The Foundations Under Your Wedding Dress

Ever hear of foundations? The foundation is the framework of a building that holds it all together. The same is true of the undergarments you need to wear under your wedding dress. The right foundation will hold you in place, put your bust line in line with the bust darts in the dress and make you look 10 pounds thinner. You'll be amazed to find that the right bra will make your dress fit better.

Some dresses have a bra built into the dress. Most strapless dresses just have boning in the seams to keep the dress up and you will need a foundation bra if you are average to large busted. Smaller busted brides can get by with sewn in bra cups.

I tell my brides to buy the best bra that they can afford. Most brides want to skimp on what they spend on the undergarments, but they are as important as the wedding dress. The most expensive bra may not be the BEST bra, nor is a fancy boutique bra better. The best bra holds you in place and may not be sexy or lacy. Your wedding bra needs to be functional. You can wear sexy lingerie after the wedding. The best bra or bustiere will enhance and lift your bust line and slim your torso and waistline.

It's hard to find great supporting strapless bras in plus or large cup sizes. After fitting thousands of brides, we've found two great styles. Check out Bigger Bras and click on bridal.

We use Felina # 7643 in our bridal salon and it goes to a 42DD. Its a smooth bra and its really works well under chiffons and charmeuse fabrics where the lace could show through. If you add an back extender, you can get it to work for a 44DD.

For larger busts , we love Goddess # 689. This bustiere style bra goes to a size 52FF and its very supportive. Goddess has an amazing way with boning under and across the cup that lifts and keeps you in place. The back is just under the arms and shoulder blades, therefore you can't wear this under a real low back dress. The bra comes with optional fabric straps. With any strapless bra, you can buy the clear plastic straps if you can't find a strapless bra that is supportive without straps.

For those fortunate enough to be able to have bra cups sewn into their dress, we love the new gel cups. They feel natural and the gel heats up from your body heat and contours to your body. I'll have a link posted for them when my supplier gets them back in stock.

Spanx is today's bride's best friend. Spanx are the most remarkable shape wear. They hold you in place, smooth the figure and are comfortable. All the pieces below work well with wedding dresses.

Marry Me Spanx Panty Hose
Spanx Hi-Rise Panty Plus Size Shapewear
Spanx Hide & Sleek Hi-Rise Panty Shapewear
Spanx Hide & Sleek Hi-Rise Thigh Smoother Shapewear
Spanx High-Falutin' Footless Pantyhose Panty Hose

If you need to wear a crinoline under your dress, DO NOT wear a drawstring crinoline. The drawstring will bunch at the waistline of your dress and show through the dress. You want a smooth line at the waistline. We like the high waist zippered crinoline that smooth the waist line.

A new type of crinoline is the full elastic top slip. These work well, just make sure that the spot where the crinoline start doesn't bunch under your dress and show through the fabric.

The right foundation will make you go from looking good to looking fabulous. Invest in the best foundations for your dress. Maybe you'll only wear it once, but the results will be worth every penny spent. And you'll have the photos to prove it!