Wedding Gowns For Pregnant Brides

(CBS)  It used to be that women got married, then had a baby.

But these days, according to relationship expert Amy Kean, the rules seem to be changing, in part because so many women are getting married later in life

Many women, perhaps taking a cue from celebrities in Hollywood, are either walking down the aisle pregnant, or having the baby and then getting married afterwards.

If they're expecting when they get hitched, they need a gown to go over their large bellies.

And, Kean told The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm, "It's the perfect time, design-wise, to be a pregnant bride," because more and more designers are catering to their needs.

Celebrities such as Jennifer Garner and Amanda Peet were pregnant at the altar, Kean pointed out. Katie Holmes got married after giving birth. Salma Hayek and Jaime Pressly recently announced they're both engaged and pregnant. And Naomi Watts is rumored to be getting married this summer, before her pregnancy begins to "show."

"Today," says Brides magazine Editor in Chief Millie Martini Bratten, "we see so many celebrities who are either pregnant at the altar or they get married after they've had a baby, so it's something people are talking about openly."

Bratten says "brides with bellies" are no longer taboo: "The stigma is definitely gone. If couples have already planned to have a family and it happens to coincide with the wedding, they're perfectly fine with that. … It's a different bride and groom today. Their weddings are not like their parents' weddings. They're marrying older. They're living together. They're doing things all at once. So, it's more about celebration, rather than hiding something."

Luckily for pregnant brides, there's no shortage of wedding gowns for them, like the ones offered by Reem Acra.

Rosalie Peng can attest to the wide availability of such gowns. She's expecting her first baby in July, and isn't concealing anything.

"I feel very proud of how my body looks in a wedding dress," Peng says. "I think it's a miracle of life to be pregnant, and any little girl's dream, really so this is like the best part of your life!"

A recent MaternityBride.com survey of bridal shop owners says as many as one-in-six brides is pregnant.

"Fashion in bridal has been the most exciting it's ever been," asserts Mara Urshel, who owns Kleinfeld Bridal, which boasts the largest selection of wedding gowns in the world.

She says designers today are working hard to accommodate those expanding wastelines.

"There's a lot of 'empire wastelines' being shown," Urshel points out.

And that's simply meeting an emerging need.

Marriage therapist Jane Greer observes that, "In the past, once the wedding was over, a lot of times, many women would go through the post-wedding blues. Now you cut right fast-forward to the excitement of having the wedding, starting your married life, and beginning a family all at the same time.

Kean told Storm, "It's just a reality for many women now. In your 20s, a lot of times, you're focusing on your career and, all of a sudden, you're in your thirties, and you're faced with this much narrower window of time to all of a sudden get married and have a family. So, sometimes these happy events just kind of overlap. And what really matters is if you love each other. I mean, who really cares if you're pregnant?"

As for any lingering social stigmas, Kean says she doesn't "really think there's any downside. A lot of people worry that maybe they didn't have enough time together, alone before baby came. But, so many couples live together now that, presumably by the time they get married, they know each other pretty well.

"But, more importantly, a lot of these brides are really creative and combining their bridal and their baby registries and having a giant party and having a big shower for both events. And, in a way, it's really magical, because a lot of them are sort of celebrating starting a family together and a life together at the same time, so there's just more joy all around."

[immortalcalling7]

I am a pregnant bride at 24 years old. I have been with my fianc? for over 4 years and have been engaged and planning our wedding since last August. I just found out that I am pregnant. I mean sure we were planning on waiting about a year after being married to have a baby, but we and our families are extremely happy with this news. Life happens the way it happens and I believe everyone has their own destiny. For someone to associate sin with the miracle of a new life is just horrible. I thought I would never be able to have a baby after all the trauma my body has been through. All babies are miracles and their is nothing wrong with giving your child a whole family. In August I will be proud to walk down the aisle starting my new life with my love at my side, my baby girl Kari (my rescue puppy) and my unborn miracle within.

[alashae2]

First off, its true it is a sin to have sex before your married, but just to let all of the people that look down on women who are pregnant when they get married, it is a sin to judge people and those two sins my dears are no bigger than the other. I am pregnant and getting married, I have values and morals, and truth be told I have been engaged for over a year. I had intentions on getting married before I found out I was having a baby. I got engaged in highschool and felt the need to graduate first. Its hard enough to be a senior, and work close to 40 hours a week. I sure didn't want to plan a wedding. If I want to wear white to my wedding, I will do so. I wear white on other days, why not wear white to my wedding. White is a pretty color on pregnant women. We are not living in the victorian period anymore. I am pretty sure that this is the 2000th century. Get over yourselfs and stop being so judgemental. I am not your daughter, and you have no right to say how I should live my life. I live my life the way that is suitable for me. If it really makes you feel better, my family is rather large so I have decided to have an outdoor wedding. Just because I am pregnant does not mean I have to get married or have a shot gun wedding (court house wedding) for those that do that is your choice and I am not here to judge you. I need to live my life for me and for God. No one else. So back off and worry about how you look to society not me. Thats my job.

