“Nowadays weddings are less hermetic and women are freer.independent and self-confident. She seeks above all feel identified with the look of your big day imbuing it with her personality, moving away from stereotypes,” the bridal firm says. Marco&Mariaa brand nominated for the best collection at the Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week catwalk. This change of mentality is the cause (or consequence) of an increasingly flexible protocol. demanding dress code prevailing at weddingsespecially the religious ones, seems to have relaxed somewhat in recent years. A bride with sunglasses or ear piercings was difficult to see a few years ago but in 2024 it would not attract too much attention. Trends also have a lot to say about today’s wedding dresses. “Here it is normal to see linen wedding dresses, white suits, miniskirts or brides dressed in colour, feathers or ruffles,” explains the Bilbao label. Sophie and Voilà .
In its 2024 bridal collection, Self Portrait proposes mixing classic elements such as the veil with others that look directly at trends, such as thick stockings.
For the designer Marta Martithe important thing is that brides “are faithful to their style and personality, and once they have achieved this, we propose details that give them that differential and unexpected point that they are looking for, that risky touch that makes the design evolve.” In this sense, “The most representative thing they are looking for now would be the combination of fabrics and transformable looks, transparencies, flowers, necklines such as the bardot and the corset in all its versions”.
A look from Marta MartÃ’s bridal collection featuring some of the most promising trends of the moment: large bows, semi-transparent fabrics and a bateau neckline.
Getting married in overalls, with sunglasses and piercings is no longer so unusual
As we said, this rigid protocol is beginning to change. In the opinion of Susana Vela Covisa, founder and director of Atelier Couturethe platform specialized in haute couture bridal fashion, “the bridal look has been transformedin the same way that has happened with women and men, opening their minds towards multiple possibilities for ceremonies that were unthinkable decades ago and that involve very different options both in the celebration and in the looks.”
If we had to define the general bridal look today, we could say that, although classic brides are still ahead, more and more women are daring to experiment. Whether with subtle details, like Helena, the bride who adorned her Helena Mareque dress with a hand-painted cape by Genoveva Hita. Or opting to blow up the traditional look from head to toe, like the coolest actress in New York did, Chloë Sevingywhen She put on a tight white lace jumpsuit work of Thierry Mugler for the after-party of his second wedding with Sinisa Mackovic in 2022 (the couple tied the knot yes I want for the first time in 2020). The The jumpsuit has been gaining ground in recent years as an alternative to the two-piece suit, which has traditionally been the go-to alternative for those who did not want to wear a wedding dress.. However, the suit – jacket and trousers or jacket and skirt – continues to be an increasingly popular option that also has a great advantage: its life can easily be extended beyond the wedding day. The bridal firm MadridMansofounded by Raúl in 2017, includes this season a jacket and miniskirt suit with a certain retro inspiration that fits perfectly with that new bridal look for brides who don’t want to feel like they’re in disguise.
Getting married in sunglasses? Marco&MarÃa (left) and Yolancris (right) have approved the accessory as part of a different bridal look.
As Marco&MarÃa assures, “the bridal look has evolved at the same pace as women and also the style of weddings. Nowadays, brides plan the celebration more as a party to enjoy surrounded by family and friends.” Hence, unwritten rules about the bride’s attire have been broken. That playful nature of the wedding – a party that is increasingly extended for more days – is reflected in the attire.. Many brides still prefer to opt for the sobriety of comfortable high-heeled pumps, but there are those who seek to break with the norm and introduce platforms. to immediately wink at trends. It was Nicola Peltz’s choice for her wedding to Brooklyn Beckham and that of other fashion-loving brides. In the opposite sidethere are those who opt for the maximum possible comfort, that is to say for the shoes. It was the case of the tennis player Serena Williamswho wore Nike sneakers studded with rhinestones for her wedding in 2017 with businessman Alexis Ohanian. On average, there are more and more brides who are friends of espadrilles, especially for country weddings or mid-heeled shoes. So it is not surprising that brands specializing in this footwear, such as Macarena or Castañer, have launched successful capsules of espadrilles for brides.
“My village brides” is the name of the latest campaign by Madrid firm Manso, with designs such as this two-piece jacket and miniskirt.
