For as long as we can remember wedding dresses have been white and ivory in colour, but brides everywhere are fast stepping away from the traditional look and opting for more colourful attire to tie the knot in. Coloured wedding dresses have been featured up and down catwalks in bridal fashion events across the world, but we ask, is there a place for them up and down the aisle?

Colour Me Happy – The Bridal Trend Sweeping the Nation

Alternative Aspiration

Red wedding dresses have been a favourite with brides looking for an alternative look for years and can be the key to creating a dramatic style statement. But designers are going a little further into the alternative spectrum with collections incorporating black wedding gowns. This Wendy Makin number, Odette, uses black tulle and a white underskirt with an embroidered monochrome bodice to make a beautiful statement that wouldn’t look out of place at a white wedding.

Odette from Wendy Makin

Gowns that incorporate the traditional shades as well as a pop of colour are proving popular with brides that want to try something different.

In the Pink

Blush coloured wedding dresses have also been a favourite amongst designers such as Monique Lhuillier, Oscar de la Renta and Reem Acra, as well as brides looking to go one step up in the colour spectrum. Shades of pink add the romanticism that the wedding dress is known for and muted tones allow brides to experiment with other aspects just as embroidery and cascading ruffles.

Greta by Wendy Makin

Blush is the perfect tone for the pastel infused weddings spring is known for, but there is another colour trend that is the perfect complement… Mint wedding dresses have reigned supreme this season and teamed with blush and peach shades, mint has been the chosen colour for many brides. Bridal design queen Vera Wang used mint green to create some stunning futuristic pieces at Bridal Fashion Week last year, whilst Claire Pettibone used the colour to craft some vintage inspired pieces with lace and floral details in her 2013 collection entitled ‘Earthly Paradise’.

Champagne Supernova

Champagne and caramel coloured gowns have also made their way into our bridal boutiques and again offer brides a different shade to play with without stepping too far out of their comfort zone. Champagne and caramel look great on women with darker skin tones as well as those with pale skin, which these colours tend to warm up. Champagne has been a particular favourite with romantic vintage cuts in both lace and tulle.

Willow from Wendy Makin

Patterned Perfection

Brides aren’t just going for one colour all over, some are going one step further and opting for brighter shades AND a pattern. Mixing lavender and pink, the Katelyn dress from Wendy Makin demonstrates how brides can use colour and pattern on their big day. The fuller skirt and fitted bodice plus the floral pattern create a look that is feminine and so fabulously fifties!

Author Bio

Brittany is the founder of online bridal fashion resource, The Wedding Dress Guide, which aims to give brides everywhere the guidance they need when it comes to choosing and accessorising their dream wedding dress with designer profiles, interactive styling features and more.

All images apart form landscape image courtesy of Wendy Makin Bridal Designs & Milque Photography.