Wedding Dress Channel

In the world of bridal fashion, following trends is not always an easy thing to do for a BBW. The top designers always seem to have a size 0 in mind when they are designing their current line of wedding gowns, and some trends seem to pass the plus size world by. However, this year there are several trends that are actually full figure friendly and will transfer into a beautiful, plus size wedding gown choice for your summer wedding.

Trend 1 - Sweetheart necklines. A sweetheart neckline is a low-cut neckline with two curves over the bust, making the bodice"shaped like the top of a heart." This is ideal for average to small size busts but can work well on large busts if the cut is not too low and there is sufficient support in the bodice.

Trend 2 - Color. A big trend this year is a touch of color. Whether it be colored lace appliqué, colored thread piping, or the entire dress a shade other than white. Anything goes and colorful wedding dresses are very fashionable now. Plus size brides can take advantage of this trend by using dark colors in the bodice area to draw the eye up if you are "pear" shaped or bottom heavy. Alternatively, you can use color in the train or hem, or add colored appliqué's on the skirt and colored sashes if your very top heavy. All over color is in now and can be flattering to all brides off all sizes. Popular shades for summer are lavender, blue, jewel tones and metallic fabrics of silver and gold.


Trend 3 - Lace. Lace appliqué's, dresses that are totally lace and lace sheathings are all in style this summer. Although overdoing lace can actually accentuate figure flaws, a little lace in the right places can be very figure flattering. Instead of a dress that is total lace, try a gown with some lace appliqué's with or without a touch of color. Also, a simple Lycra enhanced dress with a lace sheathing can be extremely beautiful on an extra curvy bride.




Trend 4 - Accessories. How you decide to accessorize your wedding dress will depend on what style of dress you are going to wear. If keeping it simple and you are going to wear a casual wedding dress, you will want to add very little for fear of overwhelming the beauty of your selected gown. A simple flower for your hair or a jeweled hair comb instead of a veil or tiara would be appropriate and not much else. If you are wearing a formal style wedding dress then of course you can add much more to your ensemble. veils, tiaras, gloves, shawls, flowered sashes, bows, and beads are all popular trends for 2007. The only item mentioned that may not work well on the plus size bride are wide sashes, although there are some wedding dress styles that incorporate this trend in a very understated way, and would look good on women of all shapes and sizes.


Remember, don't let the latest fashion trends be the only factor when you are choosing your perfect wedding dress. You have to feel comfortable, and your gown should reflect your personality and your inner beauty. That is the number one consideration, and when you follow your instincts you will certainly shine like a star on your most special day.

By Jackie Shumpert

The wedding gown is the top priority for most women when it comes to their marriage ceremony. Everything else might be perfect but if the dress doesn't cut the mustard, then it's pointless. So what do you do if you've searched high and low and yet you cannot find that dream wedding dress?

You can custom create your own. Most brides-to-be are much too busy with their wedding plans to spare any time in designing their own wedding dress, and the majority just don't have the design flair to do such a thing in the first place. This is where you might want to look at hiring the services of a designer to create your ideal dress (just be prepared to fork out a decent sum of money to make your dream come true).

The advantage of designing your own dress is knowing for sure that everything fits you perfectly and it is precisely how you want it to look, down to the very last detail.

You might be wondering how you're going to afford such an expense. Well there are ways around this such as cutting certain costs from your wedding, such as having a more simple honeymoon, or having a smaller reception perhaps - there's definitely ways around this if you desire it badly enough.

Depending on how far ahead you plan your wedding (or how last minute), you would be better off hiring a designer that other friends, colleagues or family have used before. The worst thing is being stuck with a terrible designer who doesn't take your wedding dress designs as seriously as you do.


If you're a bit artistic, you might like to do a few first-pass sketches of how you'd like your wedding dress to turn out, but most of the time you needn't worry as a good dress designer will normally work beside you to get the preliminary sketches done. You may also use several wedding dress magazines here to get some additional ideas or use it as a source of inspiration.

This is where you will want to go crazy and describe the type of style of dress, fabrics you want included as well as any particular accessories you might want to have on during the day (just to make sure the dress matches the jewellery perfectly).

During the design process, keep your mind open to any modifications that might be required and have a little faith in your wedding dress designer. Once the final design is drafted, the dress making process begins and be prepared to attend several fitting sessions as well.

It might be a lot of trouble and cost a lot of money, but I assure you, when you are wearing that gorgeous dress that you had a hand in designing, and that's utterly unique, it will be worth every cent.

By Michiru Isu