Our Editors Share This Year's Biggest Weddingwear Trends and Where to Shop

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The 2024 wedding season is upon us, and whether you're a bride, a bridesmaid, or a guest this year, your weekends are likely filling up with a multitude of wedding events—aka opportunities to get dressed up.

If you're in need of inspiration, we just dropped our first Wedding Issue. "It's everything from the beauty prep a celebrity glam squad would execute for an A-list client on their wedding day to all of the updated 2024 etiquette tips to know from insiders to the most 'ahead of the curve' spots to plan a honeymoon before everyone else. Of course, it wouldn't be one of our digital issues without all of the biggest trends to know this time around, which include both fashion and planning trends," said Kristen Nichols, our associate director of special projects.

For the latest episode of The Who What Wear Podcast, Nichols joins Editorial Director Lauren Eggertsen to discuss this year's chicest wedding trends across bridal looks, event design, wedding guest attire, and more.

For excerpts from their conversation, scroll below.

Lauren Eggertsen: Let's dive in. Should we start with wedding dresses?

Kristen Nichols: I think one of the big, big trends to know is actually something that is translating from the fashion ready-to-wear space. We can thank Alexandra Cooper for help putting it on the map more. What I'm chatting about are drop waists. Cooper wore a beautiful Danielle Frankel dress with a drop-waist silhouette to her recent wedding in Mexico. You've probably seen it on Instagram or TikTok or somewhere on the internet because it's been one of the buzziest weddings of this season so far, and I think it's really helping carve this silhouette out. It might be less of a traditional silhouette and maybe a little more daunting for a bride to wear, but it really is so beautiful, and we've seen so many versions of it.

LE: Yeah, I feel like the classic wedding dress that you think of—or, at least, that I think of—is like a full ball skirt that hits right at the waist. While those are still so beautiful and classic, I think a drop waist just adds a little bit of edge this year. You're still getting that timeless overall vibe of the dress and overall structure, but it feels just a little bit more forward.

KN: That also brings me to my next trend. … Say you love the more traditional vibe but don't necessarily want to commit to the drop waist. We're also seeing this return to timeless elegance and more traditional, classic wedding silhouettes. Really, this return to elegant, glamorous fashion has been one of the major themes in 2024 so far, so it's really not surprising to see this in the wedding space. We're seeing this with designers like Dana Harel and Wed that have these really beautiful strapless gowns with full skirts and this heavy, shiny, luxe satin.

KN: For something a little more dialed back, we also are seeing that on the other end of the spectrum with clean, minimalist designs with square necklines [and] dramatic, sweeping trains from brands like Emilia Wickstead. Those are some to check out if you're interested in a dress in that elegant, timeless realm.

LE: Are there any more nuanced fashion-girl trends that you're seeing?

KN: I think one way we're seeing that play out is in the accessory department. … The one most talked about among experts and cool brides I've spoken to are neck scarves, scarves that lay on the front of your neck and cascade to the back. [It's] a very Old Hollywood look in the vein of Grace Kelly. This is a timeless, elegant nod to fashion from the past that suddenly feels very current with brands like Danielle Frankel and Katherine Tash and Cortana, who are showing these in the bridal market.

LE: Let's chat about the best friends—the bridal party. Are you seeing any particular styles, colors, silhouettes dominating the bridesmaid space?

KN: Really, the standout trend is having each bridesmaid wear a different color or style but thinking about it in a more cohesive way so the looks all work together. This is coming back to that element of personal style and personality that, obviously, the bride will be thinking about for herself, but then you also want your guests and your best friends and your bridal party to feel comfortable. I think that often means finding pieces that work for that particular person, that they feel like their most beautiful self at your wedding as well.

I was studying some images from chic bridal parties, and one thing they all seem to have in common was a cohesive hemline. If you stick with a floor-sweeping maxi hemline, it looks very cohesive. It makes sense together, even if you have different colors or different shades. I also think it's important to avoid clashing colors and either stick with one shade or a color story.

LE: I love the idea of also just providing your bridal party with that sense of individuality. … Are there brands that you, as a fashion editor, feel are really strong in this particular category, and are we seeing any shifts away from anything?

KN: I generally recommend looking at brands outside of the traditional bridal space. We are moving away from this era of cookie-cutter dresses, everyone in the same dress. There [are] so many brands doing really beautiful eveningwear that really works for weddings. A lot of these just end up looking more modern. One brand that stands out to me is Bernadette. It's a brand that has really honed in on the party space and has really fun, playful dresses—all different silhouettes, all different colors.

I also think it's great to look at brands that specialize in resortwear. A lot of Australian brands are really great at this. SIR comes to mind. I think really just looking outside of the actual bridesmaid space to dresses that you might want to wear even if you weren't heading to a wedding.

LE: What can we expect to see wedding guests wearing?

KN: I think it's really about … tapping into your personal style and, importantly, finding something that works within the dress code. I think that's key. I feel like there are some cool girl brands rising to the top. Christopher Esber and Khaite come to mind. Vintage is also a great option here if you want to find something unique that speaks to you.

I think we're also seeing less [of the] "wear it once, buy a piece for [every] event" [mentality]. Maybe you get one dress or two dresses and style them with different accessories to make them feel different at each event rather than buying five different pieces for five different events.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Next, check out our interview with Tab Vintage founder Alexis Novak.