WHAT TO WEAR UNDER YOUR WEDDING DRESS
A crucial element of having your wedding gown fit correctly is ensuring you have the proper undergarments to lay the foundation under your bridal dress. As bridal stylists working with brides to not only help them find their dream dress but also get ready to walk the aisle on their wedding day, we get asked quite a bit about what brides should wear under their wedding dress. Today, we’re sharing our favorite fashion finds and undergarments for under the wedding dress.
These are our tried and true go-to items for any bride getting married!
Wedding planning is hard enough, you shouldn’t have to run around finding all the little extras when you can just shop our list of under-the-wedding dress must-haves. With so much attention paid to the outside look of the wedding dress (for good reason!), what goes underneath often gets forgotten, or worse, saved until the very last minute.
We’ve researched for you and done the work. All you have to do is shop our favorites for what to wear under your wedding dress and your wedding morning will be stress-free.
You spent so much time and energy finding your perfect wedding day look, and having it altered to fit you like a glove, so you do not want to risk feeling uncomfortable in a wedding dress with ill-fitting undergarments.
No matter what body type you have including plus size and petite sizes, certain wedding dresses or bridal outfits require certain undergarments. From bridal jumpsuits to fit and flare wedding dress silhouettes, here are our top items to complete a bride’s look and have them feeling comfortable in their bridal attire all day, including the best undergarments, bras, and fashion fixes for brides on their wedding day.
Wearing A Bra With A Wedding Dress
One of the most common questions that we get from our brides is about bras under the wedding dress. Not every wedding dress or body requires wearing a bra on the wedding day. Oftentimes, wedding dresses are designed with bust cups and boning to provide support, so brides don’t have to wear a bra. You can also work with your bridal alterations specialist or seamstress to add additional support to make you feel comfortable and supported.
For the brides who need or want the support of a bra under their wedding dress, we love a strapless long-line bra. This style of bra provides stability and comfort under a wedding dress, and we find the shape they give is perfect for most brides and most wedding dress styles.
Depending on the shape and style of your wedding dress, look for a bra with adjustable strap options and a low back. Also, look for a bra in a shade close to your skin tone, or a nude or neutral shade that will not show through your wedding dress.
We generally recommend a bra for any bride over a D cup to ensure proper lift and support under a wedding dress, especially if your wedding dress is strapless.
Shop our hand-picked selection of the best bras for brides.
If the style of your wedding gown cannot accommodate a bra, such as a plunging neckline or an open back, supportive fashion breast tape is always an option. Find the best supportive tape that we recommend for under a wedding dress.
Shapewear For Under A Wedding Dress
Many of our bridal styling clients want to wear shapewear under their wedding dress. This is not a requirement under a wedding dress, it is a matter of personal choice and what will make you feel the most comfortable on wedding day.
Many of our brides find that shapewear helps keep them dry and cool on the wedding day. Sweating and overheating can often happen under a wedding dress with nerves and emotions, as well as walking and dancing. This is especially true with thinner wedding dress fabrics, like silk and crepe, as well as with heavier wedding dress styles with many layers of fabric. Shapewear provides a barrier between your skin and the bridal gown and can absorb perspiration on a hot day or in a warmer climate wedding.
Brides often like the feeling of support and smoothing that shapewear can provide. There are so many types of shapewear for brides to choose from- from biker-style shorts, to tummy coverage, to waist cinching.
Shop our go-to bridal shapewear for under a wedding dress.
Our most important recommendation regarding shapewear is to consider the color and the silhouette of the dress. Try to pick as nude or neutral of a shade as possible that either matches your skin tone or is not visible under your wedding dress. Also pay attention to how the back neckline falls on your dress or how high your skirt slit might be, and choose your shapewear accordingly. The last thing a bride wants is her shapewear being visbile on her wedding day!
Depending on the cut of your wedding gown and what you feel most comfortable wearing, there are many different bridal shapewear options. Even if you don't need shapewear, seamless thong-style underwear provides comfort and undetectable lines under any style of wedding dress.
Brides shouldn’t feel like they have to wear shapewear under their wedding dress, but if you do, be sure to shop our favorite shapewear styles for brides.
Nipple Covers & Fashion Tape For Brides
When it comes to some wedding dresses that have intricate tops, necklines, openbacks, cutouts, or illusion (see-through) details, the best option for brides is often a simple nipple cover or fashion-style breast lifting tape.
It is generally best to have someone else, like your wedding day dresser , or a best friend, tape your breasts for you on your wedding day, so they can appropriately cut the tape to the shape you need.
When shopping for a nipple or breast cover for under your wedding dress, be sure to shop our favorite wedding dress undergarments. These breast covers are the ones that we use on our bridal styling clients as they are long-lasting and thin to your skin, which makes them barely noticeable under a wedding dress.
Bridal Stylist Tip: If you plan on wearing or using fashion tape under your wedding gown, have baby oil or coconut oil on hand in your wedding day fashion emergency kit to safely remove the tape at the end of the night and protect your skin. Be very careful with the oil around your wedding dress, as oil will stain most materials, especially silk and satin.
No matter what you wear under your wedding dress, our best tip is to make sure that you try all of your undergarments, including shapewear, fashion tape, underwear, bras, and more, on with your wedding dress before your wedding morning. It is best to have your shapewear and your undergarments (along with your shoes!) at your alterations appointments, as they can change the way the gown fits on you. You will want to have your gown fit with those items on. Be sure to bring along your bridal stylist or your best friend who will help you get ready on the big day to your final fitting (they can be there to learn how to bustle your wedding dress too!), so that together you can practice putting on the undergarments and take note of how long the process will take on the wedding day.
We always work with our bridal styling clients before the day of their wedding so they know exactly what they are wearing under their wedding dress. We don’t want any surprises on the wedding day. If you’re not sure what you’ll be wearing under your wedding dress, be sure to shop our collection of the best undergarments for all styles of wedding dresses.
If you’re getting married and have any bridal style questions or are interested in our day-of-wedding dressing services for the bride, the family, or the wedding party, please get in touch with us.
Beth Chapman Styling is a full-service bridal styling company specializing in on-site wedding day dressing for chic couples around the globe. We believe a bride should look and feel beautiful on her wedding day, but doesn’t need to be stressed to achieve it.
image: Belathee Photography