A woman's wedding day is one of the most important days of her life. A woman will often look to a trusted friend or family member for help with all of her wedding decisions. The person (or people) chosen for this honor should be honest, listen to the bride-to-be, and remember that this is the most important day of her life thus far.

Deciding on a Style

A wedding dress is a big decision; the friend of choice should help the bride-to-be select a dress by starting with the general shape of the dress. It is a good idea to start with some of the basic styles. She should try a ball gown, a princess style, an empire waist, and perhaps a ballerina or cocktail type dress.

Trying one of each basic dress type can help the friend tell the bride which wedding dress best suits her shape. Once the best shape has been selected she can choose the other important features such as material, neck line, embellishments, and color.

The size of a woman's bust and the amount of attention she wants drawn to that area will dictate which type of neckline she should choose for her wedding dress. A square neck line will often flatter a woman with a smaller form and a smaller bust. A V-neck will suit a medium to large sized chest and a halter or high neck can minimize a very large bust.

Helping the bride-to-be select the best colored wedding dress for her coloring can be another challenge. Beyond finding the dress of the right color, deciding which color she would like to have, as the traditional white dresses are becoming less popular.

Very fair women (which are not planning on tanning) would often feel their skin tone washed out in a white wedding dress. Ivory, cream, or a candle light color will suit nearly any skin tone nicely, as the wedding dress will appear bright against any complexion with out over powering the very dark or very fair skinned.

Embellishment is another factor to consider; pearls and crystals are very popular adornments to wedding gowns, some women look good with them and others do not. When helping the bride-to-be to make her decision be honest about how flattering or unflattering the embellishments look on her form.

The wedding can seem intimidating for the bride-to-be although she has been waiting for her wedding day since she was five years old. The trusted friend should help the bride-to-be choose a wedding dress that makes her look and feel beautiful.

Feeling comfortable and confident on the big day will make all the research well worth it. The wedding dress will only be worn once, but it is a day that she will hold in her memory the rest of her life.