Wedding Dress Fabrics 101: the Ultimate Guide

Dresses, General Planning, Venues, Wedding

Wedding Dress Fabrics 101: the Ultimate Guide

StandardSeptember 18, 2023by Manager

Wedding dress shopping can be complicated with all the different styles & details, so we put together this Wedding Dress Fabrics 101: the Ultimate Guide to help.

Your wedding gown is one of the most important things – maybe the most important. It sets the style, mood, and even theme of your wedding. But, in addition to the design, the essence lies so much in the fabric. Different textures, cuts, styles, and drapes go with various themes. They can be mind-boggling, particularly with regard to which fabric will best enhance your figure.

To get you started, we’ve done a little research on the most popular wedding dress fabrics used by designers today.

Wedding Dress Fabrics 101: the Ultimate Guide to Chiffon, Crepe, Dupioni Silk & Illusion

Chiffon

This light, soft, thin fabric has a crinkled texture is often used as an overlay for a more substantial fabrics. Chiffon is also made from silk or rayon with a soft finish. It’s amazingly sheer and lightweight but it does snag easily. Some designers use chiffon layers to create beautiful wraps as well as sheer sleeves and overskirts. This fabric is often used in empire and ball gowns.

To see more details Click HERE for DaVinci Bridal Style #50682

Crepe

This is another thin and light fabric with a crinkled surface, and is also form-fitting and clings to curves. Crepe is wonderful for a draping effect. Mermaid styles and ball gowns are lovely in crepe.

To see more details Click HERE for DaVinci Bridal Style #50717

Dupioni Silk

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Similar finish to shantung, dupioni is thicker and heavier with coarse raised fibers and is the most popular of all silk blends for wedding gowns. It also has a rougher texture as compared to shantung, and works well for A-line, column and ball gowns. Dupioni can be worn any month of the year.

Illusion

This fine, sheer net fabric which is mostly used as a decorative element in wedding gowns. The finely woven fabric is best for sleeves or necklines. Modern styles use illusion with lace applique to create magical off the shoulder looks like this lovely gown:

To see more details Click HERE for DaVinci Bridal Style #50701

Wedding Dress Fabrics 101: the Ultimate Guide to Lace, Organza & Point d’Esprit

Lace

Recently, lace has been an important element in almost all wedding gowns. It’s often used as an overlay or for detail. Chantilly is a detailed open lace with a border while Alencon has bold motifs on net. Venise is much heavier and has more texture which makes it perfect for cooler weather weddings. Just like tulle, this fabric is also susceptible to snags.

To see more details Click HERE for DaVinci Bridal Style #50735

Organza

Organza is made of silk and is extremely sheer and crisp like chiffon. This fabric is more structured while still retaining a lightweight, ethereal feel. Organza is perfect for warmer weather weddings and also lovely for skirts, sleeves and overlays.

To see more details Click HERE for DaVinci Bridal Style #50535

Point d’Esprit

A high quality fabric that is soft satin-faced, peau de soie is perfect for draped construction. It has a grainy appearance with a dull luster.

To see more details Click HERE for DaVinci Bridal Style #50486

Wedding Dress Fabrics 101: the Ultimate Guide to Satin, Silk, Taffeta & Tulle

Satin

One of the most durable bridal fabrics with a smooth finish, satin is supportive with a high sheen on one side. It’s great for ruched, draped and ball gown dresses. If you plan your wedding for colder months, satin is perfect for you.

To see more details Click HERE for DaVinci Bridal Style #50715

Silk (Gazar, Mikado, Silk-faced)

Silk is the most expensive, sought-after fabric used in wedding gowns. This fabric is noted for its strength, elasticity, and resilience and also comes in many variations. Silk Gazar is a four-ply silk organza while Silk Mikado is a heavier blend. Mikado is perfect for cooler weather weddings. Silk-faced type fabrics have a glossy front and matte back.

To see more details Click HERE for DaVinci Bridal Style #50561

Wedding Dress Fabrics 101: the Ultimate Guide to Taffeta & Tulle

Taffeta

Taffeta has a slight rib and is crisp and smooth. It’s made from woven silk, nylon, acetate and other synthetic fibers. Taffeta is best suited for linings or outer fabrics in column and ball gowns with wide skirts. Because of the weaving process, taffeta often appears two-tone. It’s quite durable and is less expensive than silk. Taffeta is perfect for both winter and summer weddings.

To see more details Click HERE for DaVinci Bridal Style #50084

Tulle

Often found in ballerina tutus, tulle is a netting made of silk, nylon or even rayon. It’s usually incorporated with lace designs and gives wedding ball gowns an airy feeling. As it’s a delicate fabric, it snags easily, but because of its light weave, chiffon can be worn any time of year.

To see more details Click HERE for DaVinci Bridal Style #50603

Two final tips:

Choose an experienced fashion designer to create your wedding gown.
Also remember that if you fall in love with a more expensive fabric, if incorporated with less expensive blends and creatively designed, you’ll walk down the aisle in an elegant gown at a budget-friendly price.