Imaginative, Daring & Whimsical
A Wedding Scene! They can be a very big deal in a movie as they can change the scope of the story, add drama or bring closure. And what aspect is the most important part of any wedding large or small? The Wedding Gown!
This list ranks 20 of the best wedding gowns from fantasy and sci-fi movies. These gowns can be more inventive than wedding attire that depicts contemporary modern fashions or historically period movies. They can have more elaborate details or be more daring or over-the-top grand and crazy.
The gowns were ranked by beauty which is subjective, how they reflect the character/movie and how memorable they are in the cultural landscape. This list tends to favor more western conventions of bridal attire, but the colors were not limited to white. They just have to be a wedding gown within the movie even if no wedding took place.
List is subject to change.
20. Princess Vespa from Spaceballs (1987)
Designer: Donfeld
Vain and put-upon Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) is being forced into marrying seemingly the last Prince in the galaxy however she runs away from home inciting shenanigans.
Her being in white and her hairstyle is a direct reference to Leia from the original Star Wars however Vespa’s gown is 1980s to the extreme. With large puffy sleeves that are covered in bows, ruffles and lace.
This costume is a two-for-one has she takes off the over-layer and wears a base layer throughout most of the movie. And then gets an identical gown for the happy ending.
Plus it’s her look for her Spaceballs doll, one of the best scenes.
19. Ravenna from Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
Designer: Colleen Atwood
When evil queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) marries the king her wedding gown reveals some of her more sinister nature. The most notable detail is the skeletal cage collar which is made from parchment paper. The other parts of the gown features intricate gold lacing on the bodice and up the sleeves.
The skirt has either gusset or pleated panels of altering gold and white fabric which adds interest and depth.
18. The Princess from Donkey Skin (1970)
Designer: Gitt Magrini
Based on a fairy tale of the same name, Donkey Skin is surreal vividly imaginative film. At the end after the Princess (Catherine Deneuve) gets her Prince and shocks the court with her radiance.
Her gown has a standing wired collar with long flowing outer sleeves that are slit up the middle to reveal the heavily embroidered inner sleeves. Metallic gold thread decorated the collar and the neckline.
17. The Moon Princess from The Secret of Moonacre (2008)
Designer: Beatrix Aruna Pasztor
The backstory behind the conflict in The Secret of Moonacre is what went down at a wedding between the two families which ended with mistrust and curse cast by The Moon Princess (Natascha McElhone.)
Her wedding gown like most of the costumes in this movie is very textural. Her gown is Recency era meets medieval style with an empire waist and made from a quilted silvery fabric and decorated with pearls. The collar is made from curved wave-like pieces. The outer layer of sleeves are long and flowing and the inner sleeves white with a ruffle. The train is long with a dark silver boarder.
16. Cinderella from The Slipper and the Rose (1976)
Designer: Julie Harris
The ending of The Slipper and the Rose has Cinderella (Gemma Craven) coming out of exile to stop the Prince’s wedding with the help of her godmother and narrowly avoiding war.
Her wedding gown take on a robe de cour which features a low, oval neckline with exposed shoulders with a boned bodice laced closed in back. Also like traditional robe de cour her sleeves are elbow-length sleeves were covered with tiers of lace flounces.
The fabric is silvery blue white and is decorated with shimmering details. It’s elegant, dreamlike and presumably created by the godmother’s magic. It’s also used on the cover for the movie.
15. Lucy from Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Designer: Eiko Ishioka
Perhaps the most outlandish wedding gown ever is Lucy’s (Sadie Frost) from Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It’s was designed to be more fantastical, bizarre and other-worldly as she wears when she awakens as a vampire.
The main source of inspiration behind this look was the Australian frilled lizard. The inspiration can really be seen her tiered lace ruff collar. The gown itself has shimmery silvery geometric pattern on it with sheer bishop sleeves. There also is a bustle underneath.
Her sheer petal-like head-dress looks vaguely 1920s in style.
