Honeymoon beach babe

Whatever your size, be a honeymoon beach babe this summer, with Wedding Journal's guide to choosing the right swimwear for your shape...

If you're a size zero you can buy your bikinis in Primark, because you'll look great in whatever you rock up to the beach in. For most of us, however, the sheer thought of donning a bikini is quite simply terrifying and even more so whilst you are on honeymoon with your new husband.

With a little bit of time shopping before you're wedding and trying on different styles, you can find the perfect honeymoon swimwear to suit your body shape and size. The key is not to panic. Be prepared - do a little bit of research on your body shape and get advice on what will work for you.

To help you out, WJ has done the hard work for you, so you can hit the beach just in time for that summer sunshine, looking and feeling like a goddess after having the wedding of your dreams.

Big Bust

Support is key when choosing a bikini or swimsuit if you're top heavy. Opt for an underwired top with structured cups to give support. The straps are also important -spaghetti styles are a total no no, choose thick straps, which tie around your neck in a halter style, as this will give you a bit of lift and be more comfortable to wear.

When it comes to deciding on the colour and print – block colours will work best, or big prints with a dark background – helping to create the illusion of a smaller bust. On the bottom half, opt for boy shorts or low leg pants in a bright colour to keep your body in proportion.

Small Bust

Triangle cut bikini tops work best for ladies that are less well-endowed, along with thin spaghetti straps as this will give the illusion of width. A hidden underwire can also come in useful to give lift. You can even buy bikinis that have added padding to full out your bust. With having a smaller bust you have the advantage in that when it comes to choosing a colour or print you can have anything you like, frills, beading will all look great on you.

Curvy

Being curvy certainly doesn't mean that you have to hide away when the sun comes out. There is a huge range of swimwear just for you – from tankinis to swimsuits to the all-new minimiser swimsuits. Tankinis are perfect for fuller figured girls as they hide the wobbly bits that you don't want to be seen. If you are very conscious about your shape then the minimiser swimsuit is for you – just like the hold me in pants and basques that you can buy, the minimiser swimsuit works the same way. It is made from a high percentage of Lycra or spandex and will give you an all over slimmer appearance, smoothing out lumps or bumps - perfect for the beach.

Petite

For those petite girls who want to create the illusion of longer legs you should try a bikini with a halter-style top to draw attention to the bust and shoulders. You will then need to pair this with bottoms that sit low on the hips to expose as much skin as possible on the torso.

If you aren't keen on wearing a bikini then swimsuits are very in at the moment and they will add length to your body again giving the illusion of height.

Avoid shorts and skirted bottoms, as these will make you look shorter and stay away from bold prints. Wear bottoms with a solid colour and a top with a pattern or detailing to draw the eye upwards and therefore making your body appear longer.

Tall

It's open season if you're tall – feel free to experiment with bold prints on both bikinis and swimsuits, which will draw the eye in on the patterns. Horizontal stripes, which are often pegged as being unflattering, can be useful on tall, limber figures as they draw the eye across the body, rather than lengthways, thus diffusing your height. Red is a great colour to wear if you're tall as it adds sex appeal and things like ties and details work perfectly as they add areas of visual interest.