Celebrity Dresses That Are Anything But Ordinary To inspire You For Your Big Day
Think it's all about the big white meringue dress? Think again. Brides are increasingly opting for coloured gowns, shorter styles and even ditching the dress entirely! So if you're looking for something a little different on your Big Day, why not get inspired by some of these celebrity brides?
Or check our our list of the best alternative wedding dresses...
Rex FeaturesWe think Ellie's elegant dress choice for the BRITs 2015 would look just as banging for a day of nuptials. The lace top with sheer panels adds a little edge to the ultra feminine look. Is this a hint for Dougie, Miss Goulding?
Getty ImagesInstead of hosting the 17th Costume Designers Guild Awards, Emmy Rossum looks like she should be floating down an aisle in this ultra-elegant floor length dress. Repping a blushed pink-hue, the geometric neckline adds a little va va voom to the final look.
Getty ImagesFeel like you want to have something a little different but something traditional too? All is not impossible. Make like Naomi Watts and wear white with a bohemian twist.
Rex FeaturesLet's start with one of the world's greatest fashion icons, Elizabeth Taylor, who first married two-time husband Richard Burton in 1964 in a hot canary yellow gown with a wild floral headdress. Unconventional? Yes. Beautiful? Absolutely.
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Getty ImagesAt the 2015 BAFTAs, Laura Bailey blew the Hollywood competition out of the water with this directional and yet oh-so-timeless Emilia Wicksteed dress. I mean, we can't get enough of this.
Rex FeaturesThere is something unashamedly bridal about Allison Williams' red carpet look, here with it's full-length and all-over lace detailing. However, the square neckline feels fresh and new, while the the loose and relaxed hairstyle helps to tone down the traditional bridal aspects.
Splash NewsWith Mila's white dress and Ashton's sharp, smart suit; you can forgive us for initially thinking at first glance that this was a snap of the two Hollywood lovebirds tying the knot themselves. However, our eyes deceived us as the two were actually attending the wedding of Mila's brother, Michael. Nevertheless, this short and flirty strapless number could serve very well as a bridal gown for the star if and when these two tie the knot.
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Getty ImagesAt her first wedding to Mel Ferrer, fashion trailblazer Audrey Hepburn opted for something a little different to her contemporaries, choosing this Edwardian inspired gown with a nipped in waist, bell sleeves and a knee-length full skirt.
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Rex FeaturesFor her second wedding, to the Italian doctor Andrea Dotti in 1969, Audrey Hepburn chose a mini dress, pumps and a headscarf, paving the way for modern brides to show their legs in thigh-high styles.
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INFphotos.comAn early purveyor of the pink/purple wedding dress trend popular among celebs today, Julianne Moore famously tied the knot in 2003 with longterm love Bart Freundlich in a lilac Prada gown.
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Getty ImagesBut one of the chicest brides ever has to have been Mia Farrow, who accompanied her career-defining crop with a smart, sharp and oh-so-chic white skirt suit when she married Frank Sinatra.
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John Dolan for Martha Stewart WeddingsKate Bosworth tied the knot with her long-term boyfriend, director Michael Polish, in August 2013. The happy couple said 'I do' in front of an intimate group of family and friends at Rock Creek in Montana and Kate rocked no less than 2 custom-made Oscar de la Renta gowns for the big day. This 20s inspired lace and chiffon number was something a little different though. Love!
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Getty ImagesWhen Bianca Pérez-Mora Macias married Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger in St. Tropez in 1971, the bride famously wore a white skirt suit with a plunging neckline and an impossibly chic wide-brimmed hat - with veil.
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Rex FeaturesWhen Madonna married actor Sean Penn in 1985, the dress was - maybe rather surprisingly - very traditional. Indeed, Madge put the unconventional element of her outfit into the headwear, which was a black bowler hat with a veil attached.
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Getty ImagesJapanese artist Yoko Ono married John Lennon in 1969 in Gibraltar. The bride was rather unconventional in her attire, wearing a short mini skirt, knee-high socks and sunglasses.
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Wire ImageGwen Stefani is our favourite celeb bride – the punk princess married Gavin Rossdale in a custom-made pink dip-dyed white gown by John Galliano.
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Shenae Grimes/TwitterAnother bride to have gone for a splash of colour on her wedding day was 90210 actress Shenae Grimes, who tied the knot with her British beau Josh Beech wearing a black chiffon Vera Wang creation. The wedding is thought to have mixed it up a bit too, with the couple walking down the aisle to house music.
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PA PhotosSurprisingly Marilyn Monroe chose a demure dark brown suit for her low-key wedding to baseball star Joe DiMaggio at San Francisco City Hall. But the modest event didn’t escape the attention of the world’s press and over 100 paparazzi lurked outside waiting for the happy couple.
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PA PhotosWhen Jamie Oliver tied the knot with then-longterm girlfriend Jools in 2000, the bride went for something a bit unusual - as did her groom. While Jamie wore powder blue and snakeskin shoes, Jools went for this grey and white block patterned gown with a traditional veil.
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PA PhotosIt's not difficult to see where British fashion designer Stella McCartney gets her keen sense of style from. When her dad, Beatle Paul McCartney married her late mother, American photographer Linda Eastman in 1969 in London, Linda arrived at the ceremony in a sharp, tailored camel coat.
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Rex FeaturesStylist Katy England didn’t wear a conventional gown for her wedding to Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie – instead she chose a pink and white candy-striped confection, while the groom wore a rose-embroidered tux.
