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The traditional white dress may no longer be the dream of the many with some brides choosing to wear something different on their big day. In April, searches on Pinterest searches were up 240% for “unique wedding dresses”, with those looking for blush pink wedding dresses up 60% and black dresses up 50%.
With some brides opting to forego the classic look, six women tell us about their colorful dresses and what inspired them to go against the grain.
Kitty, 32, Leeds, UK
Source: ASOS
Price: £110 (about $149)
Designer: ASOS Design
For Kitty, 32, though she liked a traditional white wedding dress it just wasn’t for her. “I chose red as I’ve always been a fan of alternative style and while a gorgeous white gown is a beloved classic for a reason, it just didn’t feel right on me,” she said.
Inspired by the use of red in Asian weddings, Kitty, who lives in Leeds, UK, and works in software implementation, wanted a dress color that was “loud”. She chose the “simple” dress from ASOS Design and bought a crown from Carbickova Crowns and a veil from Holly Winter Couture.
“I’ve been lucky enough through travel and growing up in Birmingham to see lots of other cultures’ wedding traditions first-hand, and red features often in both east and south Asian bridal wear. I’ve always found it so striking and beautiful so I wanted to respectfully incorporate that into my wedding.”
Anne, 47, Sheffield, UK
Source: Handmade
Price: £200 (about $270)
Anne from Sheffield in the UK has always liked colorful clothes and knew that her wedding dress was going to be the “brightest thing” she could imagine. While looking for inspiration she came across the La Chimère collection by Thierry Mugler and fell in love.
“I scoured charity shops for sparkly clothing I could cut up, and sewed thousands of scales together to make a corset, skirt and jacket,” said the 47-year-old civil servant.
“It took eight months to make and has scales made by family, my son and includes snippets of my late mother’s clothing, so it ended up being a bit of an artwork as well as an outfit. I adored wearing it.”
Kate, 38, Richmond, Virginia
Source: La Novale
Price: Just under $600 (about £440)
“I’ve never quite felt like I look my best in white,” said Kate, 38, from Richmond, Virginia, who is pleased she let go of the notion of getting a white wedding dress early on in her search.
Before she was engaged, she started looking at examples of silver wedding dresses and stumbled across La Novale on Etsy, a Ukrainian boutique based in Odesa. “I knew it was the right choice for me,” said Kate, who works as a data analyst. “I tried on several traditional white options with my mom, but we both thought this one felt more authentic to my style and personality.
“Silver felt fun and festive but also bold and modern while still seeming bridal. My husband, Austin, and I were married at an art museum and I think it also really complimented the venue.”
Hanneke, 53, Grays, Essex, UK
Source: Handmade
Price: £225 (about $305)
It was 53-year-old Hanneke’s second marriage when she married Nigel so she didn’t want to wear white. Instead, she chose orange as “a clear reference to my Dutch heritage” and decided to make her wedding dress herself.
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“I bought the silk for around £15 ($20) per meter from a place in Goldhawk Road, west London, and it took me around three weeks to make,” said Hanneke, who lives in Grays, Essex in the UK and works as an assistant for an interior design company.
“At the time I only told a few people about the color. As we planned for all the men to wear morning suits with different colored cravats, I had to be careful in steering my husband towards wearing a non-clashing color.
“My Dutch family and friends loved the dress and my British friends thought it was a daring but fitting choice. I looked and felt like a million bucks.”
Jasmine, 34, Vancouver, Canada
Source: Saks Fifth Avenue
Price: $2,500 CAD (about $1,813 USD and £1,334)
Designer: Marchesa Notte
For Jasmine and her husband, Michael, in Vancouver, Canada, their original plan was to get married in Tuscany, Italy, in May 2020 but the Covid pandemic meant that wasn’t possible.
“The original intention was to wear this dress to the welcome dinner,” said the 34-year-old who works in real estate finance. “We instead pivoted and had a small, beautiful back yard ceremony in my parents’ home where I grew up.”
Jasmine was drawn to the floral design of the dress, designed by Marchesa Notte, and thought the light peach color would work well with her skin tone. “Our wedding took place in spring and the dress epitomized everything I love about the beautiful blooms of that time of year.”
Q, 55, Oregon
Source: Local seamstress
Price: $700 (about £520)
Designer: Diane
With only four weeks to find a wedding dress, Q, 55, was “nervous” about how she would get one in time. “I had defaulted to a plain white pantsuit, but when I put it on I felt uninspired,” said the compliance and risk professional from Oregon.
Feeling it was too late to order a wedding dress, she spotted a small sign offering alterations on a bulletin board at Stumptown Coffee, a local coffee shop. “I took the chance and met Diane – I can’t recall her last name – and she was lovely.”
They went fabric shopping and found an “amazing dark green that shimmered chartreuse and had silver embroidery”. Despite not starting out thinking she specifically wanted a green dress, Q knew it was the color for her.
“There had been a photo in a Martha Stewart magazine in which several women had similar long skirts and wraps, but in different colors. I had thought that it was an elegant solution in which the same outfit could be worn again and mix-and-match a top depending on weather. My wedding was 24 years ago and I’ve worn it over a dozen times at various formal events.”
