This is by far the most asked question that we get from our brides: Do I need to wear a bra under my wedding dress on my wedding day?
Today we are excited to be sharing our expert tips and advice on one of the most common questions we get asked at Lovella Bridal from our brides who are shopping for their dream wedding dress. If you are a bride-to-be who is getting ready to shop for your wedding dress, or maybe you have already purchased your wedding dress, you are probably wondering what to wear underneath your dress. While it might not be the most glamorous topic of bridal fashion or wedding planning, what you wear under your dress on your wedding day is important. You are probably wondering what type of bra is best to wear with your wedding dress, or if you even need to wear a bra at all on your wedding day.
Before you shop for a bra for your wedding day or special shapewear to wear under your wedding dress, follow our expert tips and bridal fashion advice. We will make sure you are well prepared for your wedding dress shopping trips and know exactly what to wear to try on dresses and what to wear under your wedding dress on the big day.
Video: Is Wearing A Bra Necessary With A Wedding Dress?
If you are a bride who is shopping for their wedding dress or maybe you have already purchased your wedding dress, you might be wondering what to wear under your gown on your wedding day. Will you purchase shapewear or need a new strapless bra? No matter what style or silhouette wedding dress you end up falling in love with, you won't want to miss our expert advice video discussing if wearing a bra is necessary with a wedding dress.
What To Wear Shopping
Before we even get into the details of wearing a bra on the wedding day, let’s talk about what to wear when you go wedding dress shopping. This is one of the most important parts of trying on wedding dresses and you don’t want to be unprepared for your bridal appointment. You want to be sure to wear nude underwear when you show up to your wedding dress shopping appointment and also be prepared to go braless.
We recommend nude underwear so that it will not show through the dress fabric while trying on different styles. It does not necessarily have to be the exact pair of underwear you will wear on your wedding day, but it can be distracting to the overall look of a dress if you have black or hot pink underwear showing through.
As bridal stylists, we know it can be uncomfortable to be braless in front of another person, especially someone you just met! But think of it like going to the doctor. The stylist is not there looking at your breasts, they are just there to help you get in and out of the gowns you are trying on. We know that some brides are totally comfortable with this, but others may be shy, and that is fine. But know that we do this day in and day out and will always be professional. If you know that you will be more on the shy side, then we recommend wearing pasties when going to try on wedding dresses so that you will have a little coverage. Along with brightly colored underwear showing through, it can be distracting if you have bra straps showing when trying on wedding dresses. The long and the short of it is that you will not be wearing a bra when you're trying on dresses and you will not be wearing a bra on your wedding day.
Wedding Dress Pads
So now that you know you are not going to be wearing a bra on your wedding day, you are probably thinking what's going to hold me up? And what's going to protect me? What's going to give me that added lift that I want? These are all great questions for brides to have and there is an easy solution that bridal dress designers have already thought of to have you covered. You will see as you start trying on wedding dresses that a lot of the dresses have pads already built into the dress. Now remember that you will be trying on sample wedding dresses so they will not be your exact size. Some pads could be too small for you or some of them too big for you, but it will at least give you an idea of the fit.
It’s an easy fix for the seamstresses in your alterations appointment to swap out the pads in the dress if the dress comes with a pair of pads that do not work for your body, based on the size of gown you've ordered. Some dresses do not have pads at all and will be added during the alterations process. Either way, these pads will act almost like a strapless bra that’s attached to your wedding dress bodice to give you the lift and protection you need on your wedding day.
Boning
Many wedding dresses will have the support of boning to help give a bit more lift and security in the fit. If you are not familiar, boning is a plastic material like you might see in the structure of a corset. Boning in dresses is a flat piece of plastic that is firm to help structure and hold up the dress on your body. It is similar to an underwire in a bra that helps give shape and support, but boning is a thicker material to help the bodice of a wedding dress stay in shape and hold in place. If your wedding dress has a strap or sleeves, you may not need as much boding in the bodice as the strap will help give support as well.
Seamless Look
In our opinion, after helping style brides for over 50 years, having sewn-in pads is the best way to for the most seamless look in your wedding dress. You don’t want to be wearing a separate bra, having that extra layer there that’s going to be bulkier than the sewn-in pads. Wearing a separate bra under your wedding dress leaves the chance it could move around and shift through the day and you don’t want your bra to peek out of your dress.
If you are unsure that the sewn-in pads are going to work for you, be sure to talk about options with your alterations seamstress. We have had brides in the past who have used one of their bras and had the seamstress cut it up and sew it into the dress so they would have full support. It all depends on your dress and your bra size. Either way, going the sewn-in route is a better option for a seamless look and feel.
More Helpful Bridal Fashion Advice
We hope you have found this advice helpful for knowing what to wear under your wedding dress and if a bra is necessary. For even more helpful advice when it comes to shopping for your dream wedding dress and finding your bridal style, be sure to check out our past posts:
- What to Wear When Going Wedding Dress Shopping
- 6 Bridal Fashion Mistakes Brides Make Thinking They Are Saving Money
- The Truth About Strapless Wedding Dresses
About Lovella
If you're shopping for your perfect wedding dress, come visit us at Lovella Bridal in Glendale, CA. We carry wedding dresses in all sizes and styles, including plus-size bridal gowns and a full selection of veils and accessories. Lovella Bridal is the premier, luxury bridal wedding dress shopping boutique located in Los Angeles, California. Lovella features couture, feminine, modern and chic bridal gowns in all sizes from the best wedding dress designers. Schedule an appointment to find the wedding dress of your dreams at Lovella Bridal. We can't wait to help you!
About Wedding Fashion Expert
Our wedding dress shopping tips and advice are from Nayri, Lovella's own, in-house wedding fashion expert. Nayri is truly the expert when it comes to bridal fashion and wedding style. As the Wedding Fashion Expert, Nayri is the top bridal fashion stylist and the best-selling author of the book "I'm Getting Married And I Have Nothing To Wear," the ultimate guide to helping brides find their wedding day style and their perfect wedding dress. You can subscribe to her YouTube channel or listen to her podcast for more helpful and practical advice on wedding dress shopping.
