Guide to Wedding Dress Styles | What dress is right for you? Skip to main content

You’re getting married!

Now it’s time to plan the best day of your life! Between wedding palettes, wedding venues and wedding films, it can be crazy to think of all of the options you have to choose between.

That’s why Reverent Wedding Films has made this blog post — to make your wedding dress decision easier!

Below we have categorized the top wedding dress styles we love seeing our brides wear on their wedding day!

From elegant to fashion-forward, wedding dresses show a bride’s personality, and choosing the right wedding dress is an important step towards having the wedding of your dreams!

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Gown Fits

Ball Gown

This is one of the more classic dress styles, usually including a fitted bodice that tapers at the waist and flares into a full skirt at the bottom. This gown is perfect for a wedding with a classic, elegant feel and ideal for a bride who does not mind a fuller dress for their special day!

A- Line Gown

The A- Line gown is a more modern take on the traditional ball gown. Typically A- Line gowns are less full at the bottom than ball gowns are but are full enough to resemble the letter A. This gown is ideal for the bride who wants to put a modern spin on the traditional gown style!

Empire

Empire wedding dresses differ from all other wedding dress styles in that the waist on an empire wedding dress is usually higher than the bride’s actual waist. Most brides chose an empire style dress to create an elongated silhouette, giving the dress style a delicate, classy look!

Mermaid Gown

Mermaid gowns are more fitted than the A-Line and ball gown dresses and resemble the typical silhouette of a mermaid, flaring out at the bottom. These gowns are modern, chic, and youthful, ideal for the fashion-forward, modern bride!

Sheath

Sheath gowns are less fitted than mermaid gowns, tending to be more fitted at the top and flowing downward after the waist. Sheath gowns bring an effortless, traditional feel to wedding dresses and can be dressed up or down to look great for all brides and wedding themes!

We love this stunning mermaid gown that our bride Brittany wore for her wedding at Briscoe Manor!

Sleeve Options

Cap

Cap sleeves cover just the shoulder of the bride. Perfect for a summer wedding, cap sleeves are breathable but can also be hard to move in. Cap sleeves are perfect for the bride who wants a classic look to her wedding dress!

Short

Short sleeves are a traditional look for brides-to-be. This look is perfect for a Summer wedding. Short sleeves are a bit more movable than cap sleeves, but like their cap sleeves counterparts, short sleeves are a classic choice for any bride!

¾ length

Rising in popularity, ¾ length sleeves are sleeves that lay below the elbow and hit in between elbow and wrist. ¾ sleeves look elegant and bring a vintage look back to a modern wedding. Our favorite ¾ sleeve dresses include embroidering or lace detail that compliments the length of the sleeve!

Long

Long sleeve wedding dresses are perfect for a winter wedding — or the bride that is perpetually cold! Long sleeves offer a more conservative look, perfect for the bride who is including modest detailing in her wedding!

Bell

Bell sleeves are gaining popularity for their bold look. Bell sleeves go to the wrist and flare at the ends creating the shape of a bell. These sleeves are best for brides with flowy dresses and daring style! We love them!

Off the shoulder Loop

A wedding trend we’ve seen a lot of lately, off the shoulder loops are a unique style for wedding dresses! The loops fall below the shoulder and can be combined with a variety of necklines to create stunning wedding looks!

Sleeveless

No sleeves? No problem! Sleeveless wedding dresses are perfect for summer weddings and offer movement for the bride who is sure to be on the dance floor on her wedding day! Sleeveless wedding gowns come in various necklines and back styles, perfect for creating a unique style for a bride-to-be!

We love the gorgeous sleeveless and strapless dress our bride Sheridan wore on her wedding day at Chapel in the Woods!

Necklines

Square

Square neckline wedding dress styles are usually paired with ball gown fits or a-line fits. Square necklines bring a traditional feel to a wedding dress and are perfect for the bride who wants a classic look on her wedding day. This neckline works well with statement jewelry and can be dressed up with gorgeous earrings and a necklace!

V-neck

V-neck wedding dresses have decreased in popularity— but that doesn’t mean we don’t love them! V-neck dresses can be dressed up or down and are daring ways to show off your personality and style on your wedding day! This style neckline is ideal for the bride who is wearing minimal jewelry on her wedding day!

One Shoulder

Similar to V-neck wedding dresses, one shoulder wedding dresses have decreased in popularity over the years. Intricate detailing can make the one shoulder style look elegant and modern. These wedding dress styles work best with minimal jewelry!

High Neck

High necklines can be elegant and modern, bringing a sophisticated look to a modern wedding dress. High necklines are perfect for brides who value a vintage touch and work best with minimal jewelry!

Boat Neck

Boat necklines are youthful and effortless, perfect for the bride who wants to look a bit more casual on her wedding day. Boat necklines can be dressed up, but work best with minimal jewelry and classic updo hairstyles!

Halter

Halter wedding dresses have been moving up in popularity over the years and we love it! Halter style wedding dresses work well with statement earrings and minimal to no neck jewelry. Halter wedding dresses are versatile and moveable, perfect for virtually any  bride!  

Strapless Sweetheart

One of our most seen necklines is the strapless sweetheart neckline. Because there are so many variations of this neckline we love seeing each bride look uniquely beautiful in their strapless sweetheart wedding dress!

We love the strapless sweetheart dress our bride Brook wore for her wedding at the Bryan Museum!

Back Styles

Open Back

Open back wedding dresses are fun and youthful and can work for any bride. This style is perfect for modern weddings and wedding styles and look great on any style dress!

Closed Back

Closed back wedding dresses are classic and timeless. This style is perfect for the traditional bride with a modest wedding and wedding style!

Intricate Detail

Embroidered or lace back detail is a great way to add a unique finish and beautiful touch to your wedding dress. The stunning intricacies looks great on brides-to-be and looks beautiful in wedding films and photography!

We love the intricate back detail that our bride Taylor wore on her wedding day at Camp Lucy Sacred Oaks Reception Hall!

We hope this list helped you narrow down your wedding dress options! Which of these wedding dress styles are you wearing on your special day? Send us pictures on our social media channels!