Made out of silk, charmeuse is a rather heavy fabric for silk and has a shiny surface. It is very often used for sheath dresses, as it hugs the body curves and falls naturally and freely to the ground.
Also made out of silk, chiffon is a very soft, light and transparent fabric, which is layered most of the time. Empire gowns are typically made of chiffon.
Lace is a lightweight openwork fabric, patterned, either by machine or by hand, with open holes in the work and is adorned with decorative motifs such as flowers, figures or other drawings. There are many different types of laces used in creating wedding gowns, depending on the structure and look of the dress. Chantilly is a very soft and light lace, which is usually used for loose, flowy gowns; Guipur is a much thicker lace, with embroidered cording inside to make it more stiff.
Mikado is a heavy blend of silk, which has a lot of weight and structure.
Another silk blend that is transparent and light. It has more structure than chiffon and can actually hold shape when layered.
This fabric is made from silk and is very shiny. Various types include Duchesse satin, which is used for very structural gowns, as it holds shape very well.
Silk taffeta is a light, shiny fabric that is sligtly ribbed. It holds shape perfectly when gathered or pleated.
Tulle is a very transparent fabric that can be made either out of silk, cotton or artificial fibre. Whereas before tulle was mainly used for petticoats, it has now become a common fabric for light, volumious ballgowns. It is also the fabric used for veils.