How to Buy Bridal Lingerie - Tips and Advice

A wedding is one of those events where even a thousand things need to be planned and taken care of; and yet all the trials and purchases only serve to build up the excitement, not dampen it. So in the midst of major attention-grabbers like the wedding dress, church seating and catering, don’t forget the importance of bridal lingerie on the big day. And in case it had slipped from your to-do list, here are some quick tips on buying bridal lingerie.

Don’t leave it for the last day

If you are looking for the perfect look on your wedding day, it makes sense to go shopping for bridal lingerie in advance. While a month ahead would be too early and not cater for last-minute additions or losses in body weight, leaving it for the penultimate day would make things too rushed and not leave enough time for choosing the right fit, material or design. A good idea to set out shopping roughly a week before the wedding. This will give you enough scope to try out different labels and stores and settle for one that works best. Also if there are alterations to be made or custom-made lingerie to be delivered, shopping in advance always helps.

Try it with your wedding dress

Wedding stylists believe that bridal lingerie should always be finalized after trying it out over the wedding gown. This is to prevent a bride from putting on her ensemble on the wedding day only to realize that one does not fit with the other and worst of all, there are creases showing or undies peeking out from beneath. So even if you find it rather inconvenient or cumbersome to carry along the wedding dress when you go lingerie shopping, the final result will be worth the trouble. Alternately you can purchase lingerie from a retailer with a flexible return policy and take it along with you while buying the dress. Don’t hesitate to ask your dressmaker or dress designer about what kind of lingerie which would go best with your wedding dress. And give you the choosing lingerie after you have already tried on your wedding dress offers another practical advantage – your gown may already have cups or boning stitched in which case; or it may be of satin or a slinky cut – all these details of your wedding dress will determine the kind of lingerie you should wear underneath in order to get the perfect silhouette.

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Choose the right bra

This is perhaps the most important item of lingerie that you shall be wearing on your wedding day. But before succumbing to the lacy and creative items on display in bridal boutiques remember that you need to choose one which is comfortable enough to wear through all the hours of dining, dancing and posing with relatives, not to mention the church ceremony if you have one planned. This is main reason why you should avoid corsets and the wire-backed bras that are too tight. At the same time though you have to select one that offers you the right amount of support for your bust so that there is no unseemly jiggling or drooping. The only way around these is to devote enough time and patience towards trials so that you can zero in on the bra with the perfect fit.

As mentioned earlier, the kind of wedding dress you are wearing on your big day will have a major bearing on your choice of bra. If your gown has a low- or wide-cut neckline, or very thin, string-like straps, you'll need a bra that fits discreetly underneath. One of the best options is to go for one with removable straps, letting you create a crisscross back, halter, or strapless look. Then again if you are wearing backless gown, you'll need a backless bra that hooks at the waist. You could also try a tube bra known as a bandeau. It's flesh-colored and fits like a tensor bandage around your chest; and though it may flatten a little, it will keep everything in place. Yet another option if your wedding gown is backless or strapless, is to settle for one of those sets of colored cups that stick to your skin. While these don't offer the same support as a full bra and for the same reason should be avoided by women who have a full bust, you can be assured that no straps will show.

If you are rather flat-chested or looking to add some oomph to your look, you can try out bras with cotton, gel, or water-filled pads to create cleavage and enhance your assets. However take care to find one that feels like the real thing, since you'll be hugging lots of people and dancing close with your new husband.

Panties

Just like with bra, it is always sensible to go for panties that are well-fitting and comfortable rather than merely sexy. Keep in mind that there is no way you can adjust a pair of panties creeping down your waist from over a wedding dress. Also if your wedding gown has a long slit at the side or made of sheer material, you can consider wearing a panty-hose with built-in underwear.

Slimmers

While bras and panties remain the essentials of lingerie, if you want to get the perfect silhouette, you could explore the various kinds of slimming underwear available. Fortunately things have changed considerably from uncomfortable whalebone or stiff stays that were enough to cut off circulation in the wearer; these days there are enough options made from material like Lycra and Spandex which will diminish your bulges and give your body a stream-lined look.

Garters

Though many women feel bridal lingerie is incomplete without fancy garter belts, the wide variety of sleek pantyhose available these days has made the former really superfluous. However if you want to feel sexy from within and want to go for a garter belt with the hooks to hold up thigh-high hose, make sure you choose one that fits snugly around your waist and won't be seen through your gown.

Finally, as far as possible, choose comfort above appearance when buying your bridal lingerie. Keep in mind that hundreds of eyes, not to speak of the camera, will be focused on you on the wedding day and ill-fitting lingerie will not only show up through your dress but also in your evident discomfort. You can always slip on something sexy and lacy when you take off your wedding gown for your special night.