Orange Blossoms, Silks, and White Lace
A Wedding Scene are momentous in a narrative as they can changed the scope of the story, add drama or bring closure. And it’s the Bride’s wedding gown that is the most discussed part of any wedding affair.
This list ranks 20 of the best wedding gowns from Period movies. As period movie tend to depict a period or related aesthetic these gowns capture more elegance, refinement and displays of wealth than wedding gowns from modern movies that depict current fashions or fantasy/sci-fi movies.
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 especially since the tradition of the white wedding gowns only really began in the mid-19th century. They just have to be a wedding gown for a wedding within the movie even if no wedding took place while wearing the gown.
List is subject to change
20. May from The Age of Innocence (1993)
Designer: Gabriella Pescucci
While May (Winona Ryder) seems like the picture of prim and proper Victorian bride she is really the most aware person in the room, too bad her husband and cousin never caught on.
However her very prim picture perfect wedding gown reflects her outward appearance and projection she maintains to society. It’s of course white, as was the trend with a high lace neckline decorated with bows long sleeves and a tiered skirt made from alternating rows of lace and pleated chiffon.
19. Emma from Emma (1996)
Designer: Ruth Myers
The 1996 version Emma ends with a dreamy and charming wedding. Emma’s (Gwyneth Paltrow) gown is made from silk crepe and embroidered with a delicate sprig pattern. Both the short sleeves and the train were made from embroidered net. The overlay of the gown was made from vintage lace.
The look is meant to capture the happiness and the charm of the English countryside.
18. Marie Antoinette from Marie Antoinette (1938)
Designer: Adrian
The 1938 version of Marie Antoinette is a glamorous take on Rococo aesthetics. Marie Antoinette’s (Norma Shearer) ultra opulent royal wedding gown takes the quintessential 18th century silhouette and turns it up to 11. It’s made from a heavy weight satin and decorated with lots of beaded appliqués with seed pearls.
Pleated serpentine ruffles adorned the overskirt while the under-skirt is made up of tiers of ruffles. This costume is said to weigh about 108 pounds.
17. Miss Havisham from Great Expectations (2012)
Designer: Beatrix Aruna Pasztor
The ultimate example of the jilted bride from literature, Miss Havisham (Helena Bonham Carter) takes it to a whole new level as she never changes out her decaying wedding gown, leaves her wedding cake in place and she plots the ruin of men.
For the highly symbolic gown, McQueen’s iconic Oyster dress was used as inspiration. Miss Havisham gown uses the material to create texture a dramatic silhouette.
16. Viola from Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Designer: Sandy Powell
Much like The Duchess, Shakespeare in Love captures the opulence of English nobility except it set in the 16th century.
Viola’s (Gwyneth Paltrow) wedding gown is orange-gold with lots of lace details, stunning sleeves and prominent wide lined collar. The fabric on the over-layer looks to be made from velvet while the silver under-layer is heavily patterned.
15. Georgiana from The Duchess (2008)
Designer: Michael O’Connor
The costumes in The Duchess all capture the opulence of 18th century English nobility. It was this soft gold tone wedding dress that Georgiana (Keira Knightley) wears for a brief moment that was used for the film’s promotion.
It is rich gold tone, stunning embellishments and hip petticoat makes it very memorable and beautiful.
14. Edmée from Chéri (2009)
Designer: Consolata Boyal
Based on the book of the same name, Chéri is set in 1900s during The Belle Epoque. It’s about the son of a retired courtesan having an affair with a a colleague of his mother’s. However his mother forces him in to marriage to a preferable younger Edmée (Felicity Jones) in hopes of grandchildren.
Despite the loveless arranged marriage Edmée’s wedding gown is a prime example of the a turn of the century wedding gown. It’s soft, romantic and very lovely. It has a pearl trim at neckline with a puffy appliqué with subtle laces touches.
13. Scarlett from Gone with the Wind (1939)
Designer: Walter Plunkett
After being rejected from the man she thinks she is love with Scarlett (Vivien Leigh) marries out of spite. Due to the onset of the American Civil War she marries in haste and wears her mother’s wedding gown.
As it’s her mother’s gown it’s very much out-style being in the style of the 1840s. It golden color gown with large balloon sleeves with leaf appliqués on the sleeves and skirt.
12. Hadassah from One Night with the King (2006)
Designer: Neeta Lulla
Based on the biblical story, Hadassah (Tiffany Dupont) a Jew, married the Persian king under the assumed name Esther and saves her people. The overall design of the costumes combines elements of ancient Persia with Indian glamor
Her wedding/coronation gown has scooped neckline with long sleeves. It is heavily embroidered with dark red bands on the sleeves and bodice. The train is more like a white sheer cape attached at the back and connected to the wrists.
It’s a gorgeous combination of striking and delicate.
11. Allie from The Notebook (2004)
Designer: Gary Jones
While she doesn’t get married in this gown, Allie (Rachel McAdams) looks lovely in her late 1940s style gown.
Her gown has a sheer illusion neckline that has pearl buttons that extend down to the lace bodice which extend down over the sleek silk skirt. The same lace of the bodice is used for part of the long sleeves
10. Jane from Jane Eyre (2011)
Designer: Michael O’Connor
There have been many different film adaptations of Charlotte Brönte novel’s Jane Eyre but the 2011 takes some creative liberties with the narrative making it told throw flashback and cinematography that looks like it comes from a fantasy movie.
