Top 10 Iconic Bridal Looks in Movies
By
Devorah Isenberg , Thursday, November 24, 2011
As Twihards the world over are eagerly awaiting the release of the next-to-last Twilight movie, Breaking Dawn Part 1, at midnight tonight, brides and fashion lovers are also eagerly waiting for the movie’s release. This installment of the popular vampire romance franchise will feature the long-awaited wedding between Bella, the human girl, and Edward, her handsome vampire boyfriend. To Twilight fans, this moment is a culmination of everything they have anticipated for several years. For the more fashion-oriented, it means one thing: the first glimpse of Bella’s Carolina Herrera-designed wedding dress. Supposedly both “romantic and mysterious,” the dress is made of lace and satin and has 100 buttons down the back. Bridal industry insiders are already poised, ready to respond to the flood of fans with Bella-inspired bridal couture.
In the meantime, let’s take a look at the top ten bridal looks in movies that have inspired entertained and amazed brides in years gone by. Which style do you think Bella’s dress will look like?
1. In the romantic comedy 27 Dresses, the always-the-bridesmaid character played by Katherine Heigl finally does tie the knot in a simple, restrained wedding dress that looks nothing like the garish bridesmaid dresses filling her closet. With a deep v-neck, two wide straps, and an A-line bias cut skirt, her wedding day look is simple, comfortable and practical—made stylish with a bouquet of trendy white wildflowers and sleek, pulled-back hair.
2. Cartoon princess come to life Gisele, in the Disney movie Enchanted, wears one of the most voluminous dresses in recent movie history. Amy Adam’s character roams through New York City in a white satin dress with oversized full sleeves, a beaded bodice, and a full skirt complete with a cutaway petticoat panel. The princess look is completed with a dramatic, upswept hairdo embellished with flowers, braids and cascading curls.
3. Julia Roberts ran her way right into America’s heart in the classic rom-com Runaway Bride. She was also a bridal style inspiration with her off-the-shoulder satin dress with an embroidered hem and sweetheart neckline.
4. When Carrie Bradshaw tied the knot in the first
Sex and the City movie, she did it with her typical panache. The dress was a Vivienne Westwood Gold Label creation—champagne silk, with a structured neckline, built-in corset and draped, bouffant skirt. The dress was topped with
diamond stud earrings, a gathered tulle veil and a dramatic turquoise feather headpiece.
5. Maya Rudolph may have been the funniest movie bride in recent movie history, but her character’s wedding dress in Bridesmaids was also an inspired fashion choice. Tying together several recent red-carpet and bridal-fashion trends, the one-shoulder dress featured feather embellishment, a beaded belt, and a frothy, full tulle skirt. Alternatively, brides can channel Bridesmaids with the satin pin-tucked strapless dress with a hot pink sash that Rudolph wore in the movie’s promotional posters.
6. Real life brides can probably relate most to Toula, the hapless bride portrayed by NiaVardalos in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Brides can also take a page out of her wedding style book by choosing a dress with three-quarter sleeves, a scooped-out neckline, and a full, embroidered skirt. Curly-haired brides can also try matching Toula’s easy-breezy upswept hairstyle.
7. Fans of amazing movie bridal dresses will have double the fun in Bride Wars. Kate Hudson’s bride wears a romantic Vera Wang creation with a drop waist, frothy tulle skirt and a unique purple ribbon sash. Her hair is loose and tousled and topped with a big tulle veil. Anne Hathaway’s character, on the other hand, opts for refined elegance with a champagne satin dress with a mermaid silhouette and off-the-shoulder cap sleeves. Her hair is pulled back simply and secured with a long, sleek veil.
8. The Notebook has become an iconic romantic film for many reasons, and one of them is the bridal gown worn by Rachel McAdams in one of the pivotal scenes. Modest and playful, with lace sleeves and an illusion neckline, the dress fits into the period feel of the movie while still serving as inspiration for the modern bride. And don’t forget about the pearl earrings, perfectly-curled hair, and dramatic tiara that completed her look!
9. Amanda Seyfried sparked a Grecian-gown craze with her dreamy wedding dress in Mamma Mia. Designed by Academy-Award winning costume designer Ann Roth, Seyfried’s wedding dress was an island-perfect confection of lace and tulle, tied with a cream satin sash. Seyfried’s long curly blond locks were perfectly crowned with an embellished wreath and veil.
10. For Anne Hathaway’s second appearance on this list, her wedding look in Princess Diaries 2 commands some well-deserved attention. The strapless white style was augmented with a shoulder-skimming long-sleeved lace layer, for an overall regal look that was finished with Hathaway’s pulled-back hair and dramatically long veil. Her most significant accessory was probably her cascading bridal bouquet and royal attendants.