Take heart, 2008 brides. Bridal fashion mavens are predicting a more sensuous silhouette with either a cinched waist or draped hips in the coming year. The last quarter’s craze over obi sashes will still be evident with the aforementioned trend, but with more sedate metallic colors like silver, pale gold; and bolder, brighter colors for the more daring, to complement the wedding motif. Skirts will be either full in manner of Marilyn Monroe’s famous up-skirt moments, or diaphanous to the point of cruelty. Lace overlays are still favored to add a formal touch to an otherwise more fun, more casual feel to wedding dresses, but the coming year’s bridal statement is all about flowing fabrics, not stiff ones.

However, 2008′s freshest, boldest bridal fashion trend has everything to do with (le gasp!) opting for colors other than virginal white. Pale golds, mauves, blues, pinks, and even silvery greys won’t raise eyebrows when the brides wearing them walk down the aisle, but will earn nods if properly done. Now, if you’re not daring enough, you can choose to accentuate your white or off-white gown with your favorite color. A sash, belt, ribbon, or obi can complement a simply (but superbly) cut gown, as long as the fabrics and patterns don’t clash horribly with each other. Oversized bows and flower accents are also in, and these provide the perfect venue for brides to personalize their wedding attires with colors that add character. The secret is not to go overboard, but to make sure the colors are well-placed and done in good taste. For the more daring brides, they may want to visit redhotbrides.com to see what some bold and courageous woman are sporting these days.