14. Bella from Poor Things (2023)
Designer: Holly Waddington
Based on the book of same name, 2023’s Poor Things is a strange vivid film that is a more or less a Victorian sci-fi.
Towards the end of Bella (Emma Stone) agrees to marry however the nuptials are interrupted by a last minute objection.
Her high-necked semi-sheer stark white wedding gown is Victorian style silhouette with large leg-o-mutton sleeves with thick wire-like details representing her being caged in.
Like all the costumes in the movie it’s textural and oddly captivating much like the characters herself.
13. Elizabeth from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
Designer: Penny Rose
The second film in the Pirate franchise starts off with Elizabeth’s (Keira Knightley) wedding gets interrupted by pirate related shenanigans
Her 18th century-styled gown is made from ivory silk and raffia fabric, though it appears darker in the rain. It is decorated with leaf, floral and fan designs. The 3/4 sleeves are ruched at the elbows much like her gown from the first movie with a long lace trim. The stomacher design is made from the raffia fabric.
The petticoat was made from an antique quilted cotton bedspread from Rome.
12. Jupiter from Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Designer: Kym Barrett
After learning to she is the reincarnation of the owner of the Earth, Jupiter (Mila Kunis) is talked into marring a son of her past life for inherence reason.
Her wedding gown a sleeveless gown with a flared skirt that is decked out in crystals and dark red 3d floral appliqués and brighter red embroidery. And course her headpiece is over-the-top to match
It’s an otherworldly look which works as she dealing with seemingly immortal aliens
11. Sister Evelyn from The Fall (2006)
Designer: Eiko Ishioka
The Fall is a surreal imaginative story with a story through the lens of a little girl. In the storytelling part of the movie main character is about to marry when he is double-crossed by his would-be bride, Evelyn (Justine Waddell.)
Much like the self-reflective imaginative aspect of this movie the costumes are all super original and inventive. Her wedding gown is made from a fabric that has a subtle swirl pattern with high neckline that has metallic embroidery and long floor-length padded sleeves.
Her “veil” is made from strands of crystals suspended in front on her face on a massive headdress.
10. Elizabeth from Frankenstein (2025)
Guillermo del Toro’s version of Frankenstein is decidedly set in 1850s placing the costumes in the crinoline period of skirt. However the film’s direction and choices take on this dream-like naturalist atmosphere especially for Elizabeth’s (Mia Goth) costumes.
Unlike the bulk of her costumes which are in blues and greens, her wedding gown is white with a dash of red but make no mistake that this gown is very much in keeping with her character.
The lavish gown features basque waistline with a wide skirt. The bodice has a ribbon application meant to look like rib cage. The sleeves are also ribbon-like, meant to look like bandages which shows her affinity for the creature as well a direct reference to the iconic Bride of Frankenstein 1935 costume.
A delicate sheer caplet with pleated ruffle trim harkens back to Elizabeth existing in her own world and dream apart from reality as well ephemeral quality to her character.
With this wedding look she wears her signature red beaded cross necklace. It’s made of carnelian with a scarab at the center of the cross. The silver chained brooches are the family crest
9. Queen Clementianna from Mirror Mirror (2012)
Designer: Eiko Ishioka
Mirror Mirror, a reimagining of Snow White, features many grand and elaborate costumes but none are as grand or as over-the-top as the Evil Queen’s (Julia Roberts) wedding gown. This massive gown weighed 60 pounds and caused Roberts pull a thigh muscle.
The gown itself is a full very wide skirt made from numerous petal-like piece layered over each other which looks rather angular and jagged. This motif extends up to the bodice and the neckline. The wide sheer bishop sleeves soften the look a bit with tight pointed cuffs.
There are vine-like details off the waist and over the top of the skirt.
8. Guinevere from Camelot (1967)
Designer: John Truscott
Camelot is a musical parody of the Arthurian legend. The costumes mix Art Nouveau with the Hippie natural aesthetic and Guinevere’s (Vanessa Redgrave) wedding gown perfectly captures this concept.
