Maternity Wedding Dresses

First comes love, then comes marriage, THEN comes the baby carriage. Well, not anymore…or at least not always. An increasing number of women are walking down the aisle pregnant and despite the fact that they have a (sometimes huge) bump up front, they still want to look fabulous.

This past week on Project Runway, the designers had to create a pregnancy look for Rebecca Romijn (yes, the episode was obviously filmed awhile ago since Romijn gave birth to twin girls last December). I also saw some pictures from The Office set of Pam (played by Jenna Fischer) pregnant in a wedding dress. AND my cousin is six months pregnant, although you couldn’t tell it by looking at her, and will be getting married this weekend. Even though I don’t think she looks “huge” she does and she wants to look great as she walks down the aisle—just like any bride does. So as you can see, all signs pointed to the fact that this is the week to talk about what to wear if you happen to be pregnant (and showing) on your wedding day.

So I decided to look around and see what’s out there for the pregnant bride. As long as you’re not too far along, you can always buy an empire waist dress from the designer of your dreams and probably have it work.

I looked through the 2010 Spring collections of a number of designers and here are eight lovely gowns that would definitely work for a mom-to-be bride.

Reem Acra and Monique Lhuillier

Vineyard and Cymbeline

Oscar de la Renta and Priscilla of Boston
(The Priscilla of Boston dress is technically a bridesmaid’s dress, but I think it
could be a gorgeous wedding gown for a bride who wants a little bit of color.)

Amsale and Melissa Sweet

What if your belly bump is quite large? Then a regular empire waist gown might not work. And, in that case, the selection is limited, but there are some fabulous wedding dresses to be had. The good thing with the “trend” of getting married while pregnant is that there are a few designers creating actual maternity wedding dresses. And I found some beautiful ones that aren’t even that expensive.

Sarah Houston designs some elegant dresses for pregnant brides. These four are my favorite.

If you’d like a simple, yet sophisticated dress, check out Tiffany Rose. The Jasmine gown (approximately $524) has a classic strapless silhouette with a delicate sash at the empire waist.

I like the soft pleated bodice of the Athena gown (approximately $524). The dress is delicate and quite flattering.

Looking for something other than white? The cream and silver lace Oyster dress is available in a long (approximately $323) and short (approximately $203) version.

I found this unique dress on an Australian site called Queen Bee. The Kylie Celebration Maternity Wedding Dress (only $191.10!) can be worn a few different ways depending on your style. It would be great for a casual wedding like the one my cousin is having.

British label Isabella Oliver has created a couple of bridal maternity dresses that are nice. I love the Belle Epoque dress (left, $679). It’s an ultra-feminine gown that looks light, airy and comfortable. The Audrey dress (right, $289) is a more modern option.

They also have the Monaco dress (regularly: $175; sale price: $105) for the summer that would be perfect for the right bride.

And finally, there’s Jessica Iverson Couture, which was created by a former pregnant bride whose desperate search for a gown for her own wedding day turned up nothing.  Since then she has designed a line of gorgeous gowns for almost any bride with a bump. (It’s too bad for the rest of us that you have to be pregnant to wear them!) Here are my four favorite.

The Epione dress ($1014) is made of silk chiffon and has a pleated bodice with a crystal beaded waist and spaghetti strap halter neck. And it’s made from eco-friendly fabrics!

The Cytherea dress ($989) is made of chiffon with a beaded and re-embroidered lace overlay. I love the illusion straps (which give support and some coverage).

I adore the pleated skirt and deep v-neck back on the Hemera dress ($925). It manages to be demure and sexy at the same time.

The Neve dress ($845) is a very traditional taffeta gown with a shirred waist and corset back.

The maternity bridal market has come a long way in the last few years, so those of you who are pregnant and getting married now are the lucky ones. I can only think that more and more designers will create dresses for pregnant brides in the coming years.

Are you pregnant and about to get married? What are you planning to wear? Were you a bride with a bump? If so, what did you wear for your walk down the aisle?

Happily Ever After,

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