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PA PhotosIt was a quintessentially English affair for Billie Piper and Laurence Fox on their wedding day in 2008. Yes, the gown and suit were traditional but we've got to give them credit for the matching his 'n' hers sweeping long black overcoats.
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Rex FeaturesAs a rock ‘n’ roll child it was little surprise that when Leah Wood married Jack MacDonald in 2008, the bride wore a vintage gown for her Midsummer Night’s Dream-themed wedding. We just loved the ornate detailing around the neckline on this dress, as well as those billowing bell sleeves.
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Paul Newman’s SeriousFun Children’s NetworkGala at the Roundhouse, in LondonDespite being one of the most in-demand actresses in Hollywood, Keira Knightley proved her thriftiness when she wore this Rodarte frock to her 2013 wedding to James Righton in the South Of France. The Brit actress had been spotted in the blush pink dress a number of times before and has since worn it again, as well!
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PA Photos...And speaking of Knightley weddings, when Keira's brother Caleb got married in Glasgow in 2011, we got some serious bridal gown envy when the actress' sister-in-law stepped out in this gloriously retro design with intricate embroidery and a full skirt.
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PA PhotosWhile there wasn't anything too non-traditional about Kate Winslet's gorgeous white Alexander McQueen dress decorated with white and yellow roses, we were big fans of the slightly less orthodox beaded headband. So pretty.
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Bigpicturesphoto.comIf you're looking for something understated-yet-ethereal, you'll be eyeing up something similiar to the John Galliano-designed gown that Kate Moss wore to her 2011 wedding to Jamie Hince. Slim-fitting with gorgeous, ornate detailing, it also had a beautiful blush apple green hue to it, too.
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PA PhotosBut sometimes you can get some great ideas from the wedding guests if you're looking for dramatic or stand-out occasion wear: Enter Naomi Campbell who wowed at the wedding of Prince Albert of Monaco in this dip-dyed green dress with a dramatic asymmetric neckline.
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PA PhotosYasmin Le Bon wore something similar in a hot magenta shade to Paty Kensit's 2009 wedding to Jeremy Healy.
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Getty ImagesWhen Lily Cole attended Salma Hayek’s wedding to luxury goods magnate Francois-Henri Pinault in Venice in 2009, we fell completely in love with her chic midnight blue column gown. We'd also like to think that the traditional Venetian mask is obligatory, too.
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Getty ImagesPossibly our favourite non-bridal, bridal dress ever, was Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's champagne-coloured satin gown that she wore to the wedding of her then-boyfriend Tyrone Wood's sister (she of the earlier magical wedding gown).
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Bigpicturesphoto.comSure. It was Beyonce and Jay-Z's wedding but Gwynnie still wore white - and what an outfit. This frilly, micro-mini with princess sleeves is totally wedding appropriate whether you're a guest or the one actually making your vows!
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Rex FeaturesWearing a silver vintage halter dress teamed with a crushed blue velvet shawl, Kate Moss' effortless styling at Leah Wood's nuptials puts her up there as one of our favourite wedding guests, to date. Incidentally, it's also a gorgeous dress that wouldn't look out of place on a bride, either.
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Bigpicturesphoto.comEven though the Olsen twins were actually bridesmaids at this 2007 wedding in Mexico, if we ever had a beach wedding ourselves, we'd like to think we'd easily channel either of these dresses on the big day.
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Rex FeaturesKate Moss proved weddings are more than fascinators and heels in 2006. Britain's favourite supermodel rewrote the basic rules of wedding dressing, when she rocked up in a taupe short suit with matching fedora. Once again, if you were looking to do something other than The Big White Dress, this gorgeous short suit would be memorable for all the right reasons.
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Rex FeaturesAlthough, Elettra Rossellini Wiedemann wore this natty little number to an exhibition in New York, this strapless white gown with dramatic A-Line skirt detail would make an ideal alternative wedding dress thanks to monochrome detailing – plus, the shape gives a nice nod to more traditional styles.
PA PhotosIf you’re looking for something chic and smart for your wedding but don’t want the drama of a longline gown, this high-shine satin white dress has all the hallmarks of bridalwear but none of the fuss. Thank you, Hilary!
Rex FeaturesTrust Julia Restoin-Roitfeld to give us some fash-spiration in the form of this lose and lovely mid-length Chanel creation. A must for brides looking for something less structured and more floaty.
Rex FeaturesDaisy Lowe's white gown is as traditional as it gets but with that gorgeous yellow applique detailing all over, this simple number is completely transformed and would make for alternative choice on your wedding day. Gorgeous.
Rex FeaturesIf you still want to wear white though, why not take a copy this gorgeous look from Karlie Kloss and opt for a knee-length fitted frock.
PA PhotosThis pastel-spotted shoulder-baring gown by Schiaparelli would provide something a little different on your Big Day thanks to the modern detailing around the neckline. However, it still maintains an element of the traditional thanks to the long, floaty style. We're a little bit in love with it.
PA PhotosAt the 2014 TV BAFTAs, Laura Whitmore gave brides-to-be across the land some major dress-spiration with this slinky halter-necked column dress. If you want to go for something a little different on your wedding day but without sacrificing any of the glamour then something like this, is a fab choice.
PA PhotosCate Blanchett rarely puts a foot wrong in the style stakes but this simple Ralph Lauren gown with asymmetric detailing to the neckline is simply out of this world – and it’s a very, very stylish choice for any bride looking for something a little different yet utterly, utterly gorgeous.
