A wedding dress is a costume or single-purpose article of clothing worn by a bride during the marriage ceremony. From antiquity, weddings have been highly regarded occasions. The clothing worn by the bride for her wedding has usually been distinguished from that of her daily wear. Symbolism may be attached to the dress, such as white for purity, and may be attached to items worn with the dress, such as something blue for luck. The symbolism associated with the wedding dress may have cultural, traditional, or personal significance.
Wedding Dresses for Hourglass Figures


- For brides with hourglass figures, a mermaid gown is a MUST. This silhouette is designed to flatter and play up your natural curves. With a snug fit around the hips and ultra-fitted neckline, this is one of many different wedding dress styles for body types.
- Dress Inspiration: Hattie by Rebecca Ingram
- If you’re looking for something a little bit more relaxed, consider a fit-and-flare gown. You’ll find this style to be a little less structured but equally as glamorous! This gown will be form-fitting around your bodice and flare out at your hips.
- Dress Inspiration: Tuscany Lynette by Maggie Sottero (P.S. To make this gown and many others one of a kind, personalize this gown for your love story by adding sleeves, a different neckline, a longer train, and anything else your heart desires!)
- We love a good V-neckline on our brides with hourglass figures! It’s flattering, versatile, and easy to style with any dress. This will also highlight your curves and drag the eyes down the body! From head to toe, you’ll be stunning your guests on your wedding day.
- Dress Inspiration: Mallory Dawn by Maggie Sottero
If you’re still unsure if you have an hourglass figure or not, think of celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, Beyonce, and Ashley Graham! These hourglass ladies have a few things in common when it comes to their body: full breasts, defined waist, and full hips.
How To Find The Best Wedding Dress For Your Body: Brides With Smaller Chests


- Want to know how to find the best wedding dress for your body if you’re a bride with a smaller chest? Consider a corseted wedding gown! The structure adds padding and thickness while lifting and enlarging your chest.
- Dress Inspiration: Harlem by Maggie Sottero
- Or, consider that instead of trying to make your breasts look larger, you could wear something a small-busted bride can rock: a deep plunging V-neck gown.
- Dress Inspiration: Johanna by Maggie Sottero
- Plunge necklines aren’t the only kind of neckline brides with smaller chests can rock! High-necked gowns are also ultra-flattering. This type of style emphasizes the chest while giving you the illusion of a fuller bust.
- Dress Inspiration: Tovah by Maggie Sottero
Wedding Dress Styles For Body Types: Brides With Petite Body Types


- If you’re a petite bride looking for the best wedding dress for your body, look no further! Petite brides can seriously shine in a gown with an open back. This look elongates your torso and makes you appear lengthier.
- Dress Inspiration: Baxley by Maggie Sottero
- There are many different types of wedding dress styles for body types, but for petite brides, consider choosing smooth, monochromatic fabrics. Heavy embellishments tend to add bulk to your silhouette, so go for the flowy layers and vertical details!
- Dress Inspiration: Aston by Sottero and Midgley
- While a ballgown wedding dress overwhelms smaller figures, a slinky A-line silhouette plays up your curves and elongates your frame!
- Dress Inspiration: Winter by Maggie Sottero
Wedding Dresses for Brides with A Pear Shape


- A lightweight A-line gown looks great on most brides, but we think they look especially dreamy on a pear-shaped figure!
- Dress Inspiration: Minerva by Rebecca Ingram
- If you want to accentuate your best assets, flaunt your hips and booty with a fit-and-flare wedding gown in a chic and comfy fabrication.
- Dress Inspiration: Tuscany Royale by Maggie Sottero
- To accentuate your waist and hips, consider a wedding gown with an overskirt. You’ll also get to rock a fitted gown while still having the flow of an A-Line!
- Dress Inspiration: Albany by Maggie Sottero (remember when we mentioned personalizing your gown for your love story? Albany is one of many gowns with this option!)
Unsure whether you have a pear-shaped body type? Take some inspiration from famous brides like Kim Kardashian, Kelly Clarkson, and Jennifer Lopez!
How To Find The Best Wedding Dress For Your Body: Wedding Dresses for Tall and Slender Brides


- A slinky silhouette is to die for on brides with tall and slender frames. Play up your natural height and airiness by wearing a sheath gown.
- Dress Inspiration: Lorraine by Rebecca Ingram
- With legs for days, tall and slender brides can pull off a ballgown like no ones business! This kind of style will create a soft and romantic shape for you on your wedding day!
- Dress Inspiration: Valona by Sottero and Midgley
- The key ingredient to the perfect wedding gown for a tall and slender body is to keep it simple! We love sparkly and glittering gowns as much as the next person, but they might feel like overkill on your lithe and graceful frame.
- Dress Inspiration: Monaco by Maggie Sottero
Wedding Dress Styles For Body Types: Athletic Body Type


- Athletic brides, trying to figure out how to find the best wedding dress for your body? Consider a sexy silhouette like a fit-and-flare to play up your curves.
- Dress Inspiration: Fontaine by Maggie Sottero
- Your shoulder and arms are the envy to everyone around you, so play them up by wearing a strapless gown! And don’t worry about being able to dance at your wedding, with the support put into strapless gowns during alterations, you’ll be able to jam out all night.
- Dress Inspiration: Josie by Rebecca Ingram
- Work with angles: unique necklines, swirls of beading and embellishments, and a tiered skirt help to add visual interest to your silhouette.
- Dress Inspiration: Dover by Maggie Sottero
Wedding Dress Styles For Body Types: Brides With A Fuller Chest




- Otherwise known as brides with an apple shape, brides with a fuller chest look (and feel) amazing in wedding gowns with wider straps or sleeves. Not only do they support your bust and hide any pesky bra straps, but they create a soft and romantic figure on top!
- Dress Inspiration: Zander By Sottero and Midgley and Burke by Maggie Sottero
- Wedding dress styles for body types like brides who have fuller chests should choose their neckline wisely. A sweetheart, portrait, bateau neckline, or even an off-the-shoulder neckline will flatter your natural curves.
- Dress Inspiration: Weston by Sottero and Midgley
- Why hide your figure on your wedding day? Fitted gowns like mermaids and fit-and-flares flatter your curves and mimic an hourglass shape rather than hiding it.
- Dress Inspiration: Greenley by Maggie Sottero
Some stunning celebrities with fuller busts and apple shaped bodies to take inspo from are Jennifer Hudson, Angelina Jolie, and Drew Barrymore!
More questions to consider when looking for the best wedding dress for your body type
Here are some more questions to ask yourself while shopping for your dream wedding dress (find an Authorized Retailer near you!). What makes you feel comfortable for your day job? What makes you feel sexy for a special occasion? It’s a delicate balance of both when getting dressed up for your wedding.
You want to feel like yourself on your big day without playing it too safe. Think about wedding dress styles and aesthetics that make you feel like the best version of yourself—but still true to your individual personality.
Also, can you let go of some insecurities and listen to feedback from your close friends, family, and stylist? Every bride has things they like and don’t like about their body. It’s important to find a gown that fits these preferences, but you can’t let your inner critic dominate your decision-making. We’re willing to bet your loved ones—and most importantly your sweetheart—have a much more glowing perception of your gorgeous features than you do! In the end, remember to find a gown that feels the most like you.