Brides-To-Be, These Are The Best Simple Wedding Dresses You’ll Ever Find

Go big or go home tends to be the mantra when it comes to choosing your wedding dress - and why not? It's not every day that you get married. But what, I hear you say, about the minimal bride who doesn't want bells and whistles? Well, the good news is that, as of late, we're seeing simple wedding dresses becoming increasingly popular. More and more brides are side-stepping extravagant gowns, with intricate embellishment and trains that require a four-strong entourage, instead opting for classic dresses characterised by minimalist designs and clean cuts. The memo? Understated elegance. In essence, there's nothing wrong with simple. In fact, it's where it's at this spring.

One of the reasons a simple wedding dress is a good idea for your big day is their versatility. Quite simply, a relatively straightforward dress can not only be worn in a variety of settings, from beach weddings to more formal church nuptials, but can be easily accessorised to create different looks for day and night (ideal if you don't want the hassle of having to buy another dress for the evening festivities). A simple wedding dress can be dressed up with statement jewellery, a veil or a dramatic hairstyle or kept more relaxed with minimal accessories and make-up.

Nicola Peltz Beckham, who is celebrating her second wedding anniversary this month, became the pin-up woman for simple wedding dresses in 2022, wearing a square-necked gown that was simple but effective from Valentino. And of course, since her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018, Meghan Markle has been practically synonymous with simple, elegant wedding dresses, thanks to her gown made by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy.

If don't know where to begin your search, believe it or not, scanning the high street wedding dresses is a good place to start. Scroll to see the best simple wedding dress inspiration we have right here.

Best simple wedding dresses at a glance:

Editor's choice: Galvan Grace Bridal Dress, £1,895

Best high street simple wedding dress: Reiss Atelier Daphne Open-Back Bridal Maxi Dress, £645

Best silk simple wedding dress: Reformation Ronda Silk Dress, £748

Best midaxi simple wedding dress: Ghost Mari Satin Midi Dress, £149

Shop: The Most Beautiful Simple Wedding Dresses

Simple Wedding Dress inspiration

Perhaps because they spend significantly more time than your average person in red carpet-worthy looks, a surprising number of celebrities have decided to wear a simple wedding dress instead of a big energy gown. What they prove, however, is that simple doesn't mean boring. For her wedding reception, Issa Rae's Vera Wang gown had a simple neckline that was balanced out by a layered tulle skirt. Perfection. Katherine Schwarzenegger, meanwhile, wore a strapless dress designed by Giorgio Armani, complete with a voluminous veil-slash-train that trailed on the ground to dial up the drama.

Meghan Markle's wedding dress is perhaps the most famous simple wedding dress of all time. The Duchess of Sussex chose a simple boat-neck gown for the wedding of the century by Clare Waight Keller, sparking a trend for just-off-the-shoulder necklines that hasn't waned since her wedding in 2018.

Is it ok to wear a simple wedding dress?

It's more than ok, a simple wedding dress is bang on trend (ahem, Nicola Peltz Beckham). But even if it wasn't on trend to forgo a traditionally frou-frou wedding dress for something more understated, the most important thing is that your wedding dress should feel like the essence of your personal style. So if you're a dyed-in-the-wool minimalist, who perhaps wants to be able to rewear their dress by styling it differently, then a simple wedding dress is the way to go.

Renee Washington, Grazia's Digital Fashion and Beauty Assistant, lives online. With a penchant for wispy lashes and streetwear, she writes about the worlds of fashion and beauty from the viewpoint of the modern fashion girlie.