So, your big day is coming up and you’re looking for that perfect white dress. As fun as it is to schedule a day of bridal appointments at boutiques, it can be draining. And maybe you want to do things low-key and grab something off-the-rack or even purchase online to suit your style. The beauty is that you can get a dress altered to fit perfectly once you find your dream one.

Whether it’s a simple midi dress or an elaborate, bejeweled gown complete with train, you do you—and we're here to help. We've researched the top trends, and culled dozens of websites and reviews to bring you the most gorgeous white bridal dresses on the internet.

Heather McReynolds is an expert in the bridal business, having worked with David’s Bridal for almost a decade. But her career in fashion and retail spans decades. Prior to joining David’s, she led merchandising and buying teams for major retailers including Target Australia, Catherines, Charming Shoppes and Brooks Brothers.

McReynolds highlights a few key considerations when wearing a white bridal dress. Along with aesthetic, you should be mindful of climate, location and time of year. White tends to be cooler, so if you’re getting married on a frigid winter day, you might want to opt for long sleeves or forego a shorter dress. Naturally, be mindful of makeup like foundation, always putting the dress on before you apply to avoid marks or stains.

McReynolds also says to consider “how the gown will photograph in certain venues and locations.” She suggests consulting with the photographer for any tips they might have to make sure you get A+ photos.

We took the above considerations into account when making this list, offering options for every climate, season and location, as well as choosing white wedding dresses that fit with current wedding dress trends. Additionally, we took into account that, according to McReynolds, a lot of brides are incorporating a bit of color into their white dresses for a “chic and dramatic look.” Finally, we included many dresses with an A-line cut, since this is one of the most popular styles right now thanks to how it flatters all body types.

Queen Victoria was actually the first bride to wear white way back in the 1800s. Interestingly, she received flak for it, with some calling the subtle color too conservative. (Interestingly, at the time, white was known as the color of mourning, which made her decision even more ground-breaking.) Seeing as the royal majesty was not one to be told what to do, the vivacious queen made her own call and started a trend in royal wedding dresses that eventually extended to the general populace.

Not surprisingly, after the Queen donned her white dress, other women began to follow suit. It became a symbol of wealth and status, not only because of the Queen but because wedding dresses in those times were worn again and again. Having a white one meant you had the money to have it cleaned. After World War II, white wedding dresses started to become the norm for all socioeconomic classes.

According to the Godey’s Lady Book, white is considered to be “the most fitting hue, whatever may be the material.” It is also, as many believe to be the dominant reason for white being popular for weddings, an “emblem of the purity and innocence of girlhood, and the unsullied heart she now yields to the chosen one.” Heather McReynolds, vice president and general manager of Bridal and Dresses at David’s Bridal, adds that white bridal gowns “give delicate, classic and timeless vibes,” not to mention that wearing white is a great way to stand out among guests.

Note that this is a Western culture trend: Brides in Eastern cultures do not typically wear white.

A whopping 82 percent of brides in the U.S. wear white. McReynolds says David’s Bridal is seeing a trend toward adding more color in Western culture as well, but white “is still the dominant color when it comes to bridal gowns.”

Naturally, the most logical choice when it comes to the color of shoes to wear with a white dress is, well, white. If you have a long gown and train, chances are no one will see the shoes anyway. However, if you’ve opted for a midi or even mini dress, the shoes matter even more.

McReynolds says the wedding day offers a great opportunity to “get creative and express yourself, especially if you are opting for a more traditional white/ivory gown.” If you want to add a pop of color, other popular choices when it comes to wedding shoes include neutral, violet, grey, purple and yes, even black. Some brides nowadays, says McReynolds, are coordinating their shoes with their florals or bridesmaids’ gowns, instead of their accessories.

For going the traditional route, consider a soft blue which will count for your “something blue,” an idea McReynolds says she loves. Whatever shade of white your dress is, you can never go wrong with a nude or neutral shade.

A Guide to Wedding Dress Codes

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