25 of the Most Iconic Wedding Dresses of All Time

I’m obsessed with wedding dresses. If Randy Fenoli and Monte Durham from Say Yes to the Dress and Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta started a cult, I’d probably join.

Here are 25 of the most iconic brides of all time, from royalty to TV characters.

Queen Victoria, 1840.
Groom: Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Location: St. James’s Palace, London, England
Designer: Mary Bettans

Photo by Engraved by S Reynolds after F Lock, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Having come to the throne at the young age of 18, Queen Victoria was expected to find a husband. After meeting cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Victoria fell hard for him. They married on the 10th February 1840. The bride and groom were both twenty.

Victoria wore a cream satin dress with a natural waist and long, pleated skirt. Her bust and arms were covered with lace made from Devon, something that reignited its industry. Instead of wearing a tiara or a crown, she wore orange wreaths over a lace veil.

Whilst white was not a new trend in bridal fashion, Victoria’s colour choice became the new Western standard. It became a symbol of purity and innocence, and was thus expected of any first time bride. Whilst other colours have become more popular and brides not expected to be pure upon marriage, white and other similar shades remain the standard.

Victoria and Albert were happily married for twenty-one years, having nine children, all of whom lived past infancy. Albert’s death in 1861 absolutely devastated Victoria, who wore black for the rest of her life. Victoria was buried with him upon her death.

Wallis Simpson (future Wallis, Duchess of Windsor), 1937
Groom: Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor
Location: Château de Candé, Monts, France
Designer: Mainbocher

When the heir to the throne started a relationship with American divorcée Wallis Simpson, it was not a surprise, considering his many, many romances. When George V died and the new Edward VIII ascended the throne, his relationship became a bit more of a problem. He intended to marry Ms. Simpson, but the divorcée part was an issue considering that he was Head of the Church of England. On the 10th December 1936, Edward abdicated, which became official the next day.

Wallis Simpson’s divorce was finalised in May 1937. The next month, on the 3rd June, the Duke of Windsor and the now Miss Warfield married in the Château de Candé, France. None of the groom’s family attended. The groom was forty-two and the bride forty.

The new Duchess of Windsor wore a pale blue silk dress with a nipped in waist and corset like belt. Her hat matched.

The dress contrasted greatly with the bridal gowns of mother-in-law Mary of Teck (white silk empire style) and sister-in-law Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (ivory taffeta and lace). It was an appropriate choice for a third wedding, especially as she was not confiscated ‘pure’ and had probably done the fairytale dress thing before.

Despite his many romances, Edward’s love for Wallis was seemingly real and he had no affairs. They remained devoted to one another until his death in 1972, though they were highly unpopular due to his and Wallis’ interest in Nazism. Edward did see his niece Elizabeth again, and met with great-nephew Charles. Wallis died in 1986.

Princess Elizabeth (future Elizabeth II), 1947
Groom: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Location: Westminster Abbey, London, England
Designer: Norman Hartnell

Princess Elizabeth was ten years old when she became heir to the throne. As future queen, her marital prospects were a hot topic. She was introduced properly to the young Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark in summer 1939. They corresponded for years before Philip approached George VI in 1946. George agreed, but the engagement was not formalised until Elizabeth had turned 21. The wedding took place on the 20th November 1947. The groom was twenty-six and the bride twenty-one.

Princess Elizabeth wore a white satin dress with delicate embroidery and a high neckline. As rationing was still in effect, the Princess had to use coupons, though was given extra by the government. The train was silk tulle and measured thirteen feet in length.

So secret was the dress that Norman Hartnell was forced to cover his workroom windows to prevent any spying. Many women sent their ration coupons to the princess to help with the dress, which was kind, but also illegal.

Prince Philip and Princess Elizabeth were married for 73 years, ending with his passing in April 2021. They had four children. Elizabeth became Queen after her father’s early death in 1952, and Philip became the longest serving consort not only in British history, but globally.

