Summer is almost officially here, and with it comes wedding season. More couples tie the knot during the summer than at any other time during the year. When purchasing a dress for your summer wedding, there are certain considerations to take into account, including the fashion trends and what makes you look and feel fabulous on the most important day of your life.

Short Hemlines

Summer is the perfect season to don a shorter hemline. A demure bride has the option of choosing a tea-length dress, while a more daring bride can choose a mini skirt. Whatever your preference, there are sure to be designs you love.
Many couples plan outdoor or beach weddings in the summer months. A traditional, heavy ball gown simply isn’t practical for a wedding at one of these locations. A dress with a shorter hemline will be much easier to navigate your ceremony and reception site. Consider the temperature as well. A hot, humid day is going to feel even hotter when your nerves take over. Now imagine wearing a heavy satin ball gown with a long train bustled at your waist. The word ‘uncomfortable’ would be putting it mildly. A strapless wedding dress with a hemline right above the knee will be much cooler and more comfortable. You’ll look and feel incredible!

If you have your heart set on wearing a long white wedding dress even though you are planning an outdoor wedding, be sure you choose a lightweight fabric. Avoid heavy satin or brocade dresses with especially long trains. Look for dresses made with crepe, chiffon, chameuse or organza. Also, see if you can purchase a gown with a corset or bra already constructed inside of it. It will cut down on the layers you have to wear, keeping you cooler.

The Hi-Low Dress

The hi-low dress, as it’s being called, is becoming more and more popular. This youthful style dress has a skirt that is shorter in the front and then tapers to a long dress in the back, sometimes to a longer train. The skirt exposes your legs (a great way to show off a nice pair of gams), keeping you cool throughout the day but looking hot and sexy.

Grecian-Inspired Gowns

Do you want to look and feel like a goddess on your wedding day? Consider choosing a Grecian-inspired gown. Look for long, sleek column dresses that skim your curves, with ruching or gathering at the waist, or single-shoulder tops. These dresses are minimalistic but elegant. Fabrics are light, flowy and ethereal.

Lace

Lace will be a popular detail for wedding dresses this summer. For a long time, brides seemed to shy away from lace, associating it with older generations. But lace is back and designers are using it in fresh and unusual ways. Details such cutouts covered in lace illusion, lace eyelet overlays or lace cap sleeves will be popular for summer.

Color

Bright colors are a big trend for summer weddings with colorful bridesmaid dresses and mother of the bride/mother of the groom outfits, wedding cakes and bold wedding invitations. But even brides want to infuse some color into their wedding day fashion. Some brides just don’t want the typical white wedding dress and are opting for other hues. Pink, peach, champagne and even muted blue will be popular for brides. Vera Wang came out with an entire line of red wedding dresses for Spring 2013, so you can expect this colorful trend to continue.

Ribbon Sashes

Many brides want to include some color into their wedding day attire but still want to wear the traditional white wedding gown of their dreams. If you fall into this category, consider adding a ribbon sash to your gown for a bit of color. You can choose a color that matches your bridesmaids dresses to tie the wedding party together, or perhaps choose a complimentary hue if you don’t like the “matchy-matchy” look.

Show Some Skin (In Unexpected Ways)

Wedding gowns with open backs and unique cut outs have become extremely popular right now. Remember, your back will be facing your guests for the entire wedding ceremony, so it is a good idea to make sure the back of your dress is just as interesting as the front. Additionally, slit skirts are on the rise after the recent trend of celebrities wearing this style on the red carpet.

Remember, it’s not always important to follow the trends. When choosing a wedding gown, make sure you are comfortable and can move and sit easily. Most importantly, make sure the dress you choose makes you feel like a bride. Whether that means feeling like a princess, an old Hollywood starlet or a goddess, the dress you choose should be the “one”- just like your future spouse. For additional inspiration and examples of these styles, visit this Pinterest board.

Yvone Kon is a freelance writer and is available for a variety of writing projects. She is the author of the blog EventSpiration - providing inspiration and ideas for weddings, parties and holidays. She also writes three columns for Examiner.com: National Wedding Planning, Pittsburgh Event Planning and Pittsburgh Animal Advocacy. Additionally she writes on various topics for Examiner’s ACE program, which has partnered with local CBS websites across the country. For writing projects and to see samples of her work, please visit her blog.