Sparkles, Florals & Tulle
A Wedding Scene! Or a Wedding Movie. Wedding Gowns from modern movies are very plentiful as many, many rom-com center around a wedding since they perfect for depicting relationships with humor and tension.
This list ranks 20 of the best wedding gowns from modern movies, which depict current fashions of the time the movie was produced and released. The gowns range from over-the-top to very chic and minimal. Gowns from period and fantasy/sci-fi movies have their own rankings.
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 western conventions of bridal attire but the colors were not limited to white. While wedding gowns for an intended affair are preferred that guideline is a little bent for this ranking.
List is subject to change
20. Toula from My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
Designer: Michael Clancy
After a glow-up Toula (Nia Vardalos) meets the man of her dreams. Owning to the name of the movie, her gown is big and excessive in best way possible for this rom-com. With loads of lace, a full skirt, florals, big hair and pearl chocker.
19. Muriel from Muriel’s Wedding (1994)
Designer: Terry Ryan
Socially awkward Muriel (Toni Collete) spends her days listening to ABBA and dreaming glamorous wedding.
To match her daydreams her wedding gown is delightfully extravagant. It has a lace bodice with beaded embellishments. The sleeves are long and made from lace. The skirt is full and to finish it off she wears a gold tiara.
18. Annie from Father of the Bride (1991)
Designer: Susan Becker
While the concept is that she is rather young to getting marries, Annie’s (Kimberly Williams)gown is a charming combination of demure with high lace neckline and youth with the oversize bow.
Of course the most unique aspect of this costume is her wedding sneakers.
Shout Out the 1950 Elizabeth Taylor version by Helen Rose
17. Melanie from Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
Designer: Sophie de Rakoff
This seemingly minimal gown combines key aspects of Melanie’s (Reese Witherspoon) character. It combines her southern roots with her metropolitan style.
The square is off-set by the lovely draped straps and the fit-and-flared silhouette looks elegant and effortless.
She wears it with a charming bird-cage veil for added chicness.
16. Maggie Carpenter from Runaway Bride (1999)
Designer: Amsale
Reluctant Bride Maggie (Julia Roberts) dons a few gowns throughout the film but it’s her final gown that is the right mix of romance and low-key elegance.
With it’s off-the-shoulder neckline, a-line silhouette and lovely beading it is both stunningly refined and charming and utterly romantic.
15. Tracy from High Society (1956)
Designer: Helen Rose
Socialite Tracy (Grace Kelly) is liken to a goddess who has to come down to earth for her wedding.
Her charming floral dress is just perfect for her affair. It’s the perfect combo of demure, elegant and chicly etherial.
Plus the matching hat with gloves.
14. Shelby from Steel Magnolias (1989)
Designer: Julie Weiss
A modern take on the idea of the “Southern Belle,” Shelby’s (Julia Roberts) is an off-the-shoulder ballgown that is the epitome of femininity. It is decorated with pink flowers and sashes.
It was ahead of its time and set the tone moving into the early 90s.
13. Mary from The Wedding Planner (2001)
Designer: Pamela Withers
When a downtrodden Mary (Jennifer Lopez) can’t be with the man she loves, she accepts the proposal of her childhood acquaintance and heads off for a courthouse wedding. As far as courthouse wedding go this looks mixes simplicity with glamor.
It has a boat-neck top, pencil skirt, fabric covered buttons on the sleeves and a pill-box hat veil combo. It’s demure and is 60s inspired chic.
12. Schatze from How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)
Designer: Travilla
At the end of this screwball comedy where the goal is marry for money instead of love, Schatze (Lauren Bacall) calls off her wedding for love. Her gown is a timeless lace off-the-shoulder fit-and-flare look. It’s decorated with iridescent sequins.
She forgoes the veil for a sheer hat
11. Ellie from It Happened One Night (1934)
Designer: Robert Kalloch
Spoiled Ellie (Claudette Colbert) dons this stunning bias-cut satin gown with flutter sleeves that form a caplet at the back. Darling flowers details along the neckline with a long floaty veil for her big day.
It’s a paradox as it both sleek and sexy as well as ethereal and romantic, which is perfect for any bride even though Ellie runs from the alter.