Elizabeth Taylor, 1950
Groom: Conrad Hilton Jr.
Location: Church of the Good Shepherd, Beverly Hills, California, USA
Designer: Helen Rose

Elizabeth Taylor was famous for her many marriages, but she had to start somewhere. The glamorous young actress met hotel heir Conrad ‘Nicky’ Hilton Jr at a nightclub in 1949. They soon became engaged and married in a Beverly Hills church on the 6th May 1950. The groom was twenty-three and the bride eighteen.

Taylor wore a gown by costume designer Helen Rose, as MGM organised the wedding. It was a satin dress with a sweetheart neckline and a line skirt. An overlay covered from the top of the neckline to her throat. There were also long sleeves and pearl embellishments.

The dress is said to have cost about $1,500, which is $19,314 in today’s money.

The marriage did not last long. Hilton was abusive and a heavy drinker, even causing a miscarriage. They seperated seven months later, and divorced after eight. Taylor famously married seven times again to six men, most famously Richard Burton. Hilton also married again, and was said to be abusive.

Jacqueline Bouvier (future Jacqueline Kennedy), 1953
Groom: John F. Kennedy
Location: St. Mary’s Church, Newport, Rhode Island, USA
Designer: Anne Lowe

Photo by Notes – Toni Frissell Collection (Library of Congress). Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

By the early 50s, Joseph Kennedy was getting concerned that his son was not yet married. A bachelor Senator was not good for politics, and rumours swirled that he was gay. John F. Kennedy was soon introduced to young Jacqueline Bouvier at a dinner party. They became engaged and married on 12th September 1953. The groom was thirty-six and the bride twenty-four.

Mrs. Kennedy wore an off the shoulder gown with short sleeves, a tight bodice and a large ballgown skirt. The skirt was adorned with shapes and slight ruffles. She chose a Juliet cap style veil.

The original dress was the casualty of a workshop flooding, so Anne Lowe and her team had to work hard to get it done in time. Kennedy famously hated the dress, complaining that it made her look like a ‘lampshade.’ She had wanted a chic, light dress but had no say in it. Mrs. Kennedy had also wanted a small, intimate wedding, but her new father-in-law took over. The dress can be seen in the JFK Presidential Library.

John and Jacqueline Kennedy were married for a decade. After several miscarriages and a stillborn daughter named Arabella, they had daughter Caroline and son John. Their son Patrick died after only two days after being born prematurely in 1963. The marriage was also rocked by his legendary infidelity. Five years after being widowed the first time, Kennedy married Greek magnate Aristotle Onassis, to widespread criticism. Mr. Onassis died in 1975.

Audrey Hepburn, 1954
Groom: Mel Ferrer
Location: Bürgenstock, Switzerland
Designer: Pierre Balmain

Newbie Audrey Hepburn met established actor Mel Ferrer at a party. They collaborated in a play and not long later, the pair became engaged. They wed in Bürgenstock, Switzerland on the 25th September 1954. The groom was thirty-seven and the bride twenty-five.

Hepburn wore a tea length gown, popular during the decade, with puffy sleeves down to her elbow, high collar and matching white gloves. Her pixie cut was adorned with a white rose crown.

Due to the speed in which Ferrer and Hepburn walked down the aisle, their son believes it was likely off the rack. Hepburn had been engaged before and nearly made it to the wedding, but it was eventually called off. She had the designers donate it to any woman who couldn’t afford a nice dress, and it eventually made it to an Italian farm bride.

Ferrer and Hepburn had a tumultuous marriage, as he was repeatedly jealous of her rising success. She miscarried twice before the birth of a healthy son in 1960. The couple divorced in 1968.

Tracy Lord (Grace Kelly in High Society), 1956
Groom: George Kittredge (John Lund)
Location: Newport, Rhode Island, USA (Filmed/Set)
Designer: Helen Rose

In this delightful musical adaptation of The Philadelphia Story, Grace Kelly plays socialite Tracy Lord as she prepares to wed for the second time.

She wears a silk organza tea dress with a full skirt, helped by a white underdress and fitted bodice. It’s a slight pink colour with a floral. She also wears a large hat and elegant white gloves.

