball Gown Wedding Dress with Long Illusion Sleeves

Elegant Ball Gown Lace Long Wedding Dress with Long Illusion Sleeves

Since choosing your style and finding the perfect gown is something that many brides spend a lot of time and energy on we are going to spend a lot of time and numerous articles on this decision.

This is only an introduction to everything you need to know on wedding dresses.

Before you read on in the series (as well as while you are reading) you should keep some things in mind. Know how much you are willing to spend on a gown. It is an important purchase as it is important to look your best as well as to feel your best during your special day. However, do try to remember that you will only be wearing this gown once! It is hard to keep these two things in balance if you choose to do so. You may decide that since you are only getting married once, money is no option.

When looking for the Wedding Dress remember that it needs to be comfortable and you need to feel comfortable in the style that you are wearing for the ceremony and the wedding. Make sure the dress flatters your figure and makes you feel wonderful. Also, you should probably know to go in if you are looking for modern wedding dresses or something a bit more traditional.

Pink Wedding Dress Floral Prints Tulle Strapless Sweetheart Backless Dress

Buying your wedding gown should be a wonderful experience, but it can also be time-consuming if you do not know exactly what you want or where to purchase your dream gown. Give yourself enough time, you can start shopping immediately, even if it is only window shopping. You never know when you will find the dress that is right for you.

Wedding Gowns – Shop By Silhouette Type

The A-Line

The A-Line Bridal Gown is just like it sounds. I look like a capital A. The gown is fitted at the hips and flows outward as it reaches the ground.

A-line wedding dresses as a traditional choice. The popularity of this bridal dress silhouette type is in part because they look flattering on all body types.

A-Line Court Train Tulle Wedding Dress

The Ball Gown

The Ball Gown Wedding Dress is one of the most popular styles for women who are planning a fairy tale wedding. If you are looking to feel like a princess on your big day this might be the style for you.

Wedding Dress Shopping:

TB Dress
EricDress
Milanoo
CoCoMelody
Amazon

Typically the bodice is fitted and the gown is a big full skirt. The image is like a bride being surrounded by a cloud. The dress usually has multiple layers of fabric such as tulle which creates a full look and produces a rustling sound when she moves.

Metallic Blue A-Line Sweep-Brush Train Tulle Gothic Wedding Dress

The Column (also known as a sheath)

A sheath or column bridal dress is a more modern style. This type of gown is best for a slender or petite woman.

This gown is fitted to the body, a very straight up and down look which is why it is called a column. Often times, the sheath dress does flare out a little bit at the bottom.

Pretty Sheath-Column Court Train Lace Wedding Dress

The Mermaid

The mermaid wedding gown is another choice that confident and modern brides tend to choose. Just like the sheath, it looks great on slender or petite brides.

This gown is fitted at the top and starts to flare out from the waist to the floor. This effect makes the bride look like a mermaid with a fitted gown that pools at the bottom to look like a tail.

Trumpet-Mermaid Court Train Tulle Wedding Dress

The Trumpet

The trumpet is another modern and fitted choice for brides who are not looking for full gowns or looser bodice.

The trumpet is very similar to the mermaid as it is form-fitting on top and it eventually flares out. The difference is it starts to flare out mid-thigh instead of at the hips.

Trumpet-Mermaid Court Train Lace Wedding Dress

Tea-Length

Finally, we have a tea-length wedding dress. Unlike the other choices on this list, the gown does not reach the floor.

The tea-length wedding gown gives a bride a vintage look. Usually, the gown is a closer resemblance to a ball gown or an a-line except it shows off the bride's ankles and part of their calves. If you choose this style you will need to spend extra attention on the shoes that you choose to wear as unlike with other gowns, they will be on display.

Sweetheart Neck Tea-Length Flower Embellishment Tulle Wedding Dress

Other Details To Consider

Once you have chosen the type of silhouette you are looking for there will be other details you might want to include.

Types of Weddings

Depending on where you are getting married or even the season you are marrying in you might want to shop to match the ceremony or reception site of the time of year.

Here are some things to consider:

Beach Wedding Dress High Low Spaghetti Straps Asymmetrical

Beach Weddings – if you are marrying at the beach you might want to look for lighter gowns that you will not overheat in or that do not have elements like long trains that would not do well near sand and surf.

Destination Weddings – Depending on where your destination you are marrying in you may want to choose gowns that have elements that celebrate your wedding location.

Evening Weddings – If you are getting married in the evening you might want to wear a more casual dress for a nighttime wedding.

Church Weddings – A good number of weddings happen in a church. Many brides opt to wear a once in a lifetime dress. You usually do not see casual wedding gowns for church weddings.

Outdoor Weddings – Outdoor weddings are similar to beach weddings. You may want to choose dresses without dragging hemlines or you might choose a tiara or hair combs over a veil. You may want to also choose a dress that matches the situation. Outdoor weddings can be very different. You might have a wedding on a farm, in a lavish backyard or a beautiful garden.

Matching the Seasons – Many brides get married in the summer or warmer months and many of the options of wedding gowns on the market reflect this. However, if you are getting married in the spring, fall or winter you may want to choose warmer fabrics, long sleeves, or even use a bridal jacket.

Ball Gown Court Train Organza Wedding Dress

Embellishments and Other Things For Wedding Dresses

Colors – White wedding dresses are the standard but there are many different choices available today. You can choose to add a little color or completely different colored wedding gowns from peach, pink or light blue to darker and bolder colors such as royal blue, purple, red, or even black.

Strapless – The type of straps if any is a choice you need to make. You could have strapless, spaghetti straps, or even sleeves.

Backless – you will need to choose how much of your back you want to choose including backless. You might also choose something more modest or criss-cross straps.