12. Emma & Liv from Bride Wars (2009)
Designer: Vera Wang
Bride Wars is a very flawed movie that forces the viewer to take a lot leaps in logic however the two wedding gowns are a lovely and are as different as the two leading ladies. You could consider this a tie.
Of the two Emma’s (Anne Hathaway) is more refined and minimal. It has a sculpted off-centered off-the-shoulder neckline with a pleated bodice and trumpet silhouette. It has a restrained simplicity makes it elegant and interesting.
Whereas Liv’s (Kate Hudson) gown has a sweetheart neckline with a full volumious tulle ballgown with a lavender sash that was the gown of dreams for late 2000’s brides.
9. Justine from Melancholia (2011)
Designer: Manon Rasmussen
The first half of Melancholia centers around depressed and fragile bride, Justine’s (Kirsten Dunst), wedding. The idea was to make her look, an all-American bride that looks like she came straight out of magazine or like a Barbie.
It’s a strapless gown with gather tiers and a lovely flower bolero. The bolero makes this gown.
8. Grace from Ready or Not (2019)
Designers: Avery Plewes
Ready or Not is a survival horror movie in which a new bride, Grace (Samara Weaving) must survive a ritual hide and seek game.
Her gown transforms over the course of the film. It’s style roots are based on Grace Kelly and Kate Middletown’s weeding gowns.
It has a high-necked long sleeved lace over layer with corset-style bodice underlay. The skirt is a-line with multiple lightweight layers.
The entire effect of the wedding is very chic and elegy and is a great counterpoint to the transformative nature of the gown through the movie.
7. Anastasia from 50 Shades Freed (2018)
Designer: Monique Lhuiller
This not the first time that Anastasia (Dakota Johnson) wore Monique Lhuiller in the film series, the first being her silver gown.
Unlike her slinky silver gown her wedding gown is an off-the-shoulder lace gown with a fit and flared silhouette. The gown is equally delicate, elegant and romantic.
6. Bella Swan from Twilight Saga; Breaking Dawn (2011)
Designer: Carolina Herrera
For her wedding gown, Bella (Kirsten Stewart) opts for a seemingly simple sleek gown. It’s made from crepe satin and Chantilly lace used as inserts in the sleeve cuffs and for an open back. The open back of the gown is where the drama is and gives it a little bit of an edge as well as elegance.
5. Lisa from Coming to America (1988)
Designer: Deborah Landis
While this gown was made using an inexpensive nylon tulle it certain didn’t look it. Lisa’s (Shari Headley) wedding a dreamy pink sweetheart strapless neckline look with a full skirt and ruffles flowers and sparkly embellishments.
A gold crown with real gemstones finishes the royal elegant and ultra feminine look.
4. Sophie from Mamma Mia (2008)
Designer: Ann Roth
Sophie’s (Amanda Seyfried) wedding gown is a perfect example of care-free femininity with its soft ruffles, lace and tulle elements. It has an empire waistline, an asymmetrical neckline, blue beading, and an ankle hemline.
It is perfect for greco-roman-inspired beach wedding.
3. Princess Mia from The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)
Designer: Gary Jones
Prim and elegant perfectly describes Princess Mia’s (Anne Hathaway) wedding gown.
It have a lace layer over the bodice that makes up the off-the-shoulder neckline and the 3/4 sleeves. The silhouette is a classic A-line that pools beautifully to the floor. And being the royal that Mia is this gown has a long and dramatic train
2. Jo from Funny Face (1957)
Designer: Givenchy
Jo (Audrey Hepburn) wears this wedding gown for a fashion show. It’s sleeveless with a boat neckline and tea-length full tulle drop-waist skirt.
The gown is beyond chic and while technically it wasn’t worn for wedding scene it’s still an iconic wedding look.
1. Araminta from Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Designers: Mary E. Vogt & Carven Ong
The big moment of this movie is the dreamlike watery wedding. In which the bride, Araminta (Sonoya Mizuno) walks down the aisle with water flowing.
In addition to being waterproof, the gown has an elegant ballet-feeling with a wide full tiered skirt shades of pink, layers of tulle that was to showcase the actress. The skirt as well as the bodice has embroidery with Swarovski crystals to add more drama and excess.
It’s is quite literally a show-stopper.