As her character is a socialite who has been married before, it’s not a shock that she’s not in a pure white dress. Tea length and coloured dresses were not unpopular at the time.

Grace Kelly (future Princess Grace of Monaco), 1956
Groom: Prince Rainier III of Monaco
Location: Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate, Monaco
Designer: Helen Rose

Grace Kelly during her wedding

Actress Grace Kelly met reigning Prince Rainier III of Monaco after being invited to a photoshoot with him. They corresponded for a year, and Kelly’s family had to stump up a dowry for the marriage, half of which she paid for herself. There was a small civil ceremony on the 18th April 1956, and the big official religious one on the 19th.

Princess Grace wore a custom taffeta, tulle and silk dress with a high neck, lace torso and ballgown skirt. She wore a Juliet cap and a long tulle veil.

The dress was perfect for marrying into a Catholic monarchy. It had been widely copied and commented upon, with her iconic lace sleeves inspiring many. Princess Grace collaborated closely with Helen Rose to create the perfect gown. It had been widely expected that Edith Head would design the gown, and Head herself believed that she would, but the task fell to Rose.

Prince Rainier and Princess Grace would have three children- Caroline, heir Albert, and Stéphanie. Princess Grace helped usher in a new age in the tiny European principality. She sadly died aged only 52 after a stroke and the subsequent car accident. Prince Rainier was devastated and never remarried. He died in 2005.

Jo Stockton (Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face), 1956
Groom: N/A
Location: Paris, France
Designer: Hubert de Givenchy

Philosophical bookstore owner Jo Stockton (Audrey Hepburn) agrees to model for a magazine in exchange for a trip to Paris to meet a famous philosopher.

During the film, Stockton models a wedding dress. It’s a white tea dress which pinches in at the waist before billowing out below the knee.

The dress is absolutely 50s Parisian style. It’s also very much Givenchy, a nod to her frequent collaborations on and off screen.

Princess Margaret (future Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon), 1960
Groom: Anthony Armstrong-Jones
Location: Westminster Abbey, London, UK
Designer: Norman Hartnell

Princess Margaret wasn’t allowed to marry the older, divorced Peter Townsend until she was 25. The marriage never happened. She was engaged another time, but the marriage also never happened. Margaret eventually met society photographer Anthony Armstrong-Jones. They became engaged in 1959 and married on the 6th May 1960.

Princess Margaret, like her sister, wore a Norman Hartnell gown. It was a high neck silk organza gown with minimal fuss and long sleeves.

The dress was praised for being minimal compared to most royal wedding gowns.

Unfortunately, the marriage was no fairytale. The Earl of Snowdon was a cold man who liked to drink, and whose illegitimate child had been born weeks after the pair married. Princess Margaret enjoyed lots of parties. They had two children before separating in 1976 and divorcing in 1978.

Maria (Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music), 1965
Groom: Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer)
Location: Basilika St. Michael, Mondsee, Austria (Filmed)
Designer: Dorothy Jeakins

The Sound of Music screen grab. (Argyle Enterprises, 20th Century-Fox)

Based on a true story, novitiate Maria (Julie Andrews) becomes the governess to the seven Von Trapp children. She and Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) eventually fall in love and marry.

The Catholic Maria wears an ivory silk gown with a high neckline, long sleeves and buttons.

The real Maria Von Trapp wore a slightly more bohemian gown with gloves and a Juliet cap.

Mia Farrow, 1966
Groom: Frank Sinatra
Location: Sands Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Designer: Unknown

Young actress Mia Farrow met legendary crooner Frank Sinatra on the set of one of his films. A year later, on the 19th July 1966. The groom was fifty and the bride twenty-one.

Farrow wore a high waisted skirt topped with a bow, with a cropped double breasted jacket and ¾ length sleeves.

Despite wearing virgin white, Farrow’s dress was anything but traditional. Considering it was a quick Las Begas wedding, with a reception at a friend’s house, it was not a surprise that she didn’t go for the ballgown. Still, it was very much a 60s look.