The over-layer of the gown is crocheted with unexpected natural materials like nuts and seeds that shimmer in the candlelit scene like diamonds or pearls. It’s off-set with a simple silhouette and dramatic long train.
It’s a charming combination of ethereal and earthy.
7. Aurora from Maleficent: The Mistress of Evil (2019)
Designer: Ellen Mirojnick
At the end of the Maleficent sequel, Aurora (Elle Fanning) gets married. As in the tradition of the original Disney movie her gown changes color from soft pink to soft blue.
Her gown is a two-piece with an off-the-shoulder bodice with long flowing sheer sleeves. Her skirt also has sheer over- layer that has been gathered to add some dreamy movement. Flower decorate the back, the waistline, the armholes and cascading down the skirt making for a lovely long magical train.
6. Giselle from Enchanted (2007)
Designer: Mona May
The day after Giselle (Amy Adams) meets her Prince she is set to marry him in a gown of her own creation. However before she can get her happily ever-after she gets pushed into a portal and remerges in Manhattan.
Her wedding gown takes the princess gowns aesthetic to the extreme and then up a notch again.
It has large puffed sleeves, full princess ballgown with underskirt of ruffles and an over-skirt with metallic embroidery.
It’s a very memorable gown and was used in the film’s promotion as well as good counterbalance to the real world with her extreme princess look.
5. The Bride from The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Designer: Vera West
There are few movie bridal looks as strange, iconic and oddly still fashionable as the Bride (Elsa Lanchester) from The Bride of Frankenstein.
While the entire look is one the is meant to look a surgical blanket and bangs and yet as it hangs and drapes it looks both high fashion yet simple, majestic and edgy. One could wear it to a wedding to today and it wouldn’t look to out of place.
It so iconic and has been an inspiration for many movie looks and costumes.
4. Cinderella from Cinderella (2015)
Designer: Sandy Powell
Unlike other versions of Cinderella, Ella (Lily James) marries a King making her the Queen.
Her gown is both classic and youthful. The silhouette is elegant and and the sheer neckline and sleeves give it an understated quality. The youthfulness comes from the pop of color from the embroidered flowers in the skirt and
asymmetrically along neckline which adds great surprising detail. It is the perfect gown for the kind poor girl turned royal.
3. Katniss from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
Designer: Tex Saverio
In the second movie in the Hunger Games series, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) is once again forced back into the area for the 75th games while maintaining her love affair with Peeta for the public’s enjoyment.
For her interview she is made to wear a wedding gown that brilliantly transforms into a Mockingjay, the symbol of the rebellion.
Her gown is 100% over-the-top in the capital style. It’s strapless organza gown with a crystal and metal cage detail that looks like flames. Laser-cut feathers at the waist and shoulder are meant to invoke the mockingjay.
The skirt is made from layers of organza and chiffon ruffles and it meant to look both grand and light and airy in movement for her spin.
2. Buttercup from The Princess Bride (1987)
Designer: Phyllis Dalton
For her sham of a wedding Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright) dons a lovely sparkly blue gown.
The over-gown has an empire waist, flower details and flowing long sleeves. The fabric has a sheen and is patterned with white florals with beading around the neckline. The under-dress has delicate beading along the neckline. It was used in the film promotion.
Blue was a popular color choice for brides during the middle ages so it’s perfect.
1. Padme Amidala from Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)
Designer: Trisha Biggar
Star Wars Episode II closes out with the secret wedding of Padme (Natalie Portman) and Anakin, a forbidden act for him as a Jedi. Her wedding gown is stunningly beautiful without being too grand. It has a clean silhouette that was inspired by the Edwardian era. It was made from Maltese lace and parts of it were made using an antique Edwardian lace bedspread.
It is decorated with seed pearls, beads and wax flowers. The panels of the dress were joined with embroidery using french-knit braid. The dress has a low v-neckline, an a-line silhouette, long flutter over-sleeves and lace veil.
