Modern Wedding Dresses

It just so happened that white/ivory is Adrianna Papell’s color of the month for June. They feature a different color every month, and as a brand ambassador, I pick an outfit in that color to feature.

But since June and weddings are two things that have long gone together in people’s minds, I thought of doing a modern bride theme to showcase two outfits I chose.

Interestingly though, while the tradition of June weddings goes all the way back to Roman times for Juno, goddess of marriage and childbirth, the tradition of white gown goes back only a few centuries.

Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840 in a white gown, and with all the talk of the royal wedding that followed, a new trend began. Because prior to that, women simply used to wear their “best dress” in any color.

But times change, and even apart from the pandemic, more and more women have grown interested in choices that differ from the tulle and embroidery of “traditional” corseted gowns. These brides may not all be seeking the cool nonchalance of tailored silk jackets and trousers, but they do often want outfits that are slimmer, more relaxed, and comfortable.

And now there are choices of mini and maxi dresses, wrap styles and asymmetrical cuts, bandeaus, halter necks, jumpsuits, and more. These pared back choices may be alternatives to bride-as-princess, but they can still deliver style, elegance, and romance.

Practicality is a growing consideration too, whether that’s a bride who just wants to be able to dance in her gown, a bride who’d like to be able to wear her gown more than once, or brides who are planning smaller, more intimate wedding affairs or beach and destination weddings.

So check out the choices I made for some modern wedding gowns:

I fell in love with this Adrianna Papell (@adriannapapellbridal) halter gown with tiered skirt and spaghetti straps, as it reminded me of what I wore to my own modern wedding (my second marriage) almost twelve years ago.

Jumpsuits are among some distinct modern alternatives to gowns. I think this Adrianna Papell plunging crepe jumpsuit carries its own understated elegance.

This Goen.J (@goenjofficial) tiered midi dress featuring wide shoulder straps and layers of frills also charms me. I love the ruffles—they’re done a modern way here, but they’re still romantic.

These fabulous pictures are actually the result of a creative collaboration that went far beyond what I imagined at the beginning!

I initially reached out to Wendy Mercer (@gatheringsbymercer) to ask if she would create a floral bouquet for me to carry for my themed photos. But not only did I get my bouquet—Wendy created two gorgeous floral installations to punctuate an already beautiful venue, the garden house at the historic Gary Melchers home and studio (@garimelchers) and she secured the talented Gabrielle Rose (@gabriellerosefxbg) to take these amazing photos! Holly Chapple (@hollychapple) and Alexandra Farms (@alexandrafarms) provided the beautiful blooms that brought the magic to our venue, too.

Hope you enjoyed our little project for modern bridalwear!