Upon getting engaged, many women start noticing wedding gowns right away, pulling photos out of bridal magazines, and researching gowns and designers to find the style they like. The funny thing about wedding gowns is that you never really know exactly what you'll like best until you start trying them on. Working as a bridal consultant, I meet with brides daily. They bring photos of styles they "know they want", just to try them on and realize the gown is not as flattering on their body. One of my favorite designers, Austin Scarlett, recently commented on the best gown shapes for each body type. Based on his design insight and my experience on-the-job, here's what we recommend:

A-line Wedding Dresses: The most flattering shape of all! Universally easy to wear, they look slimming through the torso and hide any below-the-waist parts you'd rather not show off.

Ball Gown Wedding Dresses: These enhance a small waist while hiding the butt and thighs. Dropped waist ball gowns are increasingly popular-they hit lower down on the hip to show off curves, adding a little sexiness to the ball gown's traditional style. A large ball gown tends to make brides look a little shorter, so brides 5'4 and under should consider a flat-front ball gown or a high heel!

Sheath Wedding Dresses: The sheath works well for any height, tall or petite. Note: a soft sheath is really going to show curves/hips/chest/belly. A constructed sheath, or something a little more tailored, is going to hide flaws better.

Trumpet or Mermaid Dresses: If you want to show off your curves, this is the shape for you! The trumpet skirt has been a huge hit in the past year, and will continue to be throughout 2008. In my experience, this skirt will accentuate the hips, so it works best for women with smaller hips, rather than pear-shaped figures.

Whichever gown you choose, have a great time shopping! Be open-minded-It's amazing how many times I've been the one to choose a bride's dream dress, when she saw it on the rack and walked right past. Just remember that if you don't like it, you can always take it off. And when you do find the perfect gown, pop the champagne and move on! You'll feel better prepared to tackle the rest of the planning when you know what you'll be wearing. Cheers!

Learn more about this author, Brittany Fletcher.
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