One wedding, infinite looks
Another fashion that is here to stay is that of Go for several bridal looks. While celebrities often opt for four or five different designs (Sofia Richie’s high-profile wedding featured a few), the norm among the anonymous people of the world is to go for a pre-wedding look for the day before, the look for the big day (perhaps combined with a second outfit for the party) and the outfit for the next day, if the so-called post-wedding takes place. “Since 2020, we have seen how a very important change has occurred in society, generated by external factors. We want to celebrate more than ever and it doesn’t matter what time of year it is, giving way to timeless weddings, the month of the year is no longer so important to be able to enjoy that special day.. This has also led to many weddings including a pre-wedding celebration and long weddings, even lasting several days. Therefore, different moments are experienced and there are different needs in the bridal look, both for the bride and the groom and the most special guests,” Vela Covisa reflects.
Two creations seen in one of the last shows of the Atelier Couture catwalk last March: sheer fabric on Silvia Fernández and midi length on De la Cierva y Nicolás.
In this sense, Convertible dresses have become more important, those that can be transformed and adapted to different moments of the celebration.. From Sophie and Voilà They consider this to be the great bridal trend of the moment: “This way of brides wanting to represent themselves has led them to look for more comfortable dresses that can be adapted to each moment of the day. Before, one only wore one dress, then there were those who used two… And now what is successful are the dresses that evolve as the wedding progresses. I think that versatility is the trend that is most popular right now.” That way, you can get two looks in one without spending as much money as buying two dresses.
Mango is one of the many affordable brands that has subtly entered the bridal sector with designs designed to be worn at informal ceremonies or as a second or third option in a bridal look. In the image, one of its latest novelties for the season.
This greater freedom when dressing as a bride has led to the proliferation of many bridal firms where creativity prevails and has convinced Affordable brands to start launching wedding dresses at very competitive prices. In his 2022 collection in collaboration with Narciso RodrÃguez, Zara launched a satin dress inspired by the Carolyn Bessette’s wedding dress for her wedding to John Kennedydesigned by the American designer. This year, among the novelties of Mango For the season, wedding dresses are also making their way, designed for more informal celebrations or to wear as a second or third bridal look. By limiting the budget for the dress further (even the second-hand bridal market is gaining followers), a larger outlay can be made on other types of elements, from the wedding itself to the shoes, accessories or jewelry.
The accessories field is the one that has contributed the most to breaking with the traditional bridal codes. Opera gloves, reimagined in their coolest version (“At a time when open and feminine dresses are all the rage, I find it exquisite to subtly cover my arms”they say about it in Sophie et Voilà ), maximalist bows, jewel bags, tights (for example, thick ones, as Self Portrait suggests for this season) or even Socks, to look like another accessory, give shape to the most daring and unconventional betsAt Sophie et Voilà they do not forget the veil, a classic element but with the ability to be updated: “There are printed, embroidered, short, long, voluminous veils…”
One of Sophie et Voilà ’s proposals from her latest collection, NYC Capsule.
Sunglasses, an accessory that was unthinkable years ago, are also slowly claiming their place, not only among guests but also in the bridal look. Obviously, these are not worn on the way to the altar but in the moments before or after or in civil ceremonies with a dress code free. The actress Joey King made it clear how simple sunglasses can completely transform a wedding look. Before saying “I do” in a grand ceremony in Mallorca last September, she officially tied the knot with her partner, producer Steven Piet. On that occasion, She finished off her draped wedding dress with red-framed sunglasses from Barcelona-based label Woodys.On the catwalk, brands such as Marco&MarÃa and Yolancris did not hesitate to dress their atypical brides in sunglasses.
We must not forget the jewels, the accessory with the greatest meaning for many brides. Along with the pieces inherited, borrowed or gifted by someone close, there are the Piercings, another jewel that many women do not want to give up on their big day. At the moment, the More discreet options are the winners. From Rêver, the jewelry firm specialized in laboratory diamonds, they point out that “More and more brides are opting for unusual accessories on their wedding day. Piercings have become one of the biggest trends in bridal fashion in recent years.”
Traditional jewellery is giving way to innovative proposals and piercings are becoming a key accessory in contemporary bridal looks. In the image, one of the proposals from the firm Rêver, specialised in laboratory diamonds.