The big screen has brought culture some of the most iconic wedding dresses into existence. Fans everywhere will recognize some of these gowns adorned by their favorite characters, and brides can even create custom wedding dresses with these movies and celebrities in mind!
From romantic comedies with Carrie Bradshaw’s gown in Sex and the City to Audrey Hepburn’s Givenchy wedding dress in Funny Face, many celebrities and brides alike have taken inspiration from gowns in cinema history.
Whether you’re looking for long-sleeve wedding dresses, ball gown wedding dresses, or sheath wedding dresses, you might find just what you’re looking for with these movie dresses as inspiration!
Here’s our pick of the most enduring, timeless designs from movies through the ages in American pop culture.
Ready to create your own movie-inspired custom wedding dress? Get started here.
Disclaimer: Anomalie does not create exact replicas of these dresses.
1. 1957: Jo in Funny Face
Audrey Hepburn’s classic 50s wedding dress from Givenchy is a playful gown with a full skirt and dropped waist. The bodice is closely fit, giving a slimming effect. Paired with a shorter, two-tier veil and bow, the overall wedding look evokes a girlish feeling.
Similarly, the Anomalie bride created a fun and flirty wedding dress with a tiered skirt and bodice with floral lace applique. Many brides can incorporate this level of feminine youth into their own wedding dress dreams.
Specifically, brides with more intimate weddings in casual settings may love the whimsical nature of this silhouette. A lovely wedding in the gardens is a theme that would match well with this wedding dress.
In addition, short wedding dresses such as this one are ideal for petite brides, allowing a greater vertical effect. However, shorter brides should avoid skirts as large as this one, as it adds horizontality.
2. 1965: Maria in The Sound of Music
It’s no wonder The Sound of Music’s costume designer Dorothy Jeakins was nominated for an Oscar. While the movie as a whole does an excellent job staying close to the style of the time, Maria’s wedding dress is especially timeless.
This wedding dress is made of silk material, and the veil is supposedly 14 feet long, attached to the back of the dress.
With a similar elegance, the bride on the right created a custom wedding dress. The long-sleeved crepe mermaid dress matched perfectly with her desert wedding theme.
Brides looking to emulate these simple and elegant designs can definitely do so for any wedding ceremony, traditional or contemporary.
3. 1999: Maggie in Runaway Bride
Julia Roberts in Runaway Bride dons a beautiful off-the-shoulder ball gown with a scalloped sweetheart neckline, made of satin. The back of the dress is perfect, with a line of buttons running down the dress.
Brides with medium to tall height will love the flattering silhouette of this movie character’s wedding dress, which is perfect for a formal and romantic wedding ceremony.
Similarly, the bride on the right wears a mermaid silhouette wedding dress with sweetheart neckline and off-the-shoulder bicep cuffs, matching her New Zealand wedding. The mermaid silhouette is popular among many brides.
If you’re looking to create a wedding dress inspired by Maggie’s in either silhouette, you can definitely go custom.
4. 2008: Sophie in Mamma Mia!
The musical romantic comedy that is loved by all gave us many hits as well as Sophia’s gorgeous Grecian-inspired wedding dress.
For a beach wedding in Greece, Amanda Seyfried’s character wore a casual, freer wedding dress style. The light-weight dress is just the kind of thing brides should wear for summer or beach weddings. For her wedding, she wore a white wedding dress with ruffles, giving a girlish, romantic feel.
Similarly, the bride on the right also wore a romantic wedding dress for her destination wedding in Santorini. The bride’s flowy mermaid fit-and-flare had floral lace and beading.
Brides with summer weddings will definitely want to emulate these styles, as lightweight material will allow for more breathability. In addition, shorter trains will allow for less drag through sandy beaches at beach weddings.
5. 2008: Carrie in Sex and the City: The Movie
Fans all over the world loved Carrie’s fashion-forward character through the Sex and the City TV show. They definitely weren’t disappointed!
Her sharp fashion sense shined through and continued to persist with her wedding dress in the movie. The Vivienne Westwood dress for her wedding affair is a strapless ball gown made of ivory silk.
The designer even created a knee-length version of Carrie’s wedding dress. Though fans getting married won’t be able to purchase her exact dress, many can still create something similar!
The bride on the right designed an A-line with a v-neck, spaghetti straps and tiers. Her wedding dress matched her garden ceremony perfectly with its feminine energy.
6. 2009: Margaret in The Proposal
The Proposal was a fun romantic comedy brought to us by Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Though the marriage started out as an arranged affair, we absolutely loved her character’s “reworked” wedding dress.
The vintage wedding dress is a high-collar gown with ruching in the bodice and long sleeves. We love how Sandra Bullock’s dress was a vintage heirloom of the family.
Similarly, the bride on the right has a wedding dress with a more vintage feel. She chose to design a soft white sheath wedding dress made of tulle. Floral lace on the bodice and bishop sleeves complete the look.
7. 2009: Liv and Emma in Bride Wars
Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway play the best-friends-turned-enemies in this 2009 comedy. Both brides had gorgeous dresses that matched the characters they played.
Kate Hudson’s character, Liv, wore a Vera Wang creation. The princess ball gown had a large skirt made of tulle along with a dropped waist. Her long veil completed the look!
On the other hand, the Anomalie bride wore a wedding dress with a large skirt and a sweetheart neckline. We love the tiers and the uniqueness of the blush shade of her tulle stackup.
8. 2011: Bella in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1
Bella’s wedding ceremony and the first look at her wedding dress was a dream moment for many Twilight fans.
The Carolina Herrera wedding dress Kristen Stewart wears is a gorgeous sheath wedding dress with delicate lace sleeves and back.
The Anomalie bride’s dress is just as elegant with a modern twist. With her venue in a vineyard in Athens, Georgia, the bride opted for a mermaid with a boatneck, long sleeves, and a low back. Additionally, her dress was constructed of crepe fabric.
9. 2013 : Katniss in Hunger Games: Catching Fire
While the Hunger Games franchise is well-known for bringing to life futuristic, ostentatious outfits, Katniss’s wedding dress stole the show without a doubt.
Jennifer Lawrence wears an intricate ball gown made of a bodice with Swavorski crystals and an organza corset. Layers of organza and chiffon ruffles make it even grander for the movie.
The wedding dress on the right is a tiered ball gown as well. With tiers trimmed with satin ribbon binding, the gown is a romantic and more understated twist on Jennifer Lawrence’s wedding dress in the movie.
10. 2018: Araminta in Crazy Rich Asians
While the movie Crazy Rich Asians as a whole was full of glamorous outfits, Araminta’s wedding dress was especially breathtaking.
The dress was made of gold Swarovski crystals and took 3 weeks and 30 people to prepare. While the wedding dress may seem like an ordinary ball gown, the dress is made of a bodysuit with a detachable overskirt, attached to the bodice of the gown.
Many Anomalie brides have created dresses with detachable overskirts, providing a 2-in-1 wedding dress look perfect for the ceremony and reception.
For example, the bride on the right wears a fitted sheath wedding dress with an open overskirt. The off-the-shoulder sleeves and bodice were covered in lace applique and beading.
Having gone through our pick of the best wedding dress shown in movies, we hope you are also inspired to design your own wedding dress.
Read more for tips and suggestions on creating a wedding and dress as memorable as the movies!
Disclaimer: Anomalie does not create exact replicas of these dresses.
How do I create a custom wedding dress?
Anomalie is an online wedding dress retailer that makes custom wedding dresses for brides across the United States and Canada. For brides who have trouble with finding their perfect design elements or a wedding dress that fits, Anomalie may be the perfect choice!
Watch the video below for more information on the Anomalie process.