by Olivia • March 5, 2023 • Wedding Planning Guides
After you’ve made the most important decision of your wedding planning journey – picking your wedding venue – it’s time to look at the second biggest choice for your big day…
Your dress!
What will you wear as you walk down the aisle, all eyes on you? What style will best suit your wedding theme?
Will you go for something big and extravagant, with a full ballgown skirt and a long, trailing veil? Or would you prefer something simpler and understated, like an elegant column dress to flaunt all your curves?
To help you decide, we’ve pulled together a list of the biggest wedding dress trends for 2023. Inspired by the likes of London, New York and Barcelona Bridal fashion weeks – and all the top searches and views on TikTok – these are the 12 bridal gown trends to look out for next year:
OK, so flowers and a wedding – not exactly a revelation for our first trend. But 2023 looks set to see floral patterns making their way onto wedding dresses all year round – whatever the season.
Think breathtaking ballgowns enhanced with a floral-patterned chest and sleeves. Or subtle flowers cascading down a full skirt length. Or bold, oversized petals embroidered into skirt and veil fabric. There will be flowers everywhere.
Blue is in, thanks to the hit TV show. Blue bridesmaid’s dresses and blue wedding dress hues. But more importantly, Bridgerton continues to inspire a Regency wedding trend that extends to long, floor-length ballgowns.
Think long sleeves, square necklines and plenty of delicate detailing. Or take it up a level with a stunning fairy-tale full ballgown and feel like a real princess for your big day.
Is Bridgerton not your thing? Ditch the square necklines in favour of one of the other styles that dominated Fashion Weeks this year. In New York, asymmetrical and mock necklines were big hits, while in Barcelona, it was all about the plunging necklines.
An asymmetric style adds a real dramatic flair to your wedding dress, while a mock neck gives you an air of royalty and sophistication. And a bold plunge and elevate a traditional dress into one that’s totally fresh and modern.
If big fairy-tale gowns aren’t your thing, a big trend at the opposite end of the style spectrum is sleek silhouettes.
Think pure minimalism here. A gorgeously simple, clean, classic cut that’s stripped back and understated. The only embellishments you need are the cut and fit. They’ll accentuate your natural curves and cast a stunning silhouette.
Pearls are big this year. Really big. Expect to find them on dresses, gloves and on veils. And why not, right? They look gorgeous, bringing a truly luxurious feel to your outfit for the day.
Maybe you’ll opt for a plain, classic dress coupled with a veil that’s studded with subtle pearls. Or perhaps you’ll upgrade your evening dress with a pair of sheer gloves, elegantly decorated with little pearls? The choice is yours. Of course, you could always just embellish your dress with pearl studded shoes or pearl earrings, if you want to include them without making them a feature of your outfit.
It’s not a new wedding dress trend for 2023, but one that continues to grow year after year. Hardly any wonder, when you see how stylish and elegant the latest bridal jumpsuits and wedding suits look. As we host a lot of same-sex weddings at Heaton House Farm, we often see a combination of bridal suits and bridal gowns.
We’re a big fan of them for every wedding theme, and adding a cape (see trend number 11) brings a new dimension (and a real fun flair).
If you’re the kind of bride who wants to be at the height of fashion, then you’ll definitely want to focus on the sleeves of your wedding dress. Sleeves are going to be big in 2023. And we mean big in volume. Puffy and billowing!
They look incredible on all body types and are perfectly suited to almost every style of wedding dress! Bridgerton has inspired the trend here too.
If puffy isn’t your thing – the good news is that statement sleeves in all shapes and sizes were a big hit at Barcelona Bridal Fashion week.
Bows are experiencing a massive renaissance right now, and we absolutely love them. They’re a quaint finishing touch to any outfit, drawing attention to your incredible hairstyle.
A bridal bow gives your dress that little something extra, without needing to upgrade to a full veil. We’ve even seen mini bows making their way onto wedding dresses as a standout feature. Perhaps it’s the 80’s inspiration…
Yes, that’s right, the 80s are back with a bang! Maybe it’s the hit Stranger Things show or perhaps it’s just a love of disco, but Bridal Fashion Weeks this year has been packed with wedding dresses that have a real 80s feel to them.
We’re talking retro sparkles and beads or shorter, ruffled rah-rah skirts here. This wedding dress trend is all about making a statement and not holding back.
If you’re looking for a big bold trend to inspire your wedding dress choice in 2023, then New York’s Bridal Fashion Week showcased a wide range of barely-there bridal gowns. Designers showing off their wedding dresses in Barcelona also doubled down on the nude illusion this year.
Even just a small part of your gown made from completely sheer fabrics can have a stunning effect on your overall look.
Make a real entrance with a sweeping cape that brings a truly dramatic flair to your wedding dress this year. They’re all the rage right now, and it’s easy to see why. Detachable, and customisable, they give you so many different ways to upgrade your wedding gown.
The difference they make is such that a simple cape can transform your outfit from a ceremony look to a reception look.
Last year, off-the-peg dresses were a big hit thanks to Covid. Brides were eager to snap up any dress for any date they could get their hands on, to tie the knot after all the delays. This year, expect that trend to go one step further.
As more and more couples are looking for more economical, more environmentally friendly ways to get married, searches for ‘wedding dress hire’ or ‘wedding dress rentals’ have rocketed.
It’s a great way to reduce the costs of your big day or make your wedding dress budget go further to reach for a style that might previously have been too expensive.
We’re confident any wedding dress style you choose will fit perfectly with our venue. Over the last 15 years, we’ve seen them in all shapes and sizes!
We’d recommend talking to some of the incredible bridal boutiques from our supplier directory for style advice as they have lots of experience in finding the perfect dress for brides to feel like a princess in!
Why not arrange a show around so you can picture yourself in your dream dress, wandering down the aisle at Heaton House Farm?
