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Your Wedding Gown
Wedding Gown Silhouette (Skirt Shape)
The shape of the dress is often referred to as the “Silhouette”.
There are four main styles of silhouettes that all compliment different body types.
Ball Gown
The Cinderella bride would be most enamored with this style of gown. It is the most formal or traditional of all of the silhouettes. This style boasts the fullest of all skirts with a fitted bodice. It works well to hide large hips, but is not recommended for a petite bride. The full skirt may hide or overpower someone who is too petite.
Recommended for: full-figured, taller stature, thin-figure, pear shape
Empire
A throw-back to the days of Jane Austen, this high waistline sits just beneath the bust and falls into a slender or a-line skirt. A petite bride is the ideal candidate for this silhouette. The shape sits most complimentary on a bride whose bust is small and figure is slim. This shape offers an elongating illusion to increase height or draw attention away from the waist.
Recommended for: petite, thick waist
Sheath
A sheath dress features a straight skirt without a specific waistline. It follows the contours of the body closely and is very form-fitting. A tall, thin figure is ideal for this silhouette.
Recommended for: thin and petite
A-Line
The style of this dress is as it sounds. It features a flared out skirt that forms an “A” shape from the waist to the feet. This shape is very popular and flatters many body types. Vertical seams running from the bust-line or shoulders all the way down to the bottom of the skirt work to elongate a petite bride and minimize the hips of a more full-figured shape. The A-line accentuates the waist. If your waist is small this may be the ideal silhouette for you, but if you have a thicker waist, it may draw too much attention to this area.
Recommended for: petite, full-figured, short waist
Let Them Eat Cake!
The wedding cake symbolizes the first food the couple share together. The groom feeds the bride first and then the bride follows. This tradition signifies their commitment to provide for one another. The cake is typically cut just before dessert and can be served with additional treats. Guests will usually stay until the cake is cut. Traditionally, the top layer is kept frozen and served on their first anniversary. But better yet, ask the baker to make a fresh layer when that time comes.
The groom’s cake is a special cake that is optional and takes on a fun theme. Some examples would be to create a cake in the shape of a football or representative of their school or favorite team.
While many brides might not think that they care about the cake, you definitely want to make certain that the design is of your liking as they will be in your photos to remember. Believe it or not, the cake is a focal point of the reception and many guests specifically look for it and take photos. So you should definitely care about what it is going to look like and put in the time and attention it deserves.
While some may not want to spend as much money on the cake, you can have just a simple cake with a few embellishments or fresh flowers. Another way to save on a tight budget would be to use faux layers and serve sheet cakes from the back. Faux layers might also be needed if the guest count is not large but the couple would like a “grand” looking cake.
Shapes of Cakes
Tiered
A tiered wedding cake is the most traditional and gives a multi-layered effect. Each layer is separated by pillars that can be seen, leaving an open space that can be filled with flowers or other décor.
Stacked
A stacked wedding cake also gives a multi-layered effect. But each layer sits directly on top of one another with the support of poles so the cake doesn’t collapse. Layers can be stacked straight or even asymmetrically.
Next, think about whether your want each layer to be round or square or a combo of both. That is up to your preference!