Farrow initially agreed to Sinatra’s demand that she quit movies. He later asked her to appear in one of his movies, but she instead went on to star in Rosemary’s Baby. Angered, Sinatra cruelly served her divorce papers in front of the cast and crew on her movie set. Farrow would later blame the age gap between them. They nevertheless remained close friends from their 1968 divorce until his 1998 death.

Bianca Macias (future Bianca Jagger), 1971
Groom: Mick Jagger
Location: Church of St. Anne, St. Tropez, France
Designer: Le Smoking Yves Saint Laurent

Bianca Macias met Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger at a party in France. Macias became pregnant and the two decided to wed. Jagger and Macias married in a Catholic ceremony in St. Tropez on the 12th May 1971; she was four months pregnant. The groom was twenty-seven and the bride twenty-six.

Instead of the traditional dress, the new Mrs. Jagger wore a white skirt suit. The Yves Saint Laurent skirt was maxi and the Le Smoking blazer did not go over anything, showing a bit of cleavage. She also wore a wide brimmed hat with a short veil over the front.

The look was outrageously 70s and what one might expect from the wife of a rock star. Mrs. Jagger herself was also already known as a socialite jet setter.

Their daughter Jade was born in October. The Jaggers were married until 1978, as he had engaged in an affair with popular model Jerry Hall.

Lady Diana Spencer (future Diana, Princess of Wales), 1981
Groom: Charles, Prince of Wales (future Charles III)
Location: St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, England
Designer: David and Elizabeth Emanuel

Wedding of Diana

Prince Charles was linked with Lady Sarah Spencer when he met her younger sister, Lady Diana, in 1977. They were not romantically linked until 1980. Charles was already in love with Camilla Parker Bowles, but she was married and the royals said no. As Diana was a young daughter of an earl, she was deemed acceptable. Prince Charles and Lady Diana married in a widely watched ceremony on the 29th July 1981. The groom was thirty-two and the bride twenty.

Diana wore a huge meringue David and Elizabeth Emanuel dress. It was a taffeta ballgown silhouette with 80s sleeves and a ruffled v-neck. Underneath was a large petticoat. The train was a whopping 25 feet (7.62 m), and the veil 153 yards (459 feet/140m). Atop her head was a Spencer family tiara. So large was the dress that Diana and her father struggled to fit in the coach.

Diana’s dress became an overnight symbol. It reflected the 80s fashion for big shoulders and excess, and remains a hit to this day. The first knockoff dress was revealed only five hours later, and David Emanuel still receives requests to this day. It’s regarded as one of the most iconic bridal gowns of all time.

We all know that this fairytale romance did not last. Despite the birth of two sons, the age gap between the pair and Prince Charles’ lingering love for Camilla remained. He continued his affair with Camilla, and Diana soon turned to the comfort of other men. The carefree Diana struggled to conform to the role of Princess of Wales. A separation was announced in 1995, and a divorce the following year. Diana died in a car crash in 1997. Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005 and became king in 2022.

Caroline Kennedy, 1986
Groom: Edwin Schlossberg
Location: Our Lady of Victory Church, Centerville, Massachusetts
Designer: Carolina Hererra

Whilst her mother had attempted to keep the spotlight off her children in their early years, Caroline Kennedy soon became a public figure in her own right. She was working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art when she met designer Edward Schlossberg. They married on the 19th July 1986. The groom was forty-one and the bride twenty-eight. Senator Edward Kennedy walked his niece down the aisle.

Caroline Kennedy chose a Carolina Hererra jewel neck gown. The top was sheer with embroidered clovers, whilst the bottom was a ballgown.

It’s hard to follow your mother’s bridal look, especially when she was a major fashion icon, but Kennedy came into her own.

Schlossberg and Kennedy remain married to this day. They have three children- two daughters and a son.

Lisa McDowell (Shari Headley in Coming to America) 1988
Groom: Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy)
Location: Zamunda (film location), Los Angeles (filmed)
Designer: Deborah Landis

*SPOILERS*
In this 80s comedy, Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) is destined for an arranged marriage to a woman who was trained to be perfectly obedient and agreeable to him. Wanting another woman, he heads to America to find someone more free spirited.

