On her wedding day, every bride should feel confident, beautiful and radiant. How she feels in her dress plays a big part in the happiness she exudes on her big day. Five classic female silhouettes are those of the pear, cone, hourglass, column and apple. Determine which most closely describes your body type and find the wedding gown style that best flatters your figure.

Pear
Those who are pear-shaped (also referred to as ‘triangle-shaped’) find that they are widest through their hips, thighs and derriere, while their shoulders seem narrow in comparison to their bottom halves. Their waists are smaller than their hips but not significantly smaller than their ribs and busts. Jennifer Lopez, for example, is a celebrity with a model pear figure.

If you are a bride with a pear shape, you’ll likely want to make a choice in a wedding dress that will emphasize your small waist while attempting to balance your hips with your shoulders. A gown with a strapless sweetheart or a V-neckline with wide straps, cap sleeves or lace jacket is a great start. The wedding dress should draw attention to the bride’s narrowest area through fit or detail at the natural or empire waist. A simple, clean A-line skirt finishes the look for a triangle figure of this nature. This is not only a classic wedding look, but exceptionally flattering for a pear-shaped bride.

Cone
A bride who has a cone-shaped figure (sometimes also called a ‘heart-shaped figure’ or an ‘inverted triangle figure’) will notice that her shoulders are broader than her hips and that her waist isn’t particularly defined. Her generous bust, however, is her figure’s claim to fame. Some refer to this body type as being ‘top-heavy’. One actress of many who has a cone body type is Renee Zellwegger.

As a bride with a cone shape, you will want to work with your best asset (your bust) and minimize your broad shoulders while creating a stronger definition of your waist. You can confidently try on wedding gowns styles that have simple but well supported tops, a somewhat dropped waistline (this helps to lengthen the appearance of your torso) and a full, interesting skirt to draw attention downward, creating balance for the hips and sharpness in the waist.

Hourglass
Often considered the most feminine of figures, the hourglass a body type that features a distinctly narrow waist with hips and shoulders that are fairly equally balanced. Women with hourglass figures can be full or flatter-chested, but their busts are generally matched by their bottom halves. Recent celebrity bride Scarlett Johansson is a perfect example of an actress with an hourglass shape.

If you are a bride with an hourglass body type, you’ll be pleased to know that you will have a great amount of choice when it comes to figure-flattering bridal wear. Your goal is to simply emphasize your curves and small waist even more. Ideal designs for an hourglass bride on her wedding day could include Mermaid-style dresses, form-fitted styles, or bridal gowns that hug or have accents at the waist. Most importantly, brides with curvy figures should maintain their natural hip-bust balance where possible. Princess-style skirts often do the least for an hourglass-figured bride, but she’ll still look good in one!

Column
As the name suggests, brides with column figures tend to be straight up-and-down, with their chests, waists and hips being fairly close in widths. Columns, also sometimes called rulers or pencils, can come in any height, but are often thought of as tall and skinny. Gwyneth Paltrow is a prime example of a celebrity with a column-style figure.

Lean and narrow brides can be pleased to discover that column-style dresses have become all the rage in wedding fashion. The designs of these dresses are meant to emphasize a long, clean look. Celebrate your natural shape by going with a gown that skims your figure with tiered layers through the skirt and a simple, slim top (ensure that it is not too low, this can cause you to look a little too flat-chested. Thin straps and cap sleeves are also a good look for this body type). While the column body type is prized this year by bridal designers, some women with this shape have typically tried to add curves to their appearance on their wedding day. Brides who wish to create a fuller look can use the tips suggested for “Hourglass” figure (above).

Apple
Those with an apple shape have rounded figures featuring fuller waists and torsos. This body type tends to be seen more frequently on plus-size women but not exclusively so. Some apples boast lean and long arms and legs while their middles and busts are more voluptuous. Nikki Blonsky, star of the hit musical Hairspray, is an example of a proud apple.

Apple-shaped brides can look their best on their wedding day by opting for an empire waist style gown that has wide, deep straps that create a sharp V-neckline. This style will show off the bride’s décolleté – and when matched with a flowing A-line skirt, will narrow her waist without the discomfort of a corset style dress. Avoid shiny, glossy or clingy fabric and instead go for flattering options like chiffon or light satins.