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Wedding dress selection for Petite Brides made easy

via Best for Bride

Women come in different shapes and sizes, with no two of them exactly alike. While it is important to find a beautiful wedding dress, it is also necessary that it suits your build if you are to look fabulous on your wedding day. Most dresses, including bridal gowns, are designed for the average woman, who is at least 165cm tall. It is not  as easy to find a dress that satisfies your preferences if you are on either end of the size spectrum, than if you are an average-sized woman. However, it is possible.

You may not have too many choices, but you can still find a fantastic dress, if you know what features would look best on you. Here, we will take a look at the dress styles that particularly favor petite brides.

Who is a petite bride?

Petite women have small body frames. They are short, with tiny waists. Petite sized dresses are designed and specially created for women who have a height of 160cm (5ft 3 in) or less.

A petite woman wouldn’t look good in a dress that isn’t designed for petite measurements. This is because, it isn’t easy to alter a regular dress to a petite size without introducing too many tucks and seams. This would spoil the overall finish, and the dress may not look elegant on a small-built woman.

What should petite brides look for in a dress?

via Best for Bride

A petite bride would benefit from a dress that creates the illusion of few extra inches. This is possible by choosing a gown with a waistline above the natural waist. An empire waist gown, or one that gathers under the bust and flows into the skirt from a cleverly elevated waistline will elongate your torso.

Another pattern suitable for petites is the fit and flare style, where the dress snugly clings to the body all the way from the bust, to your waist and hips and flares out into a layered skirt at the knees. This creates the illusion of height. There is another benefit to choosing such a mermaid-inspired gown. With this pattern, you can flaunt your best feature—a slim, natural waist that many women would die for.

If you are petite, you are born to look gorgeous in a close-fitting sheath pattern. There aren’t many other body types who can carry off this look, like you can.

What to avoid in your wedding dress

via Best for Bride

While details add splendor and sophistication, you should restrict the amount of embellishments if you are a petite bride. A detailed bodice would be great, but be wary of huge waistbands, bows or too many details in the skirt.

Avoid a dress with a dropped waist, or a heavily layered skirt that will drown you. Instead, look for ruffles that cascade down the side, or add texture to the bodice.

Your wedding day is all about looking glamorous and feeling so. Show off your best features—your well-toned shoulders, slim waist and huge smile, and you will be the perfectly petite bride.

For dresses that are exclusively designed for petite brides, check out our Perfectly Petite collection at BestforBride and make your pick.

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First things to do after you are Engaged

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planningDo we see you admiring the lovely ring on your finger after saying “Yes” to the man of your dreams? CONGRATULATIONS! You are officially engaged! Isn’t it exciting thinking of your upcoming wedding? As the bride-to-be, you will have a busy, but fun time ahead.

Don’t be surprised if you suddenly feel confused. What do you do next? Are you overwhelmed with what to do and where to begin, now that the inevitable has happened? Don’t worry, we can help you get there. Here are the first few things that you should do once you are engaged, and the rest will simply fall into place.

Break the news to near and dear ones, and begin thinking of a wedding date

Great news like this should first be celebrated with the most important people in your life. Share the news with your parents and close friends and let them have a glimpse of the ring that seals your love. The obvious question that the two of you can expect at this meeting is, “ When will the wedding be?” That is because, it is time to think about it, which brings us to the next point.

Think about your wedding; start planning the place, date, time, and everything else

Now that you know you are getting married, how do you want to do it and when? Would you prefer to be wed at your local church, or can you afford an exotic destination wedding? Do you want an outdoor reception, or a stylish indoor venue? You’ll have to plan the time of year, and shortlist a couple of days in order of preference, so it’s easier to get the venue, caterers, photographers and band on any one of these days. At this time, discuss your thoughts about the perfect wedding with your partner, check out books and photos, and then begin organizing everything to make these dreams a reality.

Time to budget

You now know what your wedding should be like. Now, it is time to decide how big or how small you want it to be and budget accordingly. A rough idea at this point will help you plan the rest of the details . If your families are contributing, you can ask them how much and figure it into the budget. Also, draft a guest list, and calculate the cost that this will translate into. Budget for individual components such as the wedding dress, venue cost, photographer etc, so you know how much you can spare on each and stick to it.

Plan your wedding look, and begin your dress search

This is perhaps the most exciting part of all the planning—deciding how you will look at your lifetime event. Remember that you may have to look through hundreds of wedding dress pictures to filter the ones to try on. Wedding shopping takes a long time, so be prepared. Plan early, find the boutique that carries your choice of dresses, and book your appointment. This will help you choose your wedding dress at a relaxed pace, find time for alterations and be ready in time for your big day.

Best for Bride brings you a spectacular collection of wedding dress from the best designers. Browse through our online database and start off on your search for the perfect dress at the right place.

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Demystifying the wedding train

If there is one factor that sets a bridal dress apart from any other, it is the wedding train. Although there are plenty of wedding dress options that forgo the train entirely and end at knee or ankle-length, wedding dress trains are undoubtedly classic and are the exclusive privilege of first-time brides.

