Non-Traditional Wedding Dress Ideas for 2024

If wearing a traditional wedding dress is **not** you, but you still want to rock a beautiful gown, then you are in the right place! For some, white is not their color and they are looking for a colored wedding dress. For others, they want a wedding outfit that speaks to their unique or quirky style. Whatever your vibe, there are options out there for you. 

The Best Designers for Non-Traditional Wedding Dresses

As I was doing research for this article, a couple brands kept popping up consistently. I don’t get a kickback from any of them, but I did find a couple companies that are well worth checking out. 

If colorful, flowy wedding dresses are your vibe then Leanne Marshall is definitely where you are going to want to start. Her dresses are made to order from silk, in the US and are often hand dyed. They are truly works of art. 

For the offbeat bride who still likes a little luxury, it’s hard to beat BHLDN. 

If you want a unique gown, but don’t mind if it’s white or are still exploring your options then Watters Designs is a great place to start. Their gowns are stunning and offer everything from boho wedding dresses to super fun and funky gowns. 

If you are most at home in a garden, or the words “whimsical” “romantic” “boho” describe you, then you’re definitely going to want to check out Flora and Lane. These dresses popped up again and again in my searches for unique wedding dresses and I LOVE that you also have the option to custom design a dress from scratch with them.

Ready to book your non-traditional wedding photographer? Get in touch here

My Favorite Unique Wedding Dresses

The Rosabel dress from Watters Designs is romantic, fun, flirty and different without being wildly so. It would be the perfect dress for a spring wedding or a garden party or a gown that makes you feel incredibly feminine. The silhouette gives a nod to traditional bridal ballgown while the pattern makes it unique.

The Storm dress from Watters Designs is what I would imagine a fae queen might wear on her wedding day. Here is how they describe it: “Created from a blend of Galaxy Rhinestone Tulle, Illusion Tulle, and Haze Net, this gown is a symphony of ethereal textures and luminous sparkle. With its enchanting interplay of fabrics, Storm creates a celestial aura that beautifully mirrors your radiant love story, ensuring you’ll shine as brilliantly as the stars on your special day.”

The Hutton from Watters Design comes in two colors. One is a more traditional ivory, the other is what they call Horizon-Rosewood, which is this beautiful subtle rainbow. This dress is perfect for an elopement — can you imagine these colors combined with an epic sunrise or sunset?

The Heartleaf from Watters Design makes you feel like you are in a folktale. It features beautiful floral embroidery and a deep wine sash. It’s feminