There comes a time in every bride-to be’s life when she realizes that the styles she likes best may not be the ones best suited to her. She will shove her shapely hips into Spanx one size too small, consider not eating until her wedding day, and generally obsess over every dress that could be THE dress, but doesn’t work for her body. And then, hopefully, she will come to terms with the fact that it is more important to buy a wedding dress that looks good on her instead of someone else. This is all to say that, in the past week of wedding dress shopping, I have had to accept that I am not Jean Harlow. I lack her ample busom and hourglass shape. Like most women, I am more of a pear. On the bright side, I have strong, slim shoulders and a long neckline, and I need a dress to accentuate these assets, instead of my imaginary ones. And this is where J. Crew comes in:

This is the silk tricotine Goddess dress. It cuts to a deep V in the front, a neckline that flatters the small busted. The delicate straps show off the curve of the shoulder. The self-tie sash at the waist slims your silhouette, and the soft drape of the skirt obscures, rather than enhances, a wider hip. It is classic enough that it can be dressed up with accessories to give me some of the vintage flair I’m looking for, but without looking costumey. I don’t know yet if it is THE ONE, but I ordered it in two sizes! Available for $325 from J. Crew.

Photo Credit: J. Crew

I tried on this dress on Saturday, and it is simply stunning. The alencon lace details on the gown are delicate and striking, and I love the way the lacy belt accentuates the waist (even on a somewhat thick-waisted girl like me, it is flattering). The back is the real centerpiece of the gown, however, with its sexy plunging V, and the tiered tulle sweep train. It’s a little out of my price range (around $3,900), but a gorgeous piece, nonetheless. Available from Lazaro.

Photo Credit: Lazaro

In my search for the the perfect 1930’s or 1940’s wedding gown, I have come across a lot of fabulous dresses. My parameters have been bias cut charmeuse, long sleeves, and, well, something that will fit on my not-so-vintage sized frame. This gorgeous pieced lace deco gown does not fit the requirements, but I still can’t get it out of my head. The elegant drape of the sleeves and skirt balances out the structured lace bodice perfectly. And although I actually hate bell sleeves, they don’t look costume-y on such a streamlined piece. Available for $2,650 at The Frock. Let me know what you think between this and the other 1930’s wedding dress by Miss Bombshell.

Photo Credit: The Frock

Okay, so, no one actually makes vision boards anymore. They probably all use photoshop or some other computer collager, like I did. In any case, the idea is to find what you are looking for by defining it. This is what I am looking for in a wedding ensemble:

As far as shopping checklists go, it’s pretty abstract, but putting it together made me feel like I know what I’m looking for, and since i only have a few weeks, really, that’s definitely important.

Photo Credit: Central Vintage Gown and Right Corner Gown, The Frock

Well, the search for other dresses has been postponed, now that I am searching for my very own wedding gown. We have decided to get married in April, so I don’t have a lot of time. Thankfully, the internet is an amazing bridal resource. The hard part is figuring out what, of all the billions of options, is right for you.

 My fiancé and I (!!!) are looking for a quiet courtyard in the French Quarter, New Orleans, for the ceremony and reception, and I want a wedding that matches the delicate creole elegance of the city. I love the look of modern brides a la Sarah Jessica Parker, but, personally, it isn’t really my style. So, I am looking for a dress from another era, or for something that looks like it’s from another era, at least.

My first thought was to go go custom, as anyone with above size 4 proportions has a hard time finding vintage that fits. I found this beautiful little dress on Etsy:

I love the elegant simplicity of the gown, and priced at only $500, it is a steal in the bridal kingdom, especially for bias cut silk. The rouched back makes it flattering for a curvy girl like me, and the puff shoulders balance out the hips while maintaining an old-fashioned sense of modesty. I have been in contact with the designer, and she seems willing to work with me to customize the gown to meet my needs. Like sleeves, I really want sleeves! Available at Miss Bombshell.

Photo Credit: Miss Bombshell

This May, my boyfriend’s best friend, Jane, will be tying the knot in Florence, Massachusetts. Knowing Jane, I guessed that she would not be having a super formal, black-tie affair, which has left me really confused about what to wear to the wedding myself. I decided that only way to figure out what to wear to a not-so-formal formal event was to figure out what everyone else is wearing, first. So, I have been trying to pry all the details out of Jane. (Thanks, Jane, for being so helpful!) This is her wedding dress:

The Caroline by Charsa is a tea-length boat neck in silk duponi with a simple a-line silohouette. I love the spare and elegant design of the front, and the surprisingly dramatic deep v-back, which Jane has personalized with hot pink buttons. I don’t have a picture of Jane’s dress in particular, but I’m sure you can imagine the effect of the hot pink detail against the delicate ivory. Ooh la la, indeed.

While this is technically a bridesmaid’s dress, I think it is the perfect choice for a woman, like Jane, who isn’t interested in being too “bridesy”, but still wants an elegant, heirloom-worthy item. And at under $500, it really is a steal. The Caroline is available in a range of sizes from Charsa. 

Photo Credit: Charsa

New York City designer Michelle Roth created an exclusive collection for Kleinfeld Bridal. The gowns are available in limited number and you can take a look at a few of the dresses online on the Kleinfeld website.

A very feminine collection, these bridal gowns feature lots of crystals, beading and ruffles. One of my favorite Michelle Roth gowns was featured in Episode 1 of Season 2 of Say Yes to the Dress.

Dubbed “Marina,” this A-line gown features an strapless top and asymmetrical drop waist. The highlight of this wedding gown to me is definitely the skirt, which features tiers of lace and organza ruffles accented in crystal beading.

If you don’t watch Say Yes to the Dress, you should. If not for the behind the scenes scoop on the bridal industry from Kleinfeld, then definitely just to look at the gorgeous wedding gowns. Say Yes to the Dress airs on TLC on Fridays at 10:00 pm (9:00pm CT).

Photo credit: Michelle Roth/Kleinfeld Bridal

In case you missed it, here’s a video of the Vineyard Collection Fall 2009 Bridal Runway Show in New York last month. The collection is relative simple, featuring lots of smooth, shiny satin.

If you like a lot beading and other intricate details, this is probably not a good choice for you. However, Vineyard is very elegant and classy. I like the dress around the 9:00 minute mark with the tie in the back.

You can shop the Vineyard Collection at Kleinfeld Bridal and other fine bridal shops.

If you are looking for beautiful wedding gowns with smooth lines and not a lot of lace or embellishments, check out the Fall 2009 Reverie Collection by Melissa Sweet for Priscilla of Boston.

You will see lots of smooth satin and simple silhouettes that are effortlessly beautiful. Perhaps surprisingly, there a few shorter gowns in the collection.

Are you considering a short wedding dress? Let me know what you think of the collection. I like the short dress at the 1:05 mark, as well as the long gown that comes right after it.

Check out more from Melissa Sweet at the Priscilla of Boston website.

One of my favorite bridal lines is Maggie Sottero. The details are exquisite and the dresses are so feminine. This particular bridal gown dubbed “Oakley” is one of my favorites.

The off-the-shoulder design and sweetheart neckline are beautiful, but what really makes this wedding gown is the beautiful lace. The wedding dress is slim fit though the hips. Then after the satin band, there are tiers or plated tulle and lace that make up the A-line skirt. It’s available in all white as well as a few other nice color combinations.

Check out this and the many other beautiful bridal gowns from Maggie Sottero at MaggieSottero.com.

Photo credit: Maggie Sottero