One of the big moments in the story is the sham wedding of Jane to Edward who is already married. Fortunately the ceremony is interrupted but despite that Jane’s wedding attire is lovely.
It’s a charming combination of simplity which suits Jane but also elegant. The fabric has a delicate floral motif with wide lace color and long sleeves. The show stopper is the bonnet with a long lace veil.
It achieve a both an ethereal quality mixed with a down-to-earth sensibility which is very much Jane Eyre.
9. Gertrude from The Dressmaker (2015)
Designer: Marion Boyce
After the main character gives her a make-over, Gertrude (Sarah Snook) gets herself a man and gets married.
Her wedding gown is a stunning example the main character’s skills. It’s a one-shoulder gown with semi-sheer overlay that is gathered on the opposing side at the hip creating some stunning fluid draping.
It’s the perfect combination of glamour and bridal elegance.
8. Elizabeth from The Sissi Trilogy (1955)
Designers: Leo Bei, Gerdago, and Franz Szvivats
The Sissi movie trilogy is such a pure unadulterated classic series that spans multiple years of the Empress’ life through a very saccharine lens. In the first movie the young Princess Elizabeth (Romy Schneider) meets the Emperor for his birthday. After a meet-cute he is smitten with her and goes against his overbearing mother’s plans for him to wed Elizabeth’s older sister.
The first movie end with marriage of Elizabeth to the Emperor. Her wedding is a dream of silver white lace with a tiered full skirt, off-the shoulder neckline with a wide lace collar a lace train, fashionable bow motif jewelry, satin gloves, and a very long majestic lace veil.
It’s a wedding gown worthy of the pretty princess the Sissi film sought to depict.
7. Isolde from Tristan & Isolde (2006)
Designer: Maurizio Millenotti
Originally created for a version of 1001 Nights and was altered forIsolde’s (Sophia Myles) dreamy wedding gown. Despite it not being designed for this film it is such a lovely costume and it oddly fits into the movie.
It a light green cloak that has slightly darker stripes that have a slight texture. The sleeves are gathered. The underdress is a muted purple-pinkish gold tone with brighter gold details.
The looks it one that is dream-like and ethereal.
6. Marianne from Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Designer: Jenny Beaven
Sense and Sensibility ends with Marianne’s (Kate Winslet) wedding.
Her Regency style wedding is lovely and charming with its empire waist, 3/4 sleeves and a matching bonnet. The gown is enhanced by its embellishment which are made from straw. Straw as elegant, who would have thought? It does work with her sense of romantic sensibilities as it’s a natural material that looks like gold.
5. Christine from The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
Designer: Alexandra Byrne
During the emotional finale of The Phantom of the Opera the Phantom gives Christine (Emmy Rossum) an ultimatum; marry him or else.
She is forced into this gown which was the Phantom’s creation. It has an off-the-shoulder neckline with draped short sleeves. It has an asymmetrical overskirt that drapes around the side and covers the underskirt that is covered in ruffles that from the train.
4. Satine from Moulin Rouge (2001)
Designers: Catherine Martin & Angus Strathie
Moulin Rouge is an example of a grandiose Baz Luhrmann production. It’s set during the Belle epoque and focuses on starving creatives, courtesans who want to be actresses and love.
At the big finale, Satine (Nicole Kidman) lets her guarded emotions go as she declares her love for her penniless writer. She does this on stage as she is performing a play entitled Spectacular Spectacular that has an Indian setting.
During this pivotal scene Satine is wearing this saree inspired gown which is technically her characters’s wedding gown.
The gown is lovely and has that very cinched silhouette that was very much in vogue with the 1900s but with grace and fluidity of a saree. Another combination is that this a white gown though the more traditional wedding in Indian would be red while white is more for mourning. Though the choice of white could have been an unintentional genius design choice as this scene is Satine’s literal swan song.
The decorative border at the bust and the hem is very much inspired by sarees as it is heavily embroidered with beading. The hem border is also draped in such a way that it forms almost a tier-like skirt.The hip is ruched on one side which adds a draped effect to the overall silhouette.
This costume strikes the right balance of simple yet striking, effortless yet dramatic, of strong yet vulnerable. It just hits all the right notes for Satine’s character, the scene and the style of the film.
3. Marie Antoinette from Marie Antoinette (2006)
Designer: Milena Canonero
The 2006 movie depiction of Marie Antoinette’s life is fun pop candy mixed with the luxurious decadence of the Rococo period.
Marie Antoinette’s (Kirsten Dunst) wedding is warm silverly tone with wide panniers. It’s more minimal making it more modern but it still decorated with pleated ruffles and bows.
2. Maria from The Sound of Music (1965)
Designer: Dorothy Jeakins
As the former nun and governess, Maria (Julie Andrews) makes her way down the aisle in a very sophisticated timeless gown.
The silk gown has minimal detailing which means all the other elements have to be on point. It has a high collar with long sleeves. The added drama comes from the massive long train and veil which are perfect for the setting.
1. Victoria from The Young Victoria (2009)
Designer: Sandy Powell
As this movie depicts the early days of her reign and marriage, it no surprise that for the gown the movie recreates the young Queen’s actual wedding gown.
Queen Victoria is credited for kick starting the tradition of brides wearing white. For the film, Victoria (Emily Blunt) wears an 1840s-style gown with a soft round neckline and voluminous sleeves decorated with lace at the collar and at the cuffs.
She is decked out in royal jewel but wears Orange Blossom on her head.
