From extravagant ceremony dresses to chic reception outfits, lots of brides have been inspired to have multiple wedding day looks
Of course, when celebrities get married they tend to go above and beyond. This often includes extravagant decor, a huge guestlist, multiple days of celebration as well as numerous outfit changes.
However, it’s not just celebrity brides who are choosing to get changed throughout the day, with many brides opting now for different dresses for different parts of their wedding.
Why do brides wear two dresses?
It makes sense that the elaborate gown with a full skirt and train that looks gorgeous for walking down the aisle and all of your photos isn’t going to be practical for the entire day.
By the evening you might be keen for a change of dress (and shoes), especially if it’s hot!
You can still maintain your bridal look in a lighter dress, made with fewer layers or a shorter skirt.
This mini Carolyn Baxter dress is perfect for night time party vibes (Photo: Julie Howden Photography)
Do I need more than one wedding dress?
‘Need’ is a strong word, and as with all things wedding-related, the choice is yours. On the one hand, you’re only going to wear your wedding dress once, so why not make the most of it and wear it for the full day?
But on the other hand you could get to enjoy different bridal looks and it keep the photos really fresh. And with so many gorgeous dresses out there it’s hard not to be tempted…
When to change outfits
Wondering when to pencil in your outfit change? If you do have two dresses, you’ll probably get changed at some point post-ceremony. Some brides like to make an entrance in their new outfit as they enter the reception, or you can wait a bit later until after the meal and speeches when you're ready to dance the night away.
If you’re doing a first dance with your partner, think about which dress would be best to move in and what you want to be photographed in. If you want to wear your ceremony dress for this part, you can change into something less formal afterwards for all the dancing that's to come.
Of course, there are plenty of other times around your wedding to work in another white dress, like your hen do, rehearsal dinner, and honeymoon in case you can't narrow it down to two or you want to stick to one gown on the big day.
Celebrities who wore more than one wedding dress
To get inspired, here are some celebs who tied the knot over the past few years and looked stunning in multiple outfits.
Sofia Richie's wedding dresses
In her wedding to Elliot Grainge, model Sofia Richie wore three gorgeous Chanel dresses. Celebrating their nuptials over a whole weekend in the South of France, she also wowed in several other stunning Chanel looks.
Paris Hilton's wedding dresses
Also taking the celebrations over several days was Paris Hilton in her wedding to Carter Reum. The heiress was scheduled to wear seven designer dresses over the weekend but only ended up wearing six…which is a little bit excessive for the average bride! For most, one mid-wedding outfit change is enough to think about.
Millie Bobby Brown's wedding dresses
During their lavish wedding weekend in Tuscany, Millie Bobby Brown wore several gorgeous dresses. While saying her vows to Jake Bongiovi, Millie wore a custom corseted lace Galia Lahav dress with a custom Monvieve veil.
Over the course of the celebrations, the bride also wore a high-neck vintage Valentino dress, a long lace Oscar De La Renta dress for the cutting the cake and a short Vivienne Westwood dress for the reception party.
(Photo: Divine Day Photography via milliebobbybrown on Instagram)
Jenifer Lopez's wedding dresses
When Jennifer Lopez married Ben Affleck in 2022, she wore three custom Ralph Lauren gowns. Following a small Las Vegas wedding, the pair celebrated with their friends and family in a huge party at their Georgia estate.
Where to get an after-party wedding dress from
If you’re indecisive (Libras I’m looking at you), the two-wedding-dress trend could be your saving grace. It gives you the opportunity to buy from different bridal shops you love or wear completely different styles.
Understandably, there might not be much room left in your outfit budget after choosing your first wedding dress. If you don’t feel like you can spend much more on dresses, why not look outside of traditional bridal shops? Lots of high street and online stores have a bridal collection full of different styles and levels of dressy-ness.
Transformable wedding dresses
If multiple dresses seems like too much for you, why not look into transformable wedding dresses? These gowns have pieces that can be added or taken off to change the look and feel. From removable sleeves to skirts, as well as belts and bows, these dresses can undergo a subtle or drastic change.
