Explore the wedding dresses that have shaped some of the most iconic moments in film and TV.
Weddings, regardless of whether they are successful or not, make for the great TV, but what makes them even more watchable? The wedding dresses. Wedding fashion is influenced by the big screen more than we realise, with many dresses setting trends and inspiring real-life brides everywhere. And, with wedding season upon us, we have been thinking about the best on-screen wedding dresses.
So, we have dived into the world of film and TV to explore the most memorable bridal looks ever captured on camera. Whether you're looking for inspiration for your own wedding, or you're just a fashion and film lover, get ready to swoon as we break down this iconic list, movie-by-movie (and two TV series).
In this Southern classic, watchers see Melanie Smooter (Reese Witherspoon) as she walks down the aisle at her wedding to Andrew Hennings (Patrick Dempsey) in a beautifully simple cap-sleeve dress with a white face net instead of a veil. And although this wedding was unsuccessful, the dress even still looked stunning when she was standing in the pouring rain and wet sand as she confessed her love for Jake Perry (Josh Lucas) on the beach.
It wasn't the dress itself that stood out in this Keira Knightley look, but rather the sheer, feathered coat that she wore over the top. Despite only being worn for a short scene at the beginning of the film, this dress, paired with the small feather fascinator instead of a veil creates a memorable, chic look that embodies early 2000s fashion.
While we never actually see a wedding in this film, Allie is shown in a wedding dress at her dress fitting before her wedding to Lon (James Marsden). In this dramatic and emotional scene where she finds out that Noah (Ryan Gosling) built her dream house, she wears a beautiful 1940’s style wedding dress, with long sleeves, front buttons and lots of lace. Her stunning gown is almost enough (but not quite!) to make us wish she did marry Lon just so that we could get a better look at it.
Although it didn't go as planned, Carrie Bradshaw made fashion history when she emerged in her Vivienne Westwood wedding dress for her and Mr. Big’s almost wedding. Played by Sarah Jessica Parker, Carrie turned heads in her stunning custom-made strapless satin ball gown with a corset bodice, full ivory silk skirt and layers of volume. This dress paired with the giant feather in her hair makes it the perfect look for her extravagant and fabulous personality.
What's the perfect wedding dress for nuptials held on a Greek island? Amanda Seyfried as Sophie nailed it with her tulle, blue-beaded bohemian wedding gown, matching beaded crown and beach waved hair. Costume designer Ann Roth made Amanda Seyfried look more like a Greek Goddess than a bride.
Out of the two bridal looks in this film, Kate Hudson’s was the showstopper. Liv’s Vera Wang strapless, drop waist ball gown with huge tulle layers and a velvet sash is every young girl's dream dress, and it's only right that she got her fairy-tale happy ending in this beautiful dress.
Carolina Herrera designed a gown that was the perfect combination of vintage and modern for Bella Swan’s fairytale forest wedding to vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen. The satin dress was simple and long sleeved, until she turned around to reveal the intricate lace back details, finished with a row of 152 tiny buttons.
We know this dress wasn't for an actual wedding, but it was too beautiful to not include. At the request of President Snow, Katniss Everdeen wears a wedding dress to the Quarter Quell’s opening ceremony, and it definitely lives up to the Capitol’s over-the-top fashion standards. The feathered strapless bodice with floating metal detailing, and the skirt with lots of layers of volume, make up a dress that is fit for a warrior bride. But the real magic comes when Katniss twirls and reveals a black dress that symbolises the Mockingjay.
Rachel Green’s entrance into Central Perk in her wedding dress kicked off one of the most successful comedy television series of all time and is arguably one of the most iconic wedding dress moments in television history. After deciding that she can't marry Barry, Rachel seeks out Monica and bursts into the coffee shop in her princess gown with a lace bodice, voluminous veil and pearl necklace, that perfectly reflects her previous upper class society life.
Serena Van Der Woodsen turned wedding fashion upside down with this dress. Designed by Georges Chakra, this strapless gold and white gown, with a metallic bodice and bold shine had an effortlessly glamorous look. And in the extravagant world of Gossip Girl, Serena makes a gold wedding dress feel completely natural.
In one of J.Lo’s most popular rom-coms, Mary, a wedding planner, wears a vintage-style boatneck dress, with three-quarter sleeves, and a pillbox hat and veil. This style made headlines in 2018, when the Givenchy dress that Meghan Markle wore at her royal wedding was very similar to that of J.Lo’s.
In another royal wedding, Mia, schoolgirl turned Princess of Genovia, walks the aisle in a fairytale dress designed by Gary Jones. With its satin bodice, off-the-shoulder lace sleeves and cascading veil train, this dress is all about regal grandeur and elegance and is perfectly suited for a princess.
Anastasia Steele’s wedding gown is the definition of modern, elegant and refined. The dress featured off-the-shoulder lace sleeves and a figure-hugging bodice that flared out into a soft tulle train with a floor-length veil. It was sexy without trying, and reflected Ana’s journey throughout the films, with her ending up confident and completely in control.
Giselle’s dress in Enchanted looks like it is straight from a fairy-tale, which it literally is! It is exactly what you imagine when you think ‘princess dress’, as she rocks a huge gown with ruffles, lace details and puffy sleeves throughout New York City. She may have been thrust from her animated life into the real world, but she looked ethereal while doing it.
These on-screen wedding dresses prove that bridal fashion goes beyond the design and fabric; each gown that you've seen and loved carries meaning and tells a story, good or bad. Through the variety of dresses and bold choices in this list, we are reminded that picking the right dress for you isn't about following trends, it's about choosing a dress that captures your essence and tells a story that is worth remembering.
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