From food to decorations, planning will seem endless. So here’s to making the hardest decision a little easier: which shape wedding dress to choose from? We’ll look at 4 dress shapes, what types of weddings they suit best and what body type they suit.

The Full Skirt Dress:

The Ball Gown Dress resembles an hourglass shape and therefore works very well on women with an hourglass shape – large busts, thin waists and traditional hips. It will show off your curves while maintaining sophistication and class.

Ball gown dresses are best worn to formal weddings and receptions.

The Empire Waist Dress:

The empire waist dress is one of my personal favourites, tightly fitted around the bust, falling straight down with several loose layers of fabric around the rest of the body. A dividing line in the fabric directly below the bust creates the illusion of a larger chest. The naturally, narrow fall of the material will also make the bride look taller, so this is the ideal dress for petite women.

Empire waist dresses are best worn at beach and cruise weddings.

The A-Line Dress:

An A-Line Dress, also known as the Princess Gown, consists of a tapered top, tight waist and flared skirt. The A shape is great for those with heavier hips and a defined waistline, much like the style of a Ball Gown Dress (without the layers of fabric on the skirt).

Because A Line Dresses are often very simple (monotone with a coloured ribbon around the waist), they are likely to be worn both formally and informally, depending on the shoes and jewellery combined with it.

The Mermaid/Fish Tail Dress:

The Mermaid Dress is fitted down to the knees, where it flares out, much like the shape of a mermaid tale. The Fish Tail dress is slightly different in that it’s usually trailed by a train. This shape is best for women with an altogether small frame. It can again have the effect of making a petit woman look taller by focusing the eyes on her overall line.

This is a very formal look, best reserved for the less clumsy bride!

As a final note, whatever style you choose, make sure your fittings are very particular. The better the fit, the more comfortable and confident you’ll feel. Good luck and congratulations on your special day!