Trains come in various lengths, widths and designs. There are even detachable types, that allow you to dance at your reception without having to bother about it getting in the way. The ideal train length would depend on how formal the function is, the ceremony venue and your comfort. Let us take a look at the most common types of trains and the type of function they are appropriate for.

Cathedral Train

via Best for Bride

A formal train, this extends to approximately 7 feet beyond your waist. It is dramatic and suitable for traditional church ceremonies or formal weddings, and is majestic in appearance. The train requires setting up when you reach the venue, but you should be able to manage it from there without assistance, unless it is heavily adorned with details. If you do not plan to change your dress for the wedding reception, it is a good idea to opt for a cathedral train that is removable or can be bustled after the wedding ceremony.

Chapel Train

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This is shorter than the cathedral train, extending up to 5 feet from your waist. It is one of the most versatile trains, and is suitable for both formal and semi-formal wedding ceremonies. It is easy to set up and will follow you easily once this is done. The chapel train looks best when the dress has a mermaid-inspired silhouette or an A-line skirt.

Court Train

The court train is slightly shorter than the chapel train, but longer than the sweep train. It is also suitable for both semi-formal and formal ceremonies, and is easier to manage without a lot of fuss.

Sweep Train

via Best for Bride

This is the shortest of the trains, and extends to just a couple of inches beyond the hemline. This is suitable for almost any type of ceremony. It is ideal for an outdoor wedding ceremony, where it wouldn’t be a good idea to have a long train dragging through the ground. The sweep train is stylish, and it balances style and simplicity.

Royal Train

This is the longest and most dramatic of the trains. The royal train, also known as the monarch train, extends to almost 10 feet or more, from your waist. The train is often a masterpiece in itself, embellished and adorned with intricate details. The bride will usually require assistance with this train, and it is not easy to bustle.

When shopping for your wedding dress, don’t forget to take the train length into consideration when you make your final decision. The right length would ideally depend on whether your wedding is a black-tie ceremony or a casual affair, and whether it is to be indoors or outdoors.

Best for Bride features wedding dress collections with varying train lengths. Visit our online collection to find one that you like.

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Bridal Dress Fashions

Planning and carrying out a wedding is tough. Invitations, guests, refreshments, the cake, and all the other members of your wedding party take up so much time, and if you’re like me, everything needs to be just so. If you ask any bride the hardest part about planning a wedding, they won’t say it will be picking the First Dance song, nor will they say it will be what flavor of cake to have. No, the hardest part for any bride is the biggest part of the whole shindig: the dress. Do you want one that’s short? Long? White? Colored? Sleeves? Sleeveless? It seems impossible, but we’re here to help!

Fashion changes so often, and every season brings new ideas, more creative designs, and fresh outlooks on clothing. Here, we’ve detailed the hottest, newest trends to come to bridal dresses this spring.

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Off-the-Shoulder Necklines

Recently, bridal style has favored cap sleeves and one-shoulder dresses, but that will be replaced this year with the off-the-shoulder variety. Looking at the style, it’s no surprise. There is a princess-like quality to the style. Anyone else thinking of Beauty and the Beast? The off-the-shoulder design also gives the bride a greater range of movement, and it’s a perfect draw between sleeveless and straps.

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Color

White dresses will forever be the first pick for brides, but this year, spring is coming in with new colors! Light blues, grays, and even mint greens are making their way into the wedding world. White and cream are beautiful, and the long-held belief that they represent the purity of the bride will never fall out of style, but we can’t deny that the little splash of color is just as refreshing as it is stunning.

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Tulle

Move over silk and lace, because tulle is the new fabric that’s sweeping through the fashion world. Whether used as a beautiful, light-weight overlay or for a full and flowing skirt, tulle is going to be all the rage this spring. It’s the perfect accent material, and will add a brush of class to your wedding dress in a way that no other fabric will.

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Capes

That’s right, ladies. Capes aren’t just for superheroes anymore, though who can deny that a bride is a superhero in her own right? Whether you want to mix it up this year, you want a little extra covering, some added lace, or you’re just going for the dramatic effect, a cape is the perfect addition to your wedding dress. It adds a certain flair, and a bold notion to your big day.

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Collars

Necklines have steadily been rising over the past few seasons, and now they’ve been shifted into full-blown collars. This is an extremely regal and beautiful look, accentuating the neck and shoulders flawlessly – no matter what body type you have. With lacy sleeves, collars can bring out the design. With a sleeveless dress, a collar can give a little added support, plus bring attention to the elegant design. They are as versatile as they are lovely.

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Sleek

Poof is going out, and the sleeker, slimmer version of wedding dresses from the 1920s and 1930s are coming back. History repeats itself, and that holds true for fashion as much as it does for everything else. These frame-hugging dresses are typically paired with smooth fabric or made to dazzle in the lights with jewels and sequins galore. Think flapper, only classier. Sexy, chic, and gorgeous.

 

Styles come and go. They fade in and out like the ocean’s tides, and sometimes it can be just as difficult to keep your footing in the ever-changing fashion world as it can be to keep your footing in the waves as they pull you back towards the sea. Thankfully, Best for Bride is always around to help you find the best dresses that keep up with the latest fashions. No matter what you’re looking for, you can find it there.

Be beautiful, brides.

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