Ball Gown wedding Dress

Even if you are not someone who seeks the spotlight in social situations, your wedding day is the one time of your life that you must take center stage.

For this one moment, you want a dramatic wedding gown - one that catches people's attention, makes an impression and one that you'll always remember with fondness.

What does it take for a wedding gown to be considered "dramatic?" Usually it's one feature that stands out on the dress. You just need to make sure that the one feature is one that flatters you.

Consider Priscilla of Boston's silk and satin strapless "Fit to Flare" gown. The corset-seamed bodice drops to the hips, at which point a triple bow wraps the hips over a full dramatic skirt. The look is fabulous, unless your hips are something you are trying to play down. If this is the case, you need to look for a dress with another type of dramatic feature.

For instance, this bride might want to feature her waist, instead of her hips. She can do this with a silk organza strapless ball gown with all-over floral embroidered and a dramatic silk satin draped sash, bow and streamers. All the detail is at the waist and the hip are camouflaged under the flowing silk and organza skirt.

When you are selecting your wedding gown, you need to keep in mind which styles will be most flattering to your figure. Once you define what you want to play up and what you want to play down, you should consider which silhouette will be most flattering. Silhouettes include:

· A-line: Dresses with this silhouette are slimmer at the top and flare slightly down to the hem, forming an "A" shape. Although these dresses have a basic shape, they can be quite dramatic with the right finishing. For instance, add a ruffled neckline to a strapless gown or an asymmetrical sheer drape over the shoulders. Both prove simple gowns can still be striking.

· Empire: These gowns begin flowing at the point just under the bust. The result is a great look for anyone who prefers to minimize their waist or their hips. Add the flare with a lace-covered bodice and a fabric bow, or add a gathered, lacy ruffle at the hem of the skirt.

· Ball Gown: These dresses are already dramatic by nature of their full skirt, but they are also clean pallets awaiting an interesting detail, such as a bubble hem, a bodice adorned by fabric flowers or an inset rhinestone waistband.

· Dropped Waist: The bodice of this silhouette drops to the hips instead of the waist. Add an asymmetrical draped bodice and peplum to break up the long lines of the bodice, or go all out with black ice beading over a deep sweetheart neckline.

· Slim: Also called a "column" silhouette, this dress has very little flare. It may have drapes, but the drapes hang down and will not add any width to your shape. While it sounds simple, it can be a striking cut when you add bias draped pleats that fall down the front of the gown.

· Short: A short wedding dress does not have to be any less dramatic than its full-length counterpart. Even a simple white, strapless silk chiffon dress becomes something special when you add a crystal beaded belt and feathers - yes, white feathers - to the skirt.

· Fit-to-flare: As mentioned before, this silhouette is fitted close to the body until just below the hips. At that point, the skirt flares out - much like a trumpet cut. Add rhinestones and beading along the empire and hip line and you have your dramatic feature.

There are some basics dos and don'ts associated with figure types:

· Full-figured brides should avoid thin spaghetti straps and body clinging fabrics.

· Very thin brides should avoid low-cut necklines. Look for a ball gown that gives the bride a shape by nature of its cut. · ·Petite brides should avoid a lot of detailing on the wedding gown, as well as at the waist. She should also avoid a very full gown that could overwhelm her small frame.

·Busty brides should go for a sweetheart neckline or strapless gowns and avoid spaghetti straps and empire cuts that put so much emphasis on the bust.

·Small-busted brides should look for a nice V-neckline or a strapless gown. This bride is also a candidate for a sleeveless gown.

·Pear-shaped brides should not draw attention to the hips, such as a low bow in the back of the dress.

All brides should remember that there will be exceptions to any "rules" about what to wear. The most important thing is that you are comfortable in the dress you select and that it makes you feel special.