A Guide to the Best Undergarments for Your Wedding Day

Almost every single bride wears some form of shapewear on her big day. But not every bride is comfortable talking about it. So if you have some burning questions about the dos and don’ts of bridal shapewear, you’ve come to the right place. Many brides buy their wedding underwear and shapewear as soon as they say “yes” to the dress. Just make sure you know exactly what needs to be enhanced, concealed and smoothed under your bridal gown before you purchase your underpinnings.

What To Wear On Top!

One of the most important undergarments for any bride is the bra. Having everything supported and lifted will help make you look amazing on your wedding day. These days many bridal gowns actually have bra cups and supportive boning built right into the bodice of the dress, so you might not need anything more. But, if you would like a little additional lift, or a bit more fullness, you can always purchase bra cups and have them sewn into the dress by your seamstress. The Gilded Gown has bra cups, show below, for $15:

Perhaps you have selected a backless dress. No worries, you don’t need to resort to duct tape as a solution, as adhesive bras have advanced dramatically over the years. There are really high performance “sticky bras” that work really well. They feature a strong enough adhesive to keep the girls up and give a nice round shape from all angles. We have these available for $25 at The Gilded Gown:

Or you can purchase a strapless bra to wear under your gown. If you do, make sure to match your bra color to your gown color, not to your skin tone. That way any accidents can be disguised and the bra will blend in with the rest of your dress. Another good idea if you decide to purchase a bra, is to wear it around the house a few times to ensure it is a perfect fit. You can also test it out during a night out to make sure it stays where you want it to, provides the right level of support and is comfortable to wear. That way you will have no worries on wedding day! Nylon and spandex are the best materials to choose. Our fave, is the Peyton Contour Strapless Convertible by Yummie. This $42 bra has soft molded cups in a breathable fabric and will comfortably stay put under your wedding dress:

And, there is always the traditional bridal bustier which is a fancy bra-plus-shapewear combo that smooths the midsection and uplifts breasts.

What To Wear On The Bottom!

The type of shapewear to wear for smoothing things out under your gown depends on the fit and fabric of your wedding dress. Some dresses fit very close to the body and will benefit from a seamless smoother underneath. Mermaid, fishtail, and trumpet wedding dresses will usually require some form of shapewear in order to achieve the most flattering silhouette. Certain fabrics tend to be more forgiving than others too, especially ones that have their own built-in shapewear. Therefore, you must choose your wedding dress first before selecting your shapewear. Textured fabrics and heavier silks, for example, are more structured than body-hugging dresses. Some even come with built-in corsets, so there may not be any need for shapewear at all. Lighter fabrics, such as silk charmeuse, are almost transparent, and therefore far less forgiving. Nothing can be disguised with this type of fabric, which is why shaping garments are essential to eliminate visible pantie lines, smooth out any bumps, and create an overall seamless silhouette.

High rise shapers will nip in the stomach and iron out any bumps. Shaping shorts can also be worn to give your legs a slightly slimmer and smoother shape, as well as eliminate the appearance of lumps. This high waist short targets your tummy with an extra wide shaping band while giving your rear a lovely lift:

What To Wear Under The Skirt!

Most high quality bridal gowns are fully lined and have built in crinolines to support the structure of the skirt:

But if you should need another layer or two, there are tons of bridal slips and crinolines readily available in every silhouette, from mermaid to a-line to ballgown.

For a slip that flatters and smooths, we adore the Hidden Curves Firm Shaping Slip from Yummie. It provides lightweight shaping and invisible control to enhance your curves.

If you are wondering what the heck a crinoline is, here is a link to our blog post about those.

Make Sure Your Undergarments Don’t Show!

To ensure you’ve found the perfect shapewear, we suggest you test its’ visibility under your dress. Try your undergarments on underneath your wedding dress, and have a friend take some pics in different lighting (including natural light) to make sure they don’t show. After all, your undergarments should be working to make you even more gorgeous on the best day of your life. And you don’t want to waste a single moment of your wedding day worrying about what’s going on under your dress.