The Best Alternative Wedding Dresses If You’re Not In The Mood For A Meringue

When the former editor-in-chief of InStyle, Laura Brown, got married this month, she was quite literally the blushing bride. Instead of opting for a traditional white wedding dress, Brown chose to wear a powdery pink puff of a gown designed by Valentino's Pierpaolo Piccioli, a close friend. Paired with the most beautiful dotted lace train - also the colour of candy floss - it felt fittingly romantic but strikingly different from a big white dress.

Of course, the idea of an alternative wedding dress is nothing new in the world of celebrity nuptials. Bianca Jagger has got to be the most eternally cool woman to walk down the aisle after she wore a white skirt suit with a wide-brimmed hat to marry Mick. Sophie Turner wore a jumpsuit to tie the knot in Las Vegas; Chloë Sevigny, who got legally married in 2020, had a follow-up celebration a few weeks ago that involved not one, not two, but three alternative wedding dresses in the form of a sheer gown by Jean Paul Gaultier, a mini by Loewe and a lace catsuit by Mugler (heaven).

So where to start if you're looking for a non-traditional wedding dress? First off, it doesn't have to be a dress at all. You could opt for sleek tailored separates (Carrie Bradshaw, after all, did in fact end up wearing her 'sweet little suit' to marry Mr Big) or a jumpsuit like Turner. But if you do still fancy a dress - and why not? - plenty of bridal collections carry styles that would never be classed as traditional. Molly Goddard's ready-to-wear bridal line has all the big dress energy of her famously modern frou-frou frocks. Cecilie Bahnsen's pretty and playful puff dresses, or even her separates, would be ideal for a city wedding. The Vampire's Wife - a favourite with both red carpet royalty and actual royalty - is also an excellent option. Keep scrolling for all our other favourites when it comes to alternative wedding dresses.