White wedding dresses, while quite lovely and traditional, are pretty much fashion Ambien. They are expected and they are can induce a snore, unless you add individual touches. Thankfully, some of my favorite fashionistas were rebel brides who nixed going the old school white route for their wedding day, instead opting for pink (Kaley Cuoco Sweeting, Jessica Biel), black (Avril Lavigne), and other colors of the rainbow. BTW, my other fave rebel bride trend? Oh, just butt flashing in photos. Genius, I tell ya!
Anywho, these celeb brides are evidence of the fact that even regular brides can ignore or break with tradition and still look ravishing and very much like a bride.
It's 2014. We can practically power up NASA with smartphones. We are doing new things with technology every day. Our lives are constantly changing. So all you brides out there, why not adopt that same mindset? Why live in the past and why conform to outmoded beauty standards and norms when dressing for you big day? If you want to wear black or pink, then you should.
My take is this. The wedding day is all about the bride and all eyes will be on her. So if she is comfortable and confident in whatever shade she is wearing, then so be it. Besides, fashion rules are the easiest to break, since there are little, if any, consequences. When I walk down the aisle, I can assure you it will be in the color I wear daily — black. I don't even wear white undies or socks; everything is black in my wardrobe and my wedding dress will follow suit.
See which stylin' celeb brides dared to wear gowns other than white and get some inspiration for your big day. I even pointed out a few options where applicable.
1. Kaley Cuoco Sweeting
The Big Bang Theory starlet donned a powder puff pink Vera Wang gown for her nuptials to tennis pro Ryan Sweeting. The shade was ultra girly and the shape was fluffy and femme, but Cuoco pulled it off. For around $550, you can copy here style with this pink powder puff option.
2. Shenae Grimes
The former 90210 actress wore a black tulle gown with a gray skirt. It may make you think "prom!" on first view, but it suited her. It also paired perfectly with her hubby's dark suit. A similar version will set you back by around $350.
3. Amber Tamblyn
The Joan of Arcadia star wore a canary yellow, clingy dress that was earthy, matching the trees and foliage in the natural setting. She was also barefoot but avoided a total hippie look, thanks to the low-cut bodice, which flashed an ample amount of cleavage. Want to go this route? Try any dress shop, really.
4. Jessica Biel
Mrs. Justin Timberlake wore a whispery, blush Giambatista Valli gown for the Italian ceremony. It was utterly ladylike and gave off an air of whimsy. Gowns similar to Biel's are viewable here, with price tags between $650 and $850.
5. Reese Witherspoon
For her wedding to Jim Toth, the Oscar winning ex-wife of Ryan Phillippe went the soft, pale pink route with her strapless Monique Lhuillier gown. The only thing competing with the dress was Witherspoon's million dollar smile. Since pink is soft and airy, it's not much of a stretch from white and still works. If you'd like to get your Witherspoon on for your wedding, this blush Vera Wang gown is a gorge option and a total steal at $549.
6. Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne has come a long way from skinny ties, cargo pants, and Doc Martens. The Canadian pop punk princess wore a traditional pretty white gown for her first marriage to Deryck Whibley of Sum 41, but she was typical Avril for her union with Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger, opting for a black gown, a black bouquet, and black eye makeup. She was totally true to herself for this wedding look, since it didn't differ dramatically from her daily style. This gown, which retails for $100, is also a steal and similar.
7. Gwen Stefani
Stefani, easily one of the most fashion-forward pop stars of her generation, always flips the script when it comes to her style. You didn't think she'd dial it down for her wedding, did ya? The singer and L.A.M.B. designer wore a now-iconic, dip-dyed gown with a hot pink train, designed by the now-disgraced John Galliano. It was totally and completely a Stefani moment. If you want to go the dip-dye route, don't do it yourself. Go to your local seamstress or dressmaker and decide how and where to go from there.
8. Sarah Jessica Parker
SJP wed Matthew Broderick before she took the role of fashion plate Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City and became an icon in her own right. She did so while wearing black. Would her Vogue freelancer alter ego approve? That's debatable. But in real life hindsight, SJP was foreshadowing her future status as a fashion gamechanger by donning a pretty black frock for her nuptials. This black taffeta gown is comprable and just $189.
9. Dita Von Teese
Burlesque, built-like-a-brick-you-know-what-house queen Dita Von Teese swapped vows with shock rocker Marilyn Manson while wearing purple Vivienne Westwood. It was full of fabric so it didn't do one ounce of justice to her bangin' figure. But she did look like a 1930s version of Scarlett O'Hara. I know, that's uber specific, but am I right or am I right? The hat, the bodice, and the hoop skirt construction scream Antebellum era. The color and iridescent fabric modernized it. To seek out a similar gown, go thrifting or vintage dress shopping to find something of this ilk or have it custom-made. You won't find this at a regular ol' bridal shop.
Images: Kaley Cuoco/Instagram, Shenae Grimes/Twitter, Questlove/Twitter, PEOPLE, Hello, nlcorner/Twitter, solovesvintage/Twitter
