The Ball Gown is the perfect wedding dress to achieve a princess, fairy tale look on your wedding day.
If you ever played princess dress up as a little girl, the Ball Gown wedding dress doesn’t need an explanation. But for those of you who haven’t, this dress has a very fitted bodice and full floor-length skirt typically made with tulle or structured silk fabric, like organza or taffeta. The fitted bodice is commonly created with lace or satin, making for an overall dramatic effect. The bell-shape silhouette is extremely flattering for any body type and very forgiving! A dress like this will make you feel like you’re in a fairytale, floating down the aisle.
We’ve compiled a list of ten of the latest ball gown wedding dresses for inspiration and answers to highly-requested questions from our stylists below.
1. A classic forever!
A classic soft white tulle Ball Gown with sheer long sleeves. This beautiful bride added a beautiful 3D lace for a pop of custom detail.
2. Simple elegance is key!
This standard sweetheart neckline will never go out of style! A Ball Gown skirt ties the entire look together.
3. Classic with a touch of personality!
A classic Ball Gown skirt with a deeper V neckline is a combination that is to die for!
4. Cap Sleeves
Looking for a Ball Gown but still want to stay cool at your beach wedding? Add in cap sleeves to stay cool AND looking like a princess!
5. It’s all about the accessories
Add in a beautiful beaded belt to tie the whole look together!
6. Add in a small detail to steal the show
Take a classic Ball Gown and add in a custom detail such as a collar to create a one of a kind gown.
7. Combine two elements into one beautiful dress
Combine a classic structured satin skirt with a detailed lace bodice for an absolute beauty!
8. Volume and texture for a show stopper!
Looking for more volume? Tiers are a great way to add a little bit more volume along with some texture to the skirt!
9. Add in some sparkle tulle for more dimension
Of course you’ve got to add in some shimmer tulle for an added sparkle!
10. Off the shoulder sleeves for added detail
Add in off the shoulder sleeves to create a classic princess look!
Have any questions about purchasing a Ball Gown wedding dress? Check out this complete list of questions and answers below.
What body type is best for Ball Gown wedding dresses?
If you’re considering a Ball Gown wedding dress, this silhouette is best for mid-height or taller brides who have a bit of a bust. They are definitely a dream gown for the traditional bride who is planning a fairy tale wedding. Due to the Ball Gown silhouette’s volume, the skirt adds much horizontal width as opposed to vertical height.
What body types should generally avoid Ball Gown wedding dresses?
Keep in mind the skirt of the Ball Gown dress is extremely voluminous to keep the shape, so it can be extra heavy. Petite ladies should avoid the Ball Gown silhouette, as the skirt can overwhelm you and make you look a bit shorter. If you are a petite bride looking for alternative silhouettes, an A-line wedding dress has a similar look with less volume. However, a short wedding dress with a full skirt or a sheath wedding dress may also be an ideal choice for petite brides. In addition, other silhouettes that suite petite brides are listed in this guide.
What type of princess ball gown should apple-shaped brides wear?
As apple-shaped brides have fuller torsos and less waist-definition, a ball gown is perfect for a bride’s wedding day. Apple-shaped brides can feel and look their best by de-emphasizing their waists and elongating their figures. To further emphasize and add balance, brides should choose plunging or sweetheart necklines to elongate.
In addition, apple-shaped brides should avoid thick, embellished waistbands at the waist. If you wish to wear a belt with your princess ball gown wedding dress, a thinner belt or fabric works best and gives the illusion of length.
What necklines can be paired with a Ball Gown wedding dress?
All necklines can be paired with a Ball Gown wedding dress. Depending on your body type, you can choose a sweetheart, plunging, scoop neckline, or more!
For example, a sweetheart neckline ball gown shows off a bride’s collarbone and lengthens the neck, which is why it’s such a popular neckline choice for brides.
An off-the-shoulder ball gown wedding dress is well-suited for petite brides or more athletic body types. Strapless ball gown wedding dresses are also great for brides with narrow shoulders and toned arms.
With Anomalie, you can match a Ball Gown skirt with a sweetheart neckline, plunging neckline, straight neckline, v-neck neckline, scoop neckline, boatneck neckline, or halter neckline. In addition, you can add sleeves to your Ball Gown wedding dress for a winter wedding or go strapless for a beach wedding.
What wedding themes work best with a ball gown wedding dress?
Ball gown wedding dresses are usually used for grander and larger wedding ceremonies. Due to the large volume of the skirt, ball gown wedding dresses are not well suited for summer or beach weddings, which may cause the ball gown skirt to drag in the sand.
If you wish to wear a ball gown for a spring or summer wedding, choose a dress with lighter and breathable skirt material. On the other hand, brides with fall or winter weddings will find that a ball gown skirt has a great amount of coverage. Sleeves can also provide more warmth and elegance to this wedding dress.
