Choose Bridal Lingerie
There are two types of bridal lingerie: what you wear for your wedding day, and what you wear for your wedding night. For the ceremony itself, focus undergarments that offer comfort and support. When you and your new husband can enjoy some alone time, slip into something with a little more edge.
Contents
Steps
Choosing the Right Bra
- Focus on support. During your ceremony, support and comfort are more important that sexiness. The last thing you need on your big day is to worry about sagging or falling out of your gown, and you probably want to avoid wires that stab into your side or lace that chafes your breasts.
- Create a smooth silhouette. Look for seamless bras, especially if you have a gown made of lightweight fabric. You might be able to get away with a standard bra if your gown is made of heavier material, but you must make sure that no straps or other lines show through.
- Mind your neckline. Not many gowns have a convenient neckline that works with a standard t-shirt bra. Find a bra specifically designed to work with your neckline.
- Choose a strapless bra or bandeau if you have a strapless gown. A strapless bra offers minimal support, while a bandeau offers plenty of support but may flatten your chest some.
- Look for a backless bra that hooks at the waist if you have a backless gown.
- Try stick cups if you have a smaller chest. These cups adhere to your skin, offer basic support and coverage. They do lack the same sort of support an actual bra would provide, however, so they are not recommended for women who are heavily endowed.
- Consider a convertible bra. If you buy your bridal bra before your gown, look for a convertible bra with adjustable straps. Basic convertible bras may convert into strapless bras or crisscross backs, but more advanced convertibles can be turned into halters, backless, t-shaped, and more.
- Add volume. A good push-up bra can enhance your bust without looking too unnatural. Bras with cotton, gel, or water-filled pads can also create extra cleavage. Make sure whatever you choose looks and feels natural.
- Slip into something sexier once the gown comes off. Ribbons, lace, and other seductive details may ruin your smooth silhouette during the ceremony. Save these details for when you and your new husband can enjoy each other privately.
- Create sex appeal with lace. Lace can be a sultry feature to have for your wedding night. A bra with a few scallops of lace along the border creates a sweet appeal, but a full lace bra that allows your skin to show through looks more naughty than nice.
- Stick with white or nude for the ceremony. Match the color of your bra to the color of your skin or the color of the dress. Otherwise, it may show through the fabric.
- Play with color for the wedding night. Once you no longer need to worry about the gown or the crowd, feel free to expand your color choices. White or ivory have sweet, traditional appeal, while black looks ultra-sexy. Pastel colors can also create a demure look for your new husband to enjoy, while bolder colors can look a little more powerful.
Choosing the Right Panties
- Stay comfortable during the ceremony. You won't be able to readjust creeping panties while you say your vows, so if you choose something uncomfortable, you'll have to stay uncomfortable. Since weddings and receptions can take a while, this is best avoided. Wear a panty style you know you feel comfortable in rather than choosing a different type for the sake of being sultry.
- Create a smooth silhouette. Look for seamless styles to prevent a panty line from showing through, and avoid added details like lace or ribbons that could create little bumps beneath the fabric.
- Consider pantyhose with built-in underwear. Gowns that are especially thin or slinky may show a panty line no matter what type you choose. Some pantyhose come with built-in underwear, however, which may create the smooth line you need.
- Save sexy details for your wedding night. Lace and sheer fabrics allow your skin to teasingly peek through. Try to choose panties that match your bra to keep things looking uniform and to maximize your sex appeal.
- Try on boy shorts or top pants. Both options cover your rear, but boy shorts are a little tighter than tap pants. These options blend comfort with seduction, since racy details, like lace or mesh, can make these otherwise conservative options a little sultrier.
- Consider a thong. These traditionally sexy panties offer no rear coverage, and many women may find them uncomfortable. If you do opt for this choice, look for one made of seamless microfiber, mesh, or cotton to reduce any possible discomfort.
Hosiery Options
- Keep things simple with sheer pantyhose. A standard nude pantyhose smooths out your legs for the ceremony. It may not be the sultriest of options, but it will promote a smooth silhouette.
- Add support with a control top hose. If you have a little extra weight in your midsection or thighs, try pantyhose with a control top to help flatten it out. Control tops have thicker material toward the top of the hose, which keeps extra flab in check.
- Try tights to avoid holes. Tight are a bit thicker than nylon hose and may make better options for brides planning on dancing at the reception.
- Opt for knee-highs if you want to remove them during the reception. It may be impossible for you to remove standard pantyhose before you attend the reception, but knee-high hose are much easier to remove. This option makes another good choice for brides who plan on dancing during the reception.
- Create a sexier look with garter belts and stockings. Some brides can get away with this during the wedding if they have a full skirt, but otherwise, you can easily slip into this for the wedding night. Garters and garter belts are available in a number of racy, lacy varieties. White stockings have traditional bridal appeal, but black or brown can create a sexy contrast for your new husband to enjoy.
Slimmers, Corsets, Teddies, and More
- Keep your figure in check with slimmers or shapers. Modern day slimmers use lycra or spandex to flatten flab, keep your body smooth, and create a flattering silhouette beneath your gown.
- Add volume to your bust with a corset, bustier, or merry widow. These garments push up your bosom while nipping in at your waist, creating a remarkably curvy figure. If you want to wear one during your ceremony, stick with a seamless bustier. For the wedding night, however, you can expand your options to molded corsets, complete with boning that shapes the torso and garters to attach stockings to.
- Create a demure wedding night look with a teddy, babydoll, or chemise. These undergarments cover a lot more than a simple bra, but they can look just as sexy. A teddy stops at the waist or hip, while a babydoll extends over the behind. Chemises are the longest and usually drape down to your mid-thigh. For sexier options, look for versions made from sheer or embroidered mesh. To further promote a demure look, opt for version in silk or satin.
- Look for matching sets. Most bridal lingerie is often sold in sets, and buying your lingerie this way ensures an appealing, uniform look. It also saves you the hassle of matching pieces separately.
Tips
- Wear your bra, panties, stockings, and any other ceremony-oriented undergarments during each gown fitting. Your undergarments can change the way your silhouette looks, so it is important to wear what you plan on wearing for the big day to ensure a proper fitting.
- Make a checklist of the lingerie you need. Doing so may help reduce your stress level, since you already have a lot to remember as you plan your big day.
Things You’ll Need
- Ceremony bra
- Wedding night bra
- Ceremony panties
- Wedding night panties
- Hosiery
- Garter belt
- Slimmers and shapers
- Corset, bustier, or merry widow
- Teddy, babydoll, or chemise
