If you’re a regular reader of Vogue’s wedding section, you’d be forgiven for thinking that maximalist celebrations have blasted all notions of intimate gatherings back to pandemic days. The Ambani wedding will do that to a person. But, in fact, the bridal landscape doesn’t only look like California ranch movie premieres, Mexican belle epoque mansion parties, and Soho Farmhouse soirées backdropped by fields of wildflowers. When it comes to bridal fashion, in particular, couples are stripping things back and evaluating what they want their looks to stand for. Trends are out, bespoke is big business, rewears matter, and color is crucial for today’s brides and grooms. Here, the summer 2024 wedding trends—or anti-trends—that couples are saying “I do” to.
Pantones that pop
Take it from Katherine Ormerod—who tried on no fewer than 100 dresses in her search for The One (what a Vogue assignment)—“the faintest pink blush is everywhere”. So much so that trend avoider Danielle Frankel is actively developing a custom color line this year. Molly Goddard, too, says coral is enjoying a moment in her East London studio, which aligns with alternative bridal boutiques not charging the requisite $50 for a glass of warm prosecco. “We often have brides who want a pop of color, choosing an ivory or white dress and combining it with a brightly colored tulle veil,” shares Goddard, who is currently on maternity leave and watching her bridal business boom in the background.
Bubble-girl style
Ormerod almost backtracked on the wedding dress she had signed on the dotted line for when she came away from The Own feeling like Audrey Hepburn, thanks to a bubble-skirted dress with a slashed neckline. MyTheresa’s chief commercial and sustainability officer, Richard Johnson, concurs that “dropped hem and bubble-hem dresses are making a comeback,” and expects to see a greater rise in these silhouettes next season. “Our customer is very fashion-forward, often mirroring wider industry trends in bridal fashion,” explains Johnson, noting that MyTheresa shoppers typically come to the etailer for their second or third wedding dress, which they struggle to find in traditional bridal boutiques. “Shopping for a wedding wardrobe versus one wedding look is something we’re seeing a lot more of, as each event surrounding the wedding has become its own fashion ‘moment’—and why not?” chime in The Own Studio co-founders Jess Kaye and Rosie Williams, who love the minidress as main dress look.
A vow to never say the word “trend”
“The styles we put out into the world are intended to be timeless, not fleeting,” asserts Frankel, who has become something of a quiet power player on the bridal scene (she cut her teeth at Vera Wang and Marchesa before branching out solo). “There are plenty of people who want to wear what they see others wearing online, but when it’s labeled a trend, it implies that there is an inherent shelf life of a style, which goes against both our design principles and business model.”
Vintage lace specialist Jane Bourvis has also noticed an increase in the number of brides popping into her Notting Hill store in search of dresses that don’t feel “over-designed.” “People have been marrying in classic silk dresses that feel quite Grace Kelly in style,” notes Bourvis, who suggests that brides-to-be have simply “got fed up” with all the frills, beading, and tulle. Ivory silk still reigns supreme in Bourvis’s boutique, but her hand-embroidered veil category is looking particularly healthy, as the period dress expert steers clients towards classic, rather than au courant accessories. Frankel’s thought process, too, is that “if one is consistently looking to capture what is popular in the short term, or to classify what a small sample size of people are seeking out, there’s a great chance that clients are not going to be happy with it in the long run.”
Til death do us part
“Pieces need to work harder than ever before,” asserts The Own Studio’s team. “They need to be re-wearable for years to come or something that can be listed on rental platforms after the wedding.” While prolonging the lifespan of a garment used to be more of a micro trend and a passion project for the designers, brides are waking up to the impact of the dresses they are spending thousands on and will in theory wear for just a few hours. “Brides lean into fabrics that can be dyed after the wedding or styles that can be repurposed to become enduring pieces in their wardrobe.” After working with colorist Cavan Jayne McPherson—who works with Alexander McQueen, Paolina Russo, and Sinéad O’Dwyer—Vogue’s Emily Chan said, “I’m not sure I’ll ever own a piece of clothing that means as much to me as my wedding dress. After getting it dyed, it has even more stories to tell.”
Couture aspirations
“People don’t want ‘cookie cutter’ nuptials anymore—it’s all about individuality,” The Own Studio’s Kaye and Williams continue, registering the movement towards “non-wedding weddings,” with couples creating their own formats and traditions for celebrations that feel one-off and authentic. Requests for custom bridal designs have subsequently tripled this year alone. While The Own Studio offers a semi-bespoke and fully bespoke service—which they say is “like a fingerprint—every cut, stitch, and fold has been made especially for you”—journalist Rebecca Cope, who is behind many of Vogue’s wedding features, has noticed women paying homage to their heritage in ways that can’t be bought. “They want to tell a story about who they are with their dress, rather than just picking something that they look good in.” The result? A rise in seamstress- over studio-made looks.
Personalization also extends to shoes. Kitten heels might be 2024’s most popular shoe style, but brides are adding sweet details, like monograms, that are a step removed from click-to-buy options. The craft of bespoke is “part of our DNA, our soul”, shares Sandra Choi of Jimmy Choo, who believes shoes and accessories should absolutely be “individual, exceptional and unforgettable”, and never an afterthought. “It can be a true fairytale moment!” notes the romantic, adding that both block heels (for comfort) and objet-style heels (for fabulousness) are also making strides at Jimmy Choo HQ. The devil really is in the details for couples who want to look back at their photographs for years to come and not regret a single thing.