How Can you Find the Perfect Maternity Wedding Dress?

You might think that finding the perfect maternity dress would be a daunting, time-consuming task, but this is not necessarily true. There is a vast array of flattering, stylish and comfortable maternity dresses available online to suit the taste and budget of every expectant bride.

So, what are the main things to consider when choosing a wedding gown with the future son or daughter growing within you but not yet born? First of all, think of your baby bump as an accessory in itself.

Are you trying to accentuate or minimize this living accessory?  Neither is correct nor wrong. It’s a personal choice. However, keep this in mind when perusing maternity wedding dress styles and fabrics.

You may also want to keep other actual accessories to a minimum. Stick to simple jewelry and hair fashions and styles. If you carry a bouquet, let it consist of your favorite flower alone. Keep it small and remember to include baby’s breath in its arrangement, an absolute must!

Comfort is key during pregnancy, including on your wedding day. Choose soft fabrics like silk, crepe, rayon, soft lace, cotton eyelet, duchesse satin and charmeuse (a lush, luxurious type of silk.)

Did you know that satin isn’t actually a fabric? It’s a weaving pattern leaving a rich sheen on the material’s surface. Satin can be made from silk, polyester, nylon and other materials.  For example, both duchesse satin and charmeuse satin are made from silk.

Again, know what these fabric terms mean and how much to expect to pay for them.

Some wedding dress sellers will use confusing terms to lead you into thinking you’re getting an expensive  satin or silk blend like mikado when you’re really just getting the far more inexpensive polyester. There is nothing wrong with this fabric, and it’s a common material for all wedding dresses, maternity or not.

Just don’t pay too much for it.

More Tips on Choosing a Maternity Wedding Dress

• If you want to purchase your gown long before the wedding and earlier in your pregnancy, you still can. Determine the body measurements that comprise the dress manufacturer’s sizing. Add one inch to each measurement for each month of your remaining pregnancy to your wedding day to get a good estimate of your future pregnancy size. Then go up one size from that figure.  This will allow for your larger pregnancy size around the time of your wedding. 

• Wedding attire doesn’t have to be white, either. If you prefer other colors, it’s your choice. For example, if you know you’re having a girl, a pale, delicate pink dress would be a fun and clever way to announce the baby’s sex to all guests.

• Fabric choice is key. Stick with soft, draping options like chiffon that flow gently over your bump. You can also go with stretchy fabrics like jersey and crepe that fit snugly but softly over your bump. While tulle and similar fabrics are highly traditional in wedding dress design, they’re also rough, stiff and may be itchy. Consider limiting tulle to your veil.

• Don’t worry about exact future fit. Alterations are simple to do for a seamstress or tailor and can be done in the week or so before the wedding.

• Save shoe shopping for last. Although it’s fine to consider styles to go with your dress, don’t purchase shoes until just days before the event. Pregnancy can cause unpredictable swelling in the feet called edema. This is a normal occurrence, but it can raise your shoe size by one or two sizes. Choose a shoe with comfort in mind. Limit the heels to flat or less than one inch. Leather ballet slippers are another great option that can double as comfy house slippers after the wedding! They’re typically available in white, black and ballet pink.

Best Styles for a Maternity Wedding Dress

You can’t go wrong with an empire waist wedding gown. It can be either strapless or not, but a strapless style will showcase your face, hair and shoulders. Look into special pearlescent body powders that add a lovely sheen to your decolletage and shoulder area.

The empire style is especially flattering for a pregnant bride because it pulls the eye to the smallest part of the figure. This is true whether the wearer is pregnant or not, which is why this style is also flattering to overweight women as well.

If you’d like to show off your bump more, a mermaid or silhouette style dress would be a good option. .

Conclusion

Don’t forget to purchase comfortable maternity accessories and panties for the big event. Again, do this in the last days before the wedding to ensure the best sizing. Cotton, cotton blends and silk are all good comfort selections.

When it comes to choices in wedding gowns, your pregnancy still allows for plenty of great options.