While some wedding looks are very much products of their time (puffy shoulders, teased hair, spaghetti straps, etc) there are some brides whose wedding-day looks are so unique and iconic, they withstand the test of time. Here are some of our favourites.
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex (nee Markle)
It’s no secret that we’re big fans of Meghan and Harry, but we’re equally big fans of her elegant, understated, wedding day look. That Givenchy gown is a winner for the ages.
Amal Clooney (nee Alamuddin)
The British barrister’s custom-made, French lace dress for her wedding to movie star George Clooney was designed by Oscar de la Renta and was “embroidered with pearls and diamanté accents and featured a gorgeous lace overlay and off-the-shoulder sleeves.”
For the couple’s civil ceremony in Venice, she sported another equally iconic, but very different look – a stunning two-piece bespoke cream top, wide-brimmed hat and trousers with an off-white box clutch, all by Stella McCartney.
Solange Knowles
Solange tied the knot with video director Alan Ferguson in 2014 in an unembellished but majestic cream gown with a matching, floor-sweeping cape by Humberto Leon for Kenzo, with natural hair, minimal makeup (besides a bright lip), and gold cuff accessories.
Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge (nee Middleton)
For her wedding to the future King of England in 2011, Kate Middleton wore a now instantly-recognisable Alexander McQueen dress, with a nine-foot train and a Cartier halo tiara. She set the standard against which all 21st century royal weddings are compared to.
Kim Kardashian-West
Reality star Kim Kardashian and rapper/designer Kanye West tied the knot at the Forte di Belvedere in Florence, Italy, back in May 2014. The bride wore a Givenchy Haute Couture gown, wore her long, flowing hair down, and sported her now trademark beauty look – dark eye make-up coupled with a nude lip. It works.
Claudia Schiffer
Legendary supermodel Claudia Schiffer married film producer Matthew Vaughn in 2002, wearing a Valentino gown, which the designer described as “a classical, almost fairy tale dress”.
Bianca Jagger (nee Pérez-Mora Macias)
The Nicaraguan socialite radiated cool as she wore a white Yves Saint Laurent tuxedo jacket and long bias-cut silk skirt for her 1971 Saint-Tropez wedding to Rolling Stones frontman, Mick Jagger.
Yoko Ono
Always a couple that eschewed convention, Yoko wore a white miniskirt and top, floppy hat, knee socks and trainers, and wore her long black hair down for her 1969 Gibraltar wedding to singer John Lennon. It’s not a traditional choice but you have to hand it to her – it still works.
Elizabeth Taylor
The glamorous film star had eight different weddings, with eight very different looks to choose from, but the one which stands out the most is the canary yellow baby doll dress she wore for her (first) wedding to Richard Burton in 1964. She completed the look with hyacinths and lilies woven into a dramatic braided updo, and an eye-catching diamond and emerald Bulgari brooch.
Grace, Princess of Monaco (nee Kelly)
This list would not be complete without the Princess of Monaco. Her stunning gown, with a high neckline, multiple petticoats, antique Belgian lace, and hundreds of tiny pearls, reportedly required 30 seamstresses and six weeks to make. Instead of a tiara, she wore a Juliet cap, which held her 270-foot train in place. This ultra-iconic look continues to inspire modern brides to this day.