Searching for your wedding day look is probably one of the most exciting things ever.
With so many wedding dress styles to choose from, it’s nearly impossible to know what style suits you best.
Figuring out your bridal style is important; it helps to serve as a compass, the center of a web from which everything else is connected and influencing all the other details that go into a ceremony and reception.
There’s a lot of wedding imagery floating around to find inspiration from, but the first thing you ask yourself is “how do you want to look and feel on your wedding day?” The benefit of answering this question instead of honing right into a specific bridal style is that while your answer will probably correspond to a particular style, it may also reveal that you’re looking for something you didn’t realize.
What you wear has the power to influence how you feel, how you carry yourself, how you interact with the World. When it comes to bridal fashion in particular there’s even more consideration at play. Your wedding dress is the most important article of clothing you’ll ever wear, and how you feel in your wedding dress will determine how you feel throughout your entire wedding day.
Ahead, we break down the basics of five different bridal styles: Romantic, Classic, Boho, Modern, and Glamorous.
Romantic
There's a reason almost every wedding dress can be called a romantic wedding dress. Think back to when you were little, and planning your wedding, detail by detail. The dress that comes to mind is most likely full, long sleeves, and had a long train. If this style flashed across your mind, that’s a romantic dress. Romantic wedding dresses are ones that look full of magic when a bride wears them. These dresses typically have full skirts, lace detailing, and long trains or veils.
Classic
The classic traditional bride wants her wedding dress to be as in style on the day she wore it as it is on her 50th wedding anniversary. The classic bride typically isn’t looking to do anything too dramatic with her hair and makeup on her wedding day. She just wants to look like the most beautiful version of herself whether that means a sleek, classic bun or a half-up, half-down look with loose waves.
Boho
People often think that boho means a flower crown in your hair, and it can, but it doesn’t have to when it comes to the boho bridal style. There’s an effortless and carefree vibe and distilling those elements in the dress, the environments, the accessories are key to achieving such an essence.
Modern
As with the classic and romantic bridal styles, there are adjacent elements when it comes to the modern bridal style too. Sophisticated, and cool, your look needs to look effortlessly stylish and glamorous. With clean lines, architectural details, and unfussy fabrics. To best integrate elements of the modern bridal style into your own wedding beyond the gown, keep the accessories fresh and chic with cool hairpins or sleek statement earrings. And a lightweight gel might be your most reliable companion when it comes to hairstyle. Whether you wear your hair up or down, slick it back into a chic and sophisticated style. Keep your makeup fresh with clean skin, lots of mascara, and a bold lip.
Glamorous
Hollywood glamour isn’t far off the mark when it comes to the glamorous bridal style. File-o-fax through the images that come to mind when you think of starlets of the golden age of film, whether it be their looks on movie posters or red carpet appearances and you’ll be in line with what the style commands. The glamorous bride is all about the drama and we mean that in the best way. She loves dramatic silhouettes, sparkly beading, feathers, and anything with that certain "je ne sais quoi".
For the glamorous bridal style, what hairdos best accompany the look? Consider a bedazzled hair comb or tiara to finish the look, or to think about Old Hollywood-inspired waves accented with a pretty comb or a dramatic updo that feels formal and regal. Just as makeup is a key player when it comes to a motion picture it is just as important for the glamorous bride. Play up the drama with a sexy smokey eye or bold lip. We recommend choosing one feature to really play up with the makeup and letting the rest be subtle. For example, pair a sultry smokey eye with a nude lip and clean skin, or a bright red lip with lots of lashes.