2024 Wedding Dress Trends: 7 Styles for Your Big Day
A celebration of self expression and joy, the gown you select for your big day should make you feel your absolute best. We checked in with Scouted bridal experts for the hottest wedding dress trends this season. Whether you prefer traditional looks or sway towards the unconventional, one of this year’s seven trending styles will fit your happily ever after. To find a bridal boutique near you, check out The Scout Guide Directory.
Embrace color.
While white has reigned supreme in Western cultures, in 2024 we’re seeing a departure from this tried and true bridal staple. “Bride’s are loving a pop of color to their gown,” says Lindsey Livesay, owner of Annalise Bridal Boutique in Richmond, Virginia. She suggests incorporating color in an elegant way by opting for a pastel shade, like lavender, which would be perfect for a spring wedding.
Be a square.
“Flattering on most, a square neckline provides more coverage than the deep v-necks that have ruled the wedding world these past few years,” Allie Holland, co-owner of Monica’s Bridal in Chattanooga, Tennessee, shares. “The square or straight neckline is an inherently modern yet modest silhouette.” A major pro for women who may have larger chests and feel uncomfortable in styles that offer little to no support.
Just drop it.
The drop-waist silhouette, a look popularized in the 20s and early-60s, is one of this year’s biggest wedding dress trends. Livesay touts the retro style for being able to be worn by a variety of different body types, as the dramatically lower waistline tends to elongate the figure.
Classic is always cool.
The clean, classic look is a hallmark of the bridal aesthetic, invoking a timelessness that ensures you are choosing a gown that will stand the test of time. “When brides choose to wear a dress that is simple they never risk the chance of the gown wearing them,” says Jordan Winfield, owner of Studio I Do Bridals in Roanoke, Virginia.
Get high with halters.
High neck styles are having a wedding dress trend moment thanks to it-girl Sophia Richie sporting the uber-chic style at her own nuptials last year. Katie Yellin, owner of Bliss Bridal in Fairhope, Alabama, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and New Orleans, Louisiana, is seeing this style all over the runway, and luckily this refined cut looks good on a variety of shapes and sizes.
Go big or go home.
Maximalism is back, and bigger than ever. Winfeild explains that after years of elopements and microweddings where brides donned cocktail dresses or simple suiting, post-pandemic brides are embracing a more is more mentality. “Think ball gowns with lace applique, beading, sparkle, and the occasional ruffle. The maximalist bride wants everything in a dress,” she says. For more on the volume trend, check out this fashion roundup.
Time for texture.
From jacquard to brocade, dupioni silk to charmeuse and satin, Holland and Yellin agree, texture is trending in wedding dress styles. “The goal is not to overwhelm a bride’s gown, but to make it more interesting and give her a differentiating factor,” Holland explains.
For more on this year’s fashion trends, read our Spring Fashion Trend Report.
Annalise Bridal Boutique appears in The Scout Guide Richmond. Monica’s Bridal appears in The Scout Guide Chattanooga. Studio I Do Bridals appears in The Scout Guide Roanoke. Bliss Bridal appears in The Scout Guide Hattiesburg.
