Most Iconic Wedding Dresses of All Time

Kate Middleton

Kate Middleton married Prince William in April 2011. Kate wore an ivory and white satin dress. Her dress featured long sleeves and a bodice covered in lace, along with a veil made from layers of ivory tulle. The lace used on Kate’s dress was handmade by the Royal School of Needlework using a technique called Carrickmacross. Kate’s veil was also handmade and features embroidered flowers. Kate completes the look with a Cartier tiara borrowed from Queen Elizabeth.

Image Source: Glamour Magazine

Meghan Markle

Meghan Markle married Prince Harry in May 2018. Meghan’s dress features a boat neck and simple, minimalistic lines that extend to the back of the dress. The long train flows behind the dress and is made with three layers of triple silk organza. The veil on Meghan’s dress was 16 feet long and included embroidered flowers to represent each of the 53 commonwealth countries. It also included the state flower of California, the California Poppy, to represent Meghan’s childhood home. Meghan also wore a tiara, borrowed from Queen Mary, for the occasion.

Image Source: Brides Magazine

Jackie Kennedy

Jackie Kennedy married John F. Kennedy in September 1953. Jackie chose to wear an ivory silk-taffeta gown. It featured a portrait neckline, a fitted bodice, and a full skirt. The end result of this full skirt was a gown made with over 50 yards of silk taffeta, creating the fairy tale dress Jackie’s mother wanted to see her in. Jackie completed her wedding look with a lace veil that was worn by her grandmother.

Jackie’s wedding dress has an interesting story. Ten days before the wedding, a water line broke and destroyed Jackie’s dress, along with all of her bridesmaid dresses. The designer, Ann Lowe, worked day and night to ensure that Jackie’s dress was completed on time and that the bride never knew of the disaster.

Image Source: Town & Country Magazine

Grace Kelly

Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III in April 1956. Grace, an American actress, wore a gown gifted to her by MGM Studios. It was handmade by the studio’s costume department and took more than six weeks to complete. The dress features a high neckline, fitted bodice, and a silk taffeta skirt adorned with thousands of hand-sewn pearls and a three-foot-long train.

The dress was made up of four separate parts including the foundation, ruffled and smoothing petticoats under the pleated silk skirt, plus a train insert and silk cummerbund. The veil was designed to keep Grace’s face as visible as possible and featured two tiny lovebirds around the edges.

Image Source: Vanity Fair

Sofia Vergara

Sofia Vergara married Joe Manganiello in November 2015. Sofia chose a classic shape for her gown – a fitted dress with a sweetheart neckline. Sofia puts her own twist on the anatomy of a wedding dress with this choice. Her dress features a dramatic detachable skirt, a perfect feature to go from the ceremony to the after-party. Intricate lacework along with 350 crystals, 11 pounds of sequins, and 7 pounds of pearls, completes the princess gown look. Sofia opted for no veil, wearing her long hair down with dramatic waves for her finished wedding look.

Image Source: People Magazine

Raquel Welch

Raquel Welch married Patrick Curtis in 1967. Raquel chose a daring minidress for her big day. Dressed in all white from the dress to the shoes, Raquel chose a crochet dress and paired it with a knee-length white fur coat. Her white peep toe shoes, along with the length of her dress symbolize the increased freedom in fashion for women in the 1960s. Raquel’s dress received a lot of attention for its radical style, capturing the trends and freedoms of the decade in her wedding look.

Image Source: POPSUGAR

Iman

Iman married David Bowie in June 1992. Iman wore a simple, classic wedding dress, hoping for something that would stand the test of time. She chose a curve-hugging halter neck dress that included a detachable train. Iman wore long white gloves to complete her wedding look and opted for no veil with her gown. A pair of statement earrings were the only accessories worn by the supermodel, keeping in line with the simplicity of the rest of the wedding look.

Image Source: Munaluci Bridal

Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama married Barack Obama in October 1992. Michelle chose a classic dress shape with an off-the-shoulder design. A sweetheart neckline and full-length gloves added to the classic look of this gown. The gown’s long train featured intricate floral applique embellishments. She paired the dress with a pair of sheer white stockings and white pumps, as well as a poofy princess-length veil and drop earrings.

Image Source: Vogue

Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian married Kanye West in May 2014. Kim wore a traditional dress that was created with handmade white lace and featured a high neckline and backless cut. Sheer panels, long sleeves, and pearls add to the details of the dress. Kim also wore a long silk veil, like the one worn by Kate Middleton a few years earlier. A long train completed the bridal look.

Image Source: MTV

Amal Clooney

Amal Clooney married George Clooney in September 2014. Her custom gown was the last one created by Oscar de la Renta before he passed away later that year. Amal’s dress was ivory with an off-the-shoulder styling. Sewn-on pearls and beads on the bodice add beautiful detail to the gown. The dress also featured a full skirt and a long, sweeping train. A long lace and tulle veil completed Amal’s wedding look.

Image Source: Getty Images