[lizd24]

I just want to thank you for letting people know this. I am 24 years old, engaged, and almost 4 months pregnant. My mother wants me to get married before the baby comes, and my fianc? and I are, but she also wants us to get married in a courthouse, aka "shot gun wedding". One of my bridesmaids to her mother that I was pregnant, and her mother offered to hold the wedding at her house, along with a bridal shower. At first I was a little hesitant on what I should do, but after reading what you posted, I've decided to do what I want for myself, not what my mother wants. And after all is said and done, I don't want to look back on all of this and feel like I was robbed of the wedding I always dreamed of. Again, thank you for your post.

[dymedyva]

I feel,why must they be impatient . They have a new baby on the way why not just wait to get married. They need to be saving their money.Hey, they've waited this long why not wait a little while longer...atleast til their money gets right instead of rushing...they should have thought about marriage while they where having *** in the first place.Don't just marry because you are preganat or because they have dress.

[anopinion1]

"Most" people that get married after it is found that they are pregnant, do so because of our society today. (omg you can't have a baby and not be married)(maybe if you throw on a white dress(a symbol for a virgin) and get married real quick it will look better to our friends and family)

Most people are pretty much forced by their respective families to go and get married, once it is found out the woman is pregnant. And because of the way they were raised in these families they feel they should be married to be able to raise a kid anyway, so they do it. And walah!!!!! look at all the devorice rate rise.... marriages that started in this fashon will almost always fail...

[theironmouse]

Think its great that their is dresses for pregnant women on their wedding day. The downside is that it is saying "its okay to get pregnant before there is any commetment" Which is wrong. The media glorifies the stars so people want to be like them. One thing is beeing missed. THEY can afford it. Most people getting married and are pregnant are not financially stable, which has nasty side effects causing problems.

So on one hand its cool, on another its a bad thing also. It only shows half the story, doesn't show the nasty problems aftwards.

[js405]

I would like to say as a pregnant young bride (22) that going as far as to say that girls these days that get pregnant before marriage "have no values" is a little bit of a stretch. I understand that there are some people who still live by rules set by generations a head of me. I'm getting married in a month and not wearing virginal white, but a dark champagne. I still have a few beliefs.

My soon to be hubby and I have raised a wonderful two year old girl on our own, I've worked full time in insurance and he goes to school full time and graduates in a semester already getting a job offer in Colorado at a hotel. We do not drink or involve ourselves in any outside activities that a lot of young people our age do. We choose to focus our energy into our daughter. I would say my morals are still in tact and God has blessed me with a wonderful life!

[house015]

Although I previously stated that I don't mind pregnant women having a wedding ceremony, I do worry that the media is so out of touch with the general populace that they don't seem to realize many people still DO have a problem with this. And not just a minority of religious zealots, either. From what I've seen of these comments on a generally liberal news site, most folks still would prefer children in the context of a marraige. And from my experience with my own children, it just helps beyond measure to have another committed partner around to help and share the love.

[zaruka1]

Brides were pregnant back into the 1700s in our nation. It was quite common in colonial America and it is common today. Reality often clashes with our perception of reality. People have *** outside of marriage and always will. Afterall, they are people. Imposing your ideals will not change that.

[cmsalisbury]

Who cares if a woman is pregnant when she gets married?

Pregnant women look beautiful no matter what, a dress can't really do much to that.

And does it ever cross your mind that there are other people than Christians, Muslims, and Jews in the United States? Some of us really don't see this as a problem, and would really appreciate it if you would take your 'morals' back to the Victorian Age they crawled out of. Put your misplaced values back into your house, and quit wagging your finger at people you honestly don't care about.

[mbowman5]

I'm asking for Hannah Storm's resignation because of the totally offensive message communicated in her piece on fashions for pregnant mothers. I understant that some women will be pregnant when they marry and will need a dress to do it in but to spend so much of time in the piece to proclaim that premarital *** (i.e., fornication) is perfectly acceptable behavior now days, thats unacceptable and thats the reason I am asking for Hannah's resignation. Thank you...........Mbowman