Here comes the bride
By Marta Bevin
Every bride wants to look great on her big wedding day, but where do you begin? Although it’s a very exciting time in any brides’s life, wedding planning can be a little stressful and time-consuming.
The most overwhelming part of choosing your dress is narrowing down the style that best suits your personality, body shape and skin tone. Allow me to share my expert tips on how to choose your perfect wedding dress and accessories, so you will look absolutely stunning on the big day!
Your body shape
Understanding your body shape will help you to find the style that complements you best. You have to identify which shape meets your aspirations while making sure it works for your body shape. When selecting a wedding dress make sure you take into account your scale and proportions. If you are petite then you should keep the details small and delicate. If you are larger-boned you will be able to scale up the details and accessories. If you are low-waisted, a wedding dress style such as an empire line, that gives the illusion of longer legs, will suit you perfectly. On the other hand, if you are high waisted, try a dress with a dropped waistline to balance the proportions.
Colour harmony
Traditional brides will always choose to wear a ‘white’ dress.
However, there are many shades of white, cream and ivory. So, it is not a matter of choosing a ‘white’ dress, but a ‘white’ that is right for your complexion. This will be based on your skin tone, eye and hair colour. Your skin will look more radiant and healthy if you choose a shade of white in harmony and balance with your natural colouring. If the colour is wrong, it can create dark circles or shadows around your eyes and make you look a bit washed out. On the day you want to look stunning, so make sure you choose a shade of ‘white’ ( E.g. gardenia, jasmine, orchid, chalk, etc.) which matches your skin tone perfectly.
Your wedding style
Your dress should reflect your personal style to ensure that you feel comfortable throughout the day. You may need to consider the time of year, the venue, the type of wedding and your own personal preferences.
If you are into a creative and less traditional look you will want something completely different such as a vintage, ethnic or a bohemian look.
Go for one single bloom rather than a bouquet. If you want to be a bride who sparkles, go for a more glamorous and luxurious look. Consider lavish accessories, sophisticated gowns and opulent embellishments.
Accessories to complete the look
There are lots of different accessories that you’ll need to think about before the big day. Headdresses ( E.g. tiaras, crowns, alice bands, etc.) and veils (E.g. fly away, chapel, elbow, etc.) will complete your overall look. Choosing the right one depends on your personal style and preferences, as well as the dress you will be wearing. You will also have to think about the hairstyle and the make-up to ensure that everything works in harmony.
When it comes to jewellery the only rule I have is that ‘less is more’, so keep it simple. Pearl or diamond drop earrings are the perfect choice because they are both simplistic and beautiful. Remember, when choosing jewellery, you do need to think about colours and shades. If you’re wearing cooler shades of white ( pure white ), the jewellery should be silver, white gold or platinum. If you are wearing warmer shades of white
(champagne), the jewellery should be yellow or rose gold.
The style of shoes depends on the dress you wear, the venue and your personality. Make sure your footwear is comfortable as you will be standing for most of the day. Don’t forget to try your dress with your shoes to ensure the length is correct, and practice walking in them while wearing the dress.
Lastly, the bridal bouquet will complete your look as you walk down the aisle. You must also ensure that the bouquet style complements your dress, body proportion and scale. The choice of colour for your bouquet needs to harmonise with your wedding dress. The flowers can be either tonal or contrasting. If you don’t want to carry a bouquet, consider a floral wrist corsage instead and most importantly don’t forget to smile 🙂
Photography: Ahmed Magdy
