Let’s face it. Wedding dress shopping is not just another trip to a department store where you can pick a dress and take it home.

Shopping for a wedding dress is a full-on endeavor, an expedition, and a mission that will stay in your memory long after the day is over.

So, it’s a good idea to be well equipped and get your facts straight before you begin the search. For example, what is the difference between Guipure lace and Alençon lace?

How about a bustle and a modesty piece?

Aside from obvious silhouettes such as A-line, sheath, column, ballgown—some details can make any bride seriously confused and frustrated.

If you would like to be well-versed, and have some answers at your fingertips, here are ten most commonly used terms to know ahead of your biggest shopping trip.

1. Alençon lace: Originally produced by hand in Alençon, a town in Normandy, France, it is a light, airy needle lace made of linen thread. This is one of the most popular and traditional laces used on wedding dresses.

2. Boning: Plastic or metal sewn into the bodice of the dress, especially a corset on a strapless wedding gown, to ensure the fit is snug and the fabric does not droop.

3. Bustle: The art of pinning a train and securing it by using hidden hooks on the back of the dress so it does not drag around on the ground after the ceremony. There are several different ways to bustle. The French bustle is the most popular, whereby the train is tucked underneath and pinned or hooked to the fabric of the dress.

4. Chantilly lace: Delicate lace that originates from the city of Chantilly in France. This is one of the more popular laces used on wedding dresses. It comes in small, detailed patterns and look best when worn sheer over the arms, back, and neckline.

5. Court: Refers to a type of train that is short—generally three feet from the waist—and drags a few inches on the ground.

6. Crêpe: Thin, soft fabric with a slightly wrinkled surface, ideally used on a draped wedding gown or one that is form-fitting and clings to the body. Great for a beach wedding.

7. Dropped waist: A longer bodice attached to the skirt at the seam that falls below the natural waistline. Gives an illusion of a longer torso and looks best on taller women.

8. Guipure lace: French bobbin lace, used on the bodice, skirt, or train of a wedding dress. It is heavier than Chantilly lace.

9. Mermaid: One of the more popular skirt styles, where the bodice is fitted and then flares from under the hips in a mermaid-tail fashion.

10. Modesty piece: A piece of fabric that is sewn into the middle of the neckline, especially a V-neck, to make it less revealing.

Armed with this basic terminology you are now ready…

Shall we go shopping?

*Above is an excerpt from designer Rani St. Pucchi’s #1 International Bestseller, Your Bridal Style: Everything You Need to Know to Design the Wedding of Your Dreams

Want to learn more about planning the wedding of your dreams? From picking a wedding date, to what silhouette would flatter your body most, to divvying up your budget and sidestepping sticky social situations, Rani St. Pucchi has you covered as she shares her more than 3 decades of expertise about all these and more in her #1 International Bestselling book, Your Bridal Style: Everything You Need to Know to Design the Wedding of Your Dreams

For direct assistance and guidance from Rani St. Pucchi - for help in matching your vision to the wedding of your dreams forward your inquiries to Style@StPucchi.com

Rani St. Pucchi is an award-winning Couture Fashion Designer, a Style & Image Consultant, and a Relationship Expert. She is a Bestselling Author, a Speaker, an Inspirational Coach and a Trainer. Her recent TEDx talk: Is Your Body Image Holding You Back has received worldwide acclaim. Rani’s #1 International Bestselling Books: Your Body, Your Style: Simple Tips on Dressing to Flatter Your Body Type; The SoulMate Checklist: Keys to Finding Your Perfect Partner; Your Bridal Style: Everything You Need to Know to Design the Wedding of Your Dreams; and her newly released Gold in the Cracks: Move from Shattered to Whole and Reveal Your Light – are available on Amazon and at Barnes & Nobles.

For more information on Rani please visit ranistpucchi.com