We don't often hear about maternity wear in the context of looking for a wedding gown, but it is a real concern for soon-to-be-mothers who are also soon to be married. We chatted with top wedding gown designer Veluz Puno-Reyes, and she told us everything you need to know if you're searching for a bridal gown to hide—or highlight—your baby bump.


BridalBook: Which gown silhouettes are preferable for brides who are expecting?

Veluz: If the bride is still in her early months of pregnancy, she may not need a maternity dress just yet. But since one can't really predict how fast her bump will grow, the expecting bride should tell her designer how far in the pregnancy she will be on the day of her wedding. That way they can more or less figure out how her body will look like on the actual day of the wedding and come up with an appropriate design

If the wedding is going to be during her first trimester, she could still get away with wearing a figure-hugging bridal gown, since the bump is not yet noticeable.  But if the wedding will be on her second or third trimester, it is clear that the bride won't be able to hide her baby bump. This is the time where she should steer clear of dresses with a tight bodice. These types of dresses will just emphasize her expanding belly, [and such dresses are] both uncomfortable and unflattering. Preferable silhouettes for expecting brides are Empire or high-waisted gown and Princess cut or A-line dresses—the loose structures of these dresses not only create beautiful silhouettes but are also very comfortable for the bride.


BridalBook: When a bride is pregnant, which areas of the body should be downplayed? How can the eye be drawn away from these areas?

Veluz: Expecting brides should not be really ashamed to show off her changing pregnant body. But given the conservative nature of our culture, she shouldn't flaunt it as well. Making other parts of the gown such as the sleeves, the back, or the neckline really fabulous will take away the attention from the tummy. Putting drapes on the area of the stomach will also make it seem that the bride doesn't have a growing stomach.

[Avoid using] shiny fabric, bows, and rosettes below the bust line since these will emphasize her expanding belly.

Since she won't be able to wear high heels on her wedding day, [her gown should give] an illusion of height. Embellishments should be placed in a vertical or diagonal manner to create an illusion of length. Longer lengths give off a dramatic and slimming effect as well.

To read on about gowns for your baby bump, see the full article on Bridalbook.ph. Get more wedding tips and inspirations from Bridalbook.ph!

(Photo by bieowoef via sxc.hu)