The bride wore…

Every woman has spent a considerable amount of time meticulously planning the details of her wedding dress. However it can still be tasking for the bride to look for the perfect wedding dress in between sampling food and choosing flowers. Lara Boffa...

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Dress for your shape

Every woman deserves to make her childhood wedding dress fantasies a reality, irrespective of what size and shape that child grew up to be. The key idea here is to find a dress that flaunts your best assets and tones down those areas that you’re not proud of.

Pear-shaped body: Brides who carry weight in their middle section should go for an A-line shape. This will attract attention to the narrowness of their waist as well as to the length of the dress, distracting the eye from the hips. Sturdier fabrics like taffeta are ideal because they don’t cling to the body. You could also opt for necklines that balance your overall shape, like wide or puffy shoulders or off-shoulder necklines. Both place emphasis and widen the upper body.

Apple-shaped bodies: The V-neckline is your friend. It makes the upper body look more slender and draws attention to the vertical and not the horizontal. Apart from finding a gown with a corset bodice, you could also try to look for a gown with a waist that begins under the bust. That’s the best way to minimise your stomach.

Sheen is to bodices what lip gloss is to lips – it makes everything look bigger

Busty: You need something that is not too revealing, so a gown with a scooped, square or sweetheart neckline will work wonders. Avoid straight-across necklines unless you want to make your chest look larger. Steer clear away from sheen and ruching: both add volume and guarantee uncalled attention to your chest area.

Small-chested: Contrary to larger-chested ladies, small-chested brides should keep an eye out for ruched bodices and vertical cut necklines, as well as the addition of extra fabric to the bodice to fill up the upper body. Try sheen fabrics. Sheen is to bodices what lip gloss is to lips – it makes everything look bigger.

Tall: Go for a simple, minimal dress. You need a floor-sweeping gown so as not to seem like you borrowed your dress from your shorter sister. Pick a sheath or column dress to emphasise length.

Petite: The key word for you is “elongation”. It’s all a game of vertical proportions. Find a dress with a waistline above your natural waist, so as to make your legs look longer. No dropped-waists, huge bows, strapless gowns or calf-length dresses – these elements drown you and make you look frumpy. Make sure that any details are on your upper body to draw the eye upward and make you look taller.

It’s all about headwear

After finding the perfect dress and making up your mind on the hairstyle you want on your big day, it’s time to start thinking about headwear. There’s more to it than simply finding a matching headpiece.

Tiara: Tiaras are the most dramatic headpieces and add gorgeous detail to any dress style, from the classic to the contemporary. Round or full faces look better with a tiara with some height or a peak, whereas long faces should opt for tiaras that extend to the entire head with an even height. No peaks for oval faces. Silver, diamante and white pearl tiaras are fit for white dresses. Gold and ivory walk hand in hand with ivory and champagne gowns.

Headbands: Headbands can serve a functional purpose – that of keeping hair away from the bride’s face. However, they can also be tilted forward to mimic a tiara. Additionally, headbands can be wrapped around the bride’s up-do for some extra glamour.

Never pair an overly embellished dress with substantial jewellery

Bridal combs: Combs look like tiaras but are significantly smaller, making the overall look less dramatic and formal. Combs can be worn on different parts of the head.

Veil it right

It’s imperative to choose a veil that complements the bridal gown without taking too much attention away from it. As a general rule, veil lengths should be cut just above or below the dress’s focal point.

Elbow length: This veil length goes well with train-less dresses and tends to enhance the waist area. Appropriate for both formal and semi-formal styles, elbow-length veils go well with full skirts. Works like a charm and works every time.

Fingertip length: Whereas these veil styles are not recommended for brides opting for a train, a veil flowing gracefully to the fingertips looks gorgeous with a full-length gown.

Cathedral length: Dramatic and difficult to manoeuvre, cathedral or floor length veils tend to be the most popular with brides. Worn with a cathedral or semi-cathedral length dress, these veils are sure to turn the princess vibe on.

And the jewellery?

Your choice of jewellery largely depends on personal taste and the rest of the bridal outfit, yet there are other considerations to make apart from the obvious “does this match my dress?”

Contrast: Never pair an overly embellished dress with substantial jewellery. Keep that statement necklace for a simple dress, especially if it has a plunging neckline that lends itself nicely to the extra bling.

Veil style: Detailed veils should always be juxtaposed against softer jewellery. However if your veil is of a more traditional nature, you can afford some flashier gems.

Hairstyle: Up-do’s as well as high necklines are just meant for dangling earrings that extend the neckline. Keep away from chandelier earrings if you are keeping your hair down as you don’t want your hair to get tangled in them.

Face shape: The shape of your face is equally important. Button-style earrings look forgiving on round faces and dangly pieces can serve to widen a narrow face. Long faces should consider square earrings.