Wedding Dress Ideas

For inspirational summer wedding dress ideas, look at this year's top collections for the trends and styles that are not only growing in popularity but offer each bride an opportunity for something unique, classy and elegant for a ceremony being held in the warmer months of the year.

There are some overriding themes showing up over and over in the designs announced by recent fashion houses. While all the same silhouettes are available including mermaid, sheath, ball gown, and princess style dresses, there are new details, colors, and fabrics showing up in the trim and detail.

Shorter dresses ranging from mid-thigh to just above the ankle can be used to show just the right amount of leg and can help keep a bride feeling cool and comfortable throughout her special day.

Another great theme is the addition of fabric used for trim to add the look of feathers, flowers or buds in white. We've seen long stems that hug the bodice to rosettes of satin in various sizes.

The bodice is not the only thing getting some updated attention this year. Full skirts are being adorned with large, cabbage roses, buds, feather fluffs of fabric, and organza knots.

Not all the summer wedding dress ideas we've seen for this year are as formal. There are plenty of very simple styles that are absolutely romantic and soft with more traditional trim but still use a combination of fabrics to showcase the bride.

A number of weddings will be held in outside locations this summer including tropical gardens and beaches. These more simple gowns are the perfect match for such a venue. They are body skimming and rely on the lay of the fabric to create an eye-catching look rather than the fullness of the skirt or large trim on the bodice.

A great summer wedding dress idea for those on a budget is to check out prom dress collections for this year. They'll just be going on sale and are often fashioned after the most popular wedding designs on the market for the same year. They also come in a wide variety of lengths and colors including white and off-white, some with colorful trim.

Sweetheart necklines on sleeveless gowns are also a great idea for a summer wedding dress. The curved, heart like shape of the neckline elongates the neck, highlights a pearl necklace against tan skin, and leaves the bride's arms uncovered and unencumbered. It's a flattering look on a variety of body types.