How to Choose Your Bridal Lingerie

So you've found the perfect wedding dress, but have you even thought about what lingerie will go with it?! You want it to be comfortable, supportive and practical but also sexy and sensual. Read on to find our top lingerie shopping tips for all you brides-to-be...

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Allow yourself plenty of time to shop for your perfect lingerie. If you want to enter the shops armed with a distinct idea of the bridal lingerie you would like to buy, ask yourself the following questions:

Wedding Dress by Berta Spring 2016 Bridal Collection

What Lingerie Will Go With Your Dress?

Ok so your probably already having dreamy visions of the romantic lacy surprises you have in store for your groom on your wedding night! It is important however to first consider the practical question of what lingerie actually will work with your dress. For each type of bridal gown, there will be different options available to you. Bear in mind some style dresses could even accommodate a built in bra if you discuss it with your designer.

 

For strapless and halter styles – Aim for a strapless bra that has a wide supportive band to give you enough lift but also a seamless style would make sure it looks smooth not bulky underneath a thinner dress. You could also try a halter style bra or a multiway bra so that you can adjust the straps to a halter style yourself. This will give you maximum lift and support and are especially supportive for fuller busts. For smaller busts look at extra padding to ensure you fill the style of the dress to its best.

 

Backless and low-back dresses – There are many brands that now stock underwired bra cups without the band or back. These are usually either entirely adhesive or have side wings that you apply adhesive or sticky tape too. Alternatively if you are comfortable to go bra-less, opt to use silicone pasties to keep the essentials revealed.

Princess line and ball gown dresses – These are quite forgiving, giving you more options in terms of panties and bras. You can maximise your assets by choosing a plunge style bra for v-necks and sweetheart necklines or a balconnette style for squarer necklines. These popular styles will be both comfortable and supportive and you will have plenty of options to choose the colour and materials its made in.

Fish tail and sheath dresses – Always try to achieve an invisible look with your lingerie under your wedding dress. These particular styles make this more difficult which is why you should go for seamless and invisible styles or even bustiers or shapewear which will give you extra smoothness and support. 

Nicole Miller Bridal

 

What Type of Panties Should You Wear?
For any style of dress with a large flowing skirt, you can wear any underwear you’d like as its not going to be seen. Opt for full coverage panties, frenchies or even a sexy thong with a big bow! If your dress is close fitting and made from a thinner fabric, go for seamless nude styles or shapewear to avoid unsightly VPL's. As these options aren't the most sexy styles around, you can always change into something more seductive after the reception.

Should You Wear Shapewear?

There is plenty of different shapewear styles on the market; bodysuits, longline bras, thigh shapers and full coverage shapewear and they all can provide a solution to your problem areas. Full coverage shapewear will keep everything tucked away and supported. For a similar effect but without being so restricted, wear a slip underneath your dress to keep things smooth and sleek. Wearing a Longline bra will provide more support than a standard bra whilst shaping your midsection. Bodysuits give you an instant tummy tuck whilst also providing good support for your bust. 

Onefabday.com

What Colour Lingerie Goes With Your Dress?

Nude underwear is the most invisible option for most wedding dresses that are usually a shade of white, ivory or cream. However if your dress is constructed of many layers or is thick, you can get away with white or even wear something blue for tradition. You can also get away with wearing your sexy lace styles all day as the thickness of the dress will hide the lacy details.

Should You Go Bare Legged?

Always consider leg coverage and whether you will wear stockings, hold-ups or go bare-legged. Bear in mind that stockings are held up by a garter belt and are extremely elegant and seductive however they could affect the smooth lines of your dress. Hold ups create smoother lines if coverage is necessary.

Our Advice!

Always try on your chosen lingerie BEFORE your big day to make sure it works perfectly and that it is comfortable to wear all day! Take your chosen lingerie to dress fittings and if your opting for a bustier or corset, dedicate a day before the wedding to wear it so you can get used to how it will feel. Remember, comfortable lingerie will ensure you can relax and enjoy your day and your sexy pieces can always be saved for your groom later!

Coming up... If lots of hen do's have come around at once this year and you and your friends purse strings are getting tighter, try our fun ideas on "how to plan a hen party on a budget".

For inspiration and DIY deco tips visit our 'Party Planning' page on our website.

xxx
Credits:

The knot via Pinterest | brayola.com |Berta Spring 2016 Bridal Collection | Nicole Miller Bridal | Onefabday.com

How to Plan the Perfect Hen Party!

Ladies its wedding season and unless you've had the pleasure of panning a hen party before, you may be a little overwhelmed with what seems like a huge task! Planning the perfect hen party means that you are required to ensure everyone has the “best time ever” and this can seem like a big responsibility. Juggling staying local or weekends away with must do activities, budget and not to mention if you've got grandma coming too to cater for, are just some of the things you will have to think about. 

