Traditionally held between late spring and early autumn, the wedding season offers couples the perfect setting to celebrate a lifelong commitment to each other. It is essential to look and feel your best to celebrate this special day. Unfortunately, with the pressure of beauty standards on all sides, it can be difficult to maintain a positive self-image.

While we haven't yet found a magic wand to completely rid you of all your insecurities, we can at least try to give you some solid advice to get you moving in the right (body positive) direction.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

Talking about your image or feelings about certain clothes can be challenging, but it's extremely important to do so. Saying when you feel good in a certain outfit, or when you don't necessarily like the fit, is crucial to achieving a wedding look that feels like you.

Our tip: While you're trying to find the perfect dress, don't be afraid to compliment yourself along the way. Talk about the aspects of each dress that you like, and allow yourself to get excited about the feel of the dress, the details added to the dress and the fabric.

On the other hand, try to avoid the pressure to like all the options. Make a clear distinction in your mind between your body and the dresses you try on. The truth is, if you don't like the way something fits, the dress is simply not for you, and it has nothing to do with your body!

BUY FOR YOUR CURRENT SIZE

We've all felt the temptation to buy something smaller in the hope that it will motivate us to shed a few pounds, but wedding season is not the time to take that risk.

Resist the urge to order the dress you've chosen for such an important day in a size down. Even if you're totally committed to losing a few pounds, it's easier to have your dress altered than to try to change your figure over a short period of time.

Don't squeeze yourself into something that will impact your self-esteem or prevent you from dancing the night away at the wedding reception.

Our tips:

1) Don't look at label sizes, you are more than a number!

2) Go for silky underwear: If you want your figure to blend in perfectly with your look, wear silky seamless panties under your dress. Wearing underwear that hugs your curves without leaving uncomfortable marks on your skin will make all the difference in your confidence for the entire wedding day!

3) Think about patterns: You can opt for a wedding dress with a bit of lace or why not try our floral patterned dresses; you should start with any pattern that speaks to you. Patterned dresses have the ability to draw attention away from parts of your body that you may not like, whilst making you feel empowered by what you are wearing.

AVOID TOXIC PEOPLE

There always seems to be a friend or family member who (sometimes unintentionally) makes you feel insecure. The truth is, toxicity from a loved one is something many people experience, especially during wedding season.

Our tips:

1) Be selective with your invitations: If you can't avoid inviting a certain person to your wedding, you can certainly make sure they don't attend any of the extra events leading up to that special day. If the person is not a close family member, there is no need to invite them to events such as the wedding dress shopping, bachelorette party or rehearsal dinner.

2) Be honest: Sometimes the best solution is to just be honest. Whether they made a hurtful comment when trying on a dress or purposely mentioned how often they work out to embarrass you, calmly tell them what you think, an open conversation should help!

3) Set boundaries: Perhaps the best way to avoid any toxicity from this person during wedding season is to set some boundaries. For example, a useful and simple boundary you can set for yourself is to delete this person from your social networks, especially if their posts tend to make you feel bad about your body.

However you choose to deal with toxic people this summer, remember that they have no power over you. All brides, bridesmaids and guests are beautiful because they come together for the same purpose: love. So don't let toxic people steal your joy or stop you from loving your body the way it should be loved!

DON'T DIET

Dieting before your wedding, or any wedding for that matter, is usually not something that helps keep your body image positive. While there's nothing wrong with a healthy diet, starting to count calories can be a slippery slope.

Our tip: Remember that your partner loves you just the way you are. Your partner chose you, proposed to you, and plans to spend the rest of his or her life with you as you are right now. If there is one thing that can deter you from dieting, it is the realisation that your partner is choosing you and no one else.

Wedding season is an exciting time for many people to dress and look their best. Don't let a negative self-image stop you from celebrating this special time with your loved ones.

Embrace body positivity this summer and beyond by putting the above steps into practice.