One of the most exciting parts of planning your wedding is the quest to find the dress of your dreams but when confronted with a world of terminology surrounding wedding dress silhouettes, it can become a little overwhelming. So before you step foot in a bridal boutique, learn your tea length from your trumpet with our guide on wedding dress silhouettes.

A-line

An easy one to remember, quite simply, an A-line gown literally looks like the letter A. This classic silhouette flatteringly cinches in the smallest part of your waist, cleverly disguising hips and balancing wider shoulders. It’s the perfect way of of achieving a little drama without the fullness of a ballgown. Perfect for all body types, it isn’t surprising that this silhouette is one of the most popular.

Ballgown

Trumpet/Mermaid/Fit-&-Flare

A firm favourite with brides who wish to highlight their killer curves, this silhouette with many names, is recognised for its figure-hugging top half, which jets out into a dramatic fuller skirt, either above or below the knee.

Strapless

In recent years, wedding dresses have moved away from the traditional strapless silhouette but the classic sweetheart neckline is still favoured by brides who wish to show off their curves, while straight necklines perfectly present toned shoulders.

V-neck

Another easy one to recognise, a V-neckline is characterised by the V shape it adopts, and draws inspiration from red-carpet moments. This classic-yet-sexy neckline works for all shapes, by drawing the eye to the smallest part of your waist. In particular, it’s favoured by fuller-figured brides.

Tea length

This classic 1950’s style gown is favoured by brides with a penchant for vintage, or simply by those who love to dance! The length of this dress falls anywhere from the bottom of the calf to the ankle and still exudes bridal elegance without lashings of length, and offers the perfect opportunity to showcase a once-in-a-lifetime pair of shoes!

Column/Sheath

This simple silhouette cleverly follows the body’s natural line with no flare out. Perfect for petite brides, column gowns add length and so give the illusion of being taller. The shape also look great on brides with slender frames. Pear shapes often choose to avoid this silhouette as it can make their figure look unbalanced.

Drop waist

Hugging the waist and hips, this silhouettes drops and flares slightly below the waistline, adored by brides who want to show off a flat midriff.