But fret not, here is our simple checklist that is guaranteed to make you a party planning pro!

CHECK LIST

• Start Planning Early
  

Firstly, decide on a date with the bride, ideally 4-6 weeks in advance of the wedding day. Not only does that give the bride time to fully recover but it also gives enough in between time for the guests to be comfortable in the money department.

• Save the Date
  

Confirm the guest list with the bride and get everyone's emails and mobile numbers. Send out a 'Save the Date/ invitation ASAP so that the guests can book time off work. You want to get in before any other hen do's, weddings and holidays!

• All About the Bride
  

Ask if the bride wants to be involved in the party preparations, many like to be involved to some extent i.e. choose a theme, location or an always wanted to do activity, but usually this is a time for the bride to relax and leave the planning to their closest chum. If you have been chosen then she will already trust that you will plan something suited to her tastes. A top tip is to ask her what she liked and disliked about any other hen parties she has been on to save any disappointment or embarrassment. 

• Don't Forget About Grandma!
  

Remember that you may be catering for an array of age groups, and probably a diverse group of people that know the bride from different parts of her life. Don't plan something that will isolate the older generations or any of the guests. You want to plan activities that everyone in the group can get involved in. Grandma may well enjoy the butler in the buff but maybe not be so keen on zorbing!

• Timing is Everything
  

A jam-packed day is better than guests getting bored and wondering off, but be realistic about activities and timings. You want your guests to be relaxed and having fun not flustered and rushed. Make sure you give people enough time to get to and from activities and enough time for the guests to glam up for the big night out after. After all everyone will want to look their best and may need a little more time after a day of say paintballing! So plan your day wisely!

• Avoid Bridal Bankruptcy!
  

Its typically known that when one wedding comes around, they all come around and suddenly you find yourself trying to budget for multiple hen parties, weddings and presents! Not everyone will be able to afford all the trimmings so whether your planning a local do or a weekend away, do keep a budget in mind that will suit all your guests. On average a Hen Party weekend away costs approx £200, this should include 2 nights B&B, an activity, one evening meal, and either bar passes or drink tokens if you're heading out on the town!

• Balance and Flexibility
  

Sometimes if there is quite a varied group of girls, it is nice to offer a balanced and flexible schedule. You may have pregnant friends, yummy mummy’s, or some on a tighter budget then others. In this case it's best to offer options rather then have to exclude members. For example if you're planning a two night stay with an evening meal, drinks and an activity, then perhaps offer the option of just one night stay with dinner and drinks. This way the bride can enjoy the party with all her friends. 

• Organise Transport
  

Whether your just jumping in a taxi from the hotel to town or doubling up in cars for a road trip weekend away, you will want to plan and pay for all this in advance and include into the budget. No one likes being caught out for extra costs on the day and this will also keep you from losing any guests on the way!

• Spending Money
  

Allow for contingency money for unexpected extras. i.e. you could add £10 to everyone's costs, and hopefully if all goes to plan then it can go towards their drinks.

• Inform the Guests

When all is planned and decided upon, write and send out an itinerary letting the guests know what to expect on the day. You want to keep all your guests clearly informed and be reachable if they have any questions. You also want to build some email excitement here too! This itinerary can be as detailed as you like with breakdowns of times and even costs so that guests know what they are spending their money on! If there are some surprise elements just make this transparent to the guests that these are included in their costs. 

• What to Bring
  

Compile a pack list of essentials for the guests to bring. For example while killer heels and a knockout dress may be obvious, an afternoon of say go karting will require more casual attire. Remind your guests to bring their cameras too to capture all the action!

• Group Games and Memory Lanes

Prepare a few games for group bonding and for fun fill ins just in case there are any waiting around moments. These often make the bride feel extra special too if they are personalised to her. A popular game is 'Memory Lane'. Get each guest to compose a short rhyme or riddle of a memorable time or experience with the bride. The bride can then guess which friend wrote it and explain to the rest of the group the story behind it, giving each guest an insight into their story of friendship. Prepare to laugh uncontrollably and to shed a few tears as you take a trip down memory lane.

 

Coming up...

I hope that's enough to get you started on your party planning challenge for now ladies, but if you want more ideas for party games, there will be more of that in next weeks post! For more party planning inspiration and DIY deco tips visit our 'Party Planning' page on our website.

xxx

www.lingerieshowers.co.uk

Credits:
www.pinkbuslondon.co.uk | www.makeameme.org | www.notonthehighstreet.com | www.alittleobsessed.co.uk