His bride Lisa McDowell (Shari Headley) goes for an epic pink dress. It’s a massive ball gown with a sweetheart neckline, matching veil and ruffled back.

Lisa’s marrying into a wealthy African royal family, so of course she’s going big. Her veil disguises her, as Akeem believes he’s marrying the woman his parents chose for him.

Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston in Friends), 1994
Groom: Barry Farber (Mitchell Whitfield)
Location: New York City, New York, NY
Designer: Warner Brothers Costume Department

Friends screen grab (NBC/Universal Television)

Rachel is wearing a large meringue dress with a crooked sweetheart off the shoulder neckline, lace top and embroidered ballgown skirt.

The scene itself is extremely memorable, so the dress is helped by it. It’s nevertheless the puffy princess dress we’d expect from spoiled rich girl Rachel.

Carolyn Bessette (future Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy), 1996
Groom: John F. Kennedy Jr.
Location: First African Baptist Church, Cumberland, Georgia, USA
Designer: Narciso Rodriguez of Cerruti

Handsome John F. Kennedy Jr was linked to multiple women throughout his bachelorhood. He met fashion worker Carolyn Bessette in 1992, but they didn’t start dating until 1994. They married in a quiet ceremony on the 21st September 1996, so secretly that the world didn’t know until the next day. The groom was thirty-five and the bride thirty.

Bessette-Kennedy wore a sleek bias cut dress designed by Narciso Rodriquez, a close friend.

It was very minimal for a Kennedy, but chic and effortless as one would expect from a fashion industry insider. The sleekness of the dress was one half of the 90s bridal coin, the other being the meringue style gown.

The so-called ‘Kennedy curse’ struck for this couple. In 1999, Kennedy, Bessette-Kennedy and her sister Lauren were traveling to his cousin Rory Kennedy’s wedding in a light aircraft, which he piloted. Kennedy lost control of the vehicle due to spatial disorientation. The three died after the plane struck water.

Grace Adler (Debra Messing in Will and Grace), 2002
Groom: Leo Markus (Harry Connick Jr.)
Location: Synagogue, New York (set), Temple Israel Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA (filmed)
Designer: Vera Wang

The straight woman to Will’s (Eric McCormack) gay man, interior designer Grace Adler (Debra Messing) never had much luck in love for most of the popular series. That changed when she met handsome doctor Leo Marks (Harry Connick Jr), and they wed after a whirlwind romance.

Grace wears a Vera Wang dress with a bandeau neckline, basque waist and a-line skirt.

It’s cute and chic, contrasting nicely with the red and orange bouquet Grace holds.

Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City), 2008
Groom: Mr. Big (Chris Noth)
Location: New York Public Library, NYC, New York, USA
Designer: Vivienne Westwood

Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) finally gets wed in the movie sequel to the most fabulous 90s TV show. After a bumpy ride, Carrie finally gets engaged to the enigmatic Mr. Big (Chris Noth) following several years of relatively smooth dating. She tries on a number of dresses during a magazine shoot scene, and is eventually gifted a designer gown.

We know that fashion icon Carrie Bradshaw would have to wear an outrageous designer bridal gown and boy does she. It’s a Vivienne Westwood ballgown with a ruffled skirt and pointed v-neck. A diamanté brooch is attached to her chest. Her hair is swept up in a bun and she has a short veil.

There was an immediate clamor for the dress. A cocktail dress version of the dress, sold at £4,350 sold out within hours of being put on sale. The Carrie effect, ladies and gentlemen.

Catherine Middleton (future Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Princess of Wales), 2011
Groom: Prince William of Wales, Duke of Edinburgh
Location: Westminster Abbey, London, England
Designer: Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen

Prince William met Catherine ‘Kate’ Middleton when they were both studying at St. Andrews University. They briefly split in 2004 before reconciling, and became engaged in October 2010. Prince William and Miss Middleton married in a widely watched ceremony on the 29th April 2011. The groom was twenty-eight and the bride twenty-nine.

