How to choose a wedding dress: start with the wedding

To choose a wedding dress, start with the wedding itself: the venue, the season, the time of day and how formal it will be. Those answers rule out some wedding dress styles before you try anything on. After that, you pick the silhouette, then the neckline, sleeves, fabric and train. The one thing that can override all of it is time, because a made-to-order gown takes months to make.

Start with the wedding, not the dress

Each silhouette has a level of formality and a kind of space it works in. Settle these four questions before your first appointment, and the racks get much shorter.

• Formality. A black tie evening opens the door to a ball gown, mermaid, trumpet or column. A courthouse ceremony sits better with a sheath. A ball gown reads wrong at a daytime or casual wedding.
• Venue. Narrow aisles, tight seating or a crowded dance floor make a ball gown hard to manage. In a small room, a very full A-line skirt can feel crowded too. Stairs or uneven ground make a mermaid tricky.
• Season. Fabric carries the season. Chiffon is light and suits spring and summer. Mikado is heavy and structured, made for fall and winter.
• The day itself. If you plan to dance hard, or you face a long car ride in the dress, choose a shape that moves with you.

Choose a silhouette

The silhouette is the outline of the dress, and it decides what the gown highlights. Any body can wear any of these. The question is which effect you want.

• A-line. Fitted through the bodice and flaring gently from the waist, a A-line wedding dress defines the waist and skims the hips. It is the most adaptable shape, working at almost any length or formality, and it lets you move freely.
• Ball gown. A fitted bodice over a full, floor-length skirt makes the most formal entrance of any shape. Before you commit to a ball gown wedding dress, check the venue and think through how you will sit and travel.
• Mermaid. Close-fitting from bust to knee, a mermaid wedding dress follows your curves and flares sharply below the knee. It limits long strides and dancing, so it suits a day spent mostly standing and sitting.
• Trumpet. The flare starts higher, at mid-thigh. You keep the curve-following line of a mermaid with more room to walk and dance.
• Sheath. A straight, narrow line from shoulder to hem, a sheath wedding dress shows the body’s natural shape. Crepe makes it modern; lace or satin makes it formal. At longer lengths, look for a slit or walking pleat.
• Empire. The waist sits just under the bust and the skirt falls loosely, drawing the eye up to the neckline. In soft, flowing fabric it stays comfortable through a long, warm day.

If you would rather start with a short wedding dress quiz, the Silhouette Finder asks six questions about the event and what you want to highlight, then suggests three silhouettes to try on.

Necklines, sleeves and fabric

The neckline frames your face and shoulders in every photo. A sweetheart curves over the bust and dips at the center. A V-neck draws a line down to a point. Off-the-shoulder and strapless bodices show the collarbones and shoulders, while a high neck covers the chest completely. An illusion neckline uses sheer tulle or mesh to look bare while adding coverage and support. A Queen Anne neckline rises around the back of the neck like a collar and dips at the front.

Sleeves change coverage and mood. A cap sleeve covers just the top of the shoulder, a long sleeve runs to the wrist, and an illusion sleeve covers the arm while letting it show through. If your ceremony is in a place of worship, check whether covered shoulders are expected. Long or illusion sleeves meet that rule without changing the gown you love.

Fabric decides how the shape behaves:

• Silk is a fiber, not a finish. Silk satin shines, silk crepe is matte and silk chiffon floats.
• Satin has a glossy face that shows every crease, so plan to steam it on the day.
• Tulle builds the volume in ball gown skirts and forms illusion necklines and sleeves.
• Crepe drapes cleanly with a matte surface, which suits a minimal gown.
• Lace ranges from fine (good for summer) to corded and beaded (good for evening and cooler months).
• Organza is sheer but crisp, so it holds overlays and statement sleeves.
• Chiffon floats, but it wrinkles and snags more easily than heavier fabrics.

Length and train

A train adds drama behind you, and the longer it is, the more planning it needs.

• Sweep: just brushes the floor, the easiest choice for walking, dancing and outdoor ground.
• Court: about a foot beyond the hem. Even this short train needs a simple bustle or a loop for dancing.
• Chapel: three to four feet behind you, measured from the waist.
• Cathedral: six to eight feet, very formal. Check the aisle width and decide who will help.
• Monarch: ten to twelve feet or more, usually detachable or worn only for the ceremony, with attendants carrying it.
• Watteau: falls from the shoulders or upper back rather than the waist, at any length.
• Detachable: a separate panel you remove after the ceremony. Practice taking it off with your helper.

For anything from a court train up, plan a bustle so the train lifts off the floor for the reception.

Give yourself time

These lead times are rules of thumb. Ask the shop, maker or rental service for their own production and alteration times, and add time in busy seasons.

• Made to order: start trying on about a year out. Order between nine and six months before the wedding, since these gowns can take four to six months to make.
• Off the rack: shop in-stock gowns and sample sales from about six months out, and buy by 16 to 12 weeks before so there is room for three fittings.
• Rental: reserve between 16 and 8 weeks before. Many rentals cannot be cut or altered, so ask about hemming tape, strap adjustments and a slip, take a backup size if offered, and ask for delivery a few days early.

The first alterations fitting usually falls 8 to 12 weeks before the wedding, the second 6 to 4 weeks out, and the final one 1 to 2 weeks out. Bring your shoes and undergarments to every fitting, because the hem is set to the shoes. Bring the person who will bustle the gown to the last one. The Outfit Timeline Planner works these dates back from your wedding day.

FAQ

Why is my bridal size different from my usual size?

Bridal designers use their own size charts, and conversions between charts are only a rule of thumb. Take your measurements and compare them with the chart for the gown you like. Order by those numbers, not by the size on your everyday clothes.

Can I have a dramatic train and still dance?

Yes. A detachable train comes off after the ceremony, and a Watteau train is often detachable too. A bustle is the other route: it gathers the train up so the hem clears the floor.

What if I love the mermaid look but want to move freely?

Try a trumpet. It keeps the fitted line through the hips but flares from mid-thigh, which gives you room to walk, climb steps and dance.

What should I bring to my first appointment?

Bring a few photos of gowns you like and notes on the venue, season and formality. Wear or bring undergarments similar to what you plan to wear on the day, so the bodice fits the way it will at the wedding.