I hate strapless wedding dresses! Where can I find some alternatives to the ubiquitous strapless wedding gown?

You have a few options. Don't shop bridal. Try general online shopping sites that search a broad database of department and/or designer stores (such as http://shopstyle.com), and browse the non-bridal "formal"/"evening"/"gown" dresses. There are bound to be a few more fashionable white/off-white options in there with a greater likelihood of having sleeves. (Most shopping sites will at least let you narrow down search by color, eg. http://www.shopstyle.com/browse/dresses?fl=c15&fl=s87, and some sites will even allow you to refine your search by sleeve type [just select everything besides "strapless."]) Since a lot of their stuff won't show up on shopstyle.com-type searches, feel free to check out the websites of specific high-end designers you like for their non-bridal formalwear, and check out their evening/gown/formal sections. Much designer formalwear is well-crafted and elegant enough to pass for wedding attire if it happens to be made in a white or off-white fabric. In all the above, remember to check the fabric type of any dress you like online to see if it will look formal enough for you in real life. Try more offbeat alternatives such as buying second-hand/vintage, or having something custom made. Or buying something vintage and having it custom-altered to your preferences (see point 3). http://Etsy.com is your personal sweatshop in these matters, and you can even hire a foreign dressmaking studio online as a cheaper alternative (just make sure you find some western reviews of their work before you outsource). You don't have to limit yourself to the current stock in western boutiques and department stores! You can always customize existing dresses. Don't rule out having sleeves attached to a modern bridal gown you otherwise love. Many tailors and bridal shops out there can accomodate this desire. Sleeves can be fashioned from a similar fabric to your dress- or for an increasingly popular option, you can have lace or semi-transparent, chiffon-like fabric attached to a sleeveless dress since it usually doesn't detract from the style of the gown, is relatively easy to do, and is pretty reliably-non frumpy: You can also add accessories to cover your arms and any other areas that make you feel uncomfortable. Shrugs and boleros are such common wedding accessories now that even the most arm-toned, fashionable women out there will sometimes opt for them over going sleeveless :   And if you're having a winter or fall wedding the same goes for fur/faux-fur wraps and cowls : You could even try a large scarf, shawl, or cloak. Look for wedding-dress styles that tend to come with sleeves. My suggestions would be Grecian-style wedding dresses- which also tend to have flaw-and-flab-concealing draping : Retro / Vintage-inspired styles : And mod-style dresses : And of course, you don't have to wear a white wedding dress at all. Just wear whatever evening gown/cocktail dress/pantsuit makes you feel fabulous. Ultimately on your wedding day you ought to be wearing whichever items you feel most beautiful in, and that best suit your personal style. If that's a killer white ballgown or a slinky red/black/rainbow dress with full sleeves, go for it. It's your wedding, the only opinion that matters in the end is yours (and your partner's of course :] ) I would also strongly suggest taking a look at the dresses and accessories over at BHLDN. It's a little pricey, but worth it for being able to walk the line between unique, ultra-fashionable, and form-flattering for those without a perfect 20/30-something body. Dresses: http://www.bhldn.com/shop_the-bride_wedding-dresses/ ... and coverups: http://www.bhldn.com/shop_the-bride_cover-ups/

There are many choices for you. Illusion sweetheart neck: http://www.edressit.com/_p4015.html V neck: http://www.edressit.com/_p3867.html Cap sleeves: http://www.edressit.com/_p3863.html Also, other types are available in eDressit and other online stores. Good luck.

I agree with all the answers above, you just need to customize the dress that you like with jackets and evening wraps. They will make your look more elegant and sophisticated! But before you need to select the dress carefully. Discover this article http://thebridalsuite.ca/blog/top-common-alterations-made-to-a-bridal-dress/ and find out how to select the wedding dress that will suit you perfectly!

I also hate strapless wedding dresses so I always recommend alternatives to strapless dresses. Here are some very modest lace wedding dresses available, which I am sure would be loved by everyone who check. http://www.jvsdress.com/modest-wedding-dresses/

BHLDN often has stylish or vintage inspired styles for reasonable prices: http://www.bhldn.com/shop-the-bride-wedding-dresses/

Anonymous made a great answer. I think some religions don't allow you in church if your arms are bare, so there will always be gowns with sleeves available. I like the Rosa Clara dresses like http://www.rosaclarabridal.com/item/324-basilea. You would never look frumpy in that!

There are some nice recommended wedding dresses sites http://pinterest.com/katherinedress/ http://weheartit.com/Summer_Bing http://www.fashiolista.com/my_style/influence/ http://www.shoppingbookmarks.com/users/SeannaDress/ http://www.houzz.com/pro/hotdress http://wanelo.com/hotdress http://offers.chicagoshopping.com/ http://hotdress.polyvore.com/ http://www.chictopia.com/mychictopia http://fashion.me/hot-dress http://www.juxtapost.com/site/permlink/486f2340-f269-11e1-9ac6-7915f381a82a/profiles/hotdress/ http://imgfave.com/Hotdress http://www.flickr.com/photos/hotdress/ http://www.flickr.com/