The new Duchess of Cambridge wore a Sarah Burton dress. It was ivory with long, laced sleeves, a satin bodice, pinched waist and embroidered a line. The train was nine feet long. She had a lace veil and Cartier tiara loaned to her by Queen Elizabeth II.

Copies and knockoffs of the dress were immediately made. The dress was well-received and led to a resurgence in long-sleeves, lace bridal gowns. It had been shown at exhibits and had been very popular among visitors.

The pair have been married ever since, and have three children- George, Charlotte and Louis. Upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, they became the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Kate Moss, 2011
Groom: Jamie Hince
Location: St. Peter’s Church, Southrop, Gloucestershire, England
Designer: John Galliano

British model Kate Moss was introduced to guitarist and singer Jamie Hince by a mutual friend in 2007. They married on the 1st July 2011. The groom was forty-two and the bride thirty-seven.

Moss wore a bias cut twenties, boho chic dress designed by John Galliano. The bodice had a sheer overlay with gold embroidery, with gold also on the translucent skirt. Her veil was also in the twenties style.

The wedding was nicknamed ‘Glastonbury’ and was a three day event, so this boho chic dress fit perfectly. It was also what we might expect from a 90s supermodel.

Hince and Moss separated in 2015 and divorced the following year.

Meghan Markle (future Meghan, Duchess of Sussex), 2018
Groom: Prince Harry of Wales, Duke of Sussex
Location: St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England
Designer: Clare Keller of Givenchy

Actress Meghan Markle was well known for her role in legal drama Suits when she met Prince Harry in 2016. They became engaged a little over a year later and eventually wed on the 19th May 2018. The groom was thirty-four and the bride thirty-six.

The new Duchess of Sussex wore a Clare Keller of Givenchy dress. It was a plain silk white dress with ¾ sleeves, boat neck and 16 ft/5m long veil. The veil was adorned with the flowers of the 53 Commonwealth nations, the California poppy and wintersweet. She wore a tiara belonging to Mary of Teck, great-great-grandmother of her husband.

The dress was noted for its relative simplicity compared to other royal bridal gowns. There was a large number of searches for the gown, as well as for Givenchy and the designer herself.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain married. They have a son named Archie and a daughter named Lilibet. In early 2020, it was announced that they would be stepping back from royal duties. Since then, they have focused on their media output.

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), 2013
Groom: Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson)
Location: N/A
Designer: Tex Saverio

In the sequel to the Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is forced to become engaged to fellow Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). Before the wedding can happen, they are forced to enter the arena once again. Fashion designer ally Cinna (Lenny Kravitz) designs her gown to be shown in the pre-event interviews.

Katniss wears an asymmetrical dress with a dropped waist and fit and flare silhouette. The skirt is waved with ruffles and the top adorned with silver wing-like creations.

The dress is not at all what the poor, down-to-earth Katniss would wear. It’s instead indicative of the luxurious and ludicrous creations of the Capital, and what they expect from a Hunger Games champion.

Araminta Lee (Sonoya Mizuno in Crazy Rich Asians), 2018
Groom: Colin Khoo (Chris Pang)
Location: CHIJMES Hall, Singapore (set and filmed)
Designer: Mary Vogt

Crazy Rich Asians (Promotional photo from Warner Bros. Pictures

In the 2018 rom com, grounded professor Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) heads to Singapore for the wedding of her boyfriend Nick (Henry Golding)‘s best friend Colin Khoo (Chris Pang). It turns out that Nick, his family and his social circle are EXTREMELY rich. During the wedding scene, one guest says that the wedding cost was around 40 million dollars.

Araminta Lee (Sonoya Mizuno) goes for one hell of a look. It’s part dress and part jumpsuit with an illusion neckline and gold embellished bodice split halfway down. The skirt is a ruffle ballgown also embellished at the top, before splitting down the middle just above the knee. She wears long gold boots with match the embellishments.

It’s a dress that Rachel certainly wouldn’t see at a wedding back home. It’s a crazy dress, one reflective of Araminta’s kind but bubbly and excited personality.