For vintage weddings, off-white satin ball gowns and tulle ball gowns with full skirts can bring together the theme of your wedding. For formal and black-tie wedding ceremonies, ball gowns with long trains are perfect for that extra and added drama.
View this post on Instagram
Can I wear a detachable ball gown skirt?
Yes! If you would prefer a sleeker, more free-flowing design for movement during your reception, a detachable ball gown skirt will allow you two looks with one dress! Also, you can purchase a detachable ball gown skirt at an additional cost when you purchase from your wedding boutique.
However, a more cost-effective option is to purchase a detachable ball gown skirt from Etsy, which provides a small selection to choose from.
On the other hand, the last option is to create a custom convertible wedding dress with Anomalie. Many brides have created wedding dresses that can transform with a ball gown overskirt. This ensures that your bodice and detachable ball gown skirt will match!
Can I wear long sleeves with a ball gown wedding dress?
If you’re looking to add sleeves for a winter wedding or want to accentuate your arms, long sleeves with a ball gown wedding dress are a beautiful and elegant look. Many celebrities such as Celine Dion and Nicole Richie have donned a ball gown wedding dress with long sleeves.
These are often an additional cost to alter and add the long sleeves to a ball gown wedding dress at a boutique. You can also purchase long sleeves from Etsy.
However, if you are having a summer wedding and wish to fend off the heat, detachable long sleeves are also an option. If you design a custom wedding dress, you have the option to directly create a ball gown wedding dress with detachable sleeves at Anomalie.
At Anomalie, you can also create a custom ball gown wedding dress with colored long sleeves. Here is a blog detailing options for colored lace for long sleeves.
What material is the princess ball gown wedding dress usually made of?
Ball gown wedding dresses are made of a variety of materials. For example, layers of tulle are often used to create a voluminous skirt perfect for a fairy tale wedding. In addition, ball gowns can also be made of silk, satin, organza, or lace. Tulle, lace, and satin ball gown wedding dresses are popular for larger ceremonies. Lace wedding dresses are popular ball gowns; read this blog post for more inspiration. For a complete guide on what material to design your wedding dress with, check out the lace library and fabric library.
Where do I buy a ball gown wedding dress with a long train?
For even more extravagance, ball gown wedding dresses can be altered or sold with a long train. Maggie Sottero, Pnina Tornia, and many other designers offer ball gown wedding dresses with long trains.
On the other hand, Etsy has more economical detachable train options. These detachable trains can be attached at the shoulder or the back of the wedding dress.
If you decide to design your own custom wedding dress with Anomalie and its stylist team, you can create your wedding dress with a detachable train.
How should I accessorize a ball gown wedding dress?
Most of the time, simple is best! After all, the bride makes the dress, not the other way around. When choosing elegant and delicate accessories, your accessories should match your ball gown wedding dress. If the ball gown wedding dress has beading, choose jewelry and accessories with a similar metal tone. Whether this be silver, rose gold, or gold, the accessories and beading should match to create a more cohesive bridal look.
View this post on Instagram
What should bridesmaids wear with a ball gown wedding dress?
Because the ball gown wedding dress is usually more formal and less casual, the bridesmaids dresses should also match this formality. Full-length bridesmaids dresses work well with a ball gown wedding dress. However, the bridesmaids’ dresses do not and should not have to match your ball gown wedding dress in their volume.
Where do I buy a princess ball gown wedding dress? How much does a ball gown wedding dress cost?
Maggie Sottero, Lazaro, Eve of Milady, Hayley Paige, and Stella York are designers who create princess ball gown wedding dresses. Not only do these gowns typically start at $2,000 and can reach $10,000 or more depending on the designer and material they are also usually sold selectively at certain bridal boutiques.
More cost-efficient options for a princess ball gown wedding dress include David’s Bridal and BHLDN. In addition, David’s Bridal has a good selection of plus size princess ball gown wedding dresses. For more information on various wedding retailers in choosing a gown, read this blog post.
If you are a plus size or taller bride, plus size ball gown wedding dresses may be more difficult to find the correct sizing or fit, and alterations can sometimes be costly. Creating a custom wedding dress with all of your unique design elements and fit in mind may be able to resolve these issues! Anomalie is a custom wedding dress company that has helped numerous plus size, tall, and petite brides with their fit needs!
In addition, if you’re a bride who wishes for a different colored wedding dress, custom may be the way to go. Anomalie has created a variety of black wedding dresses and colored wedding dresses for brides across the United States and Canada.
Why should I trust an online wedding retailer?
Anomalie was founded when CEO Leslie Voorhees researched the workshops that supplied brands at Kleinfeld for her own wedding. Realizing she could make her dress directly with these workshops without the designer markup, Leslie decided to sell directly to brides. Through Anomalie’s online model, the online company can offer the best quality custom wedding dresses at a fraction of the bridal boutique price tag. In the past five years, Anomalie has helped thousands of brides incorporate their favorite elements into their ball gown wedding dress. For more information, watch this video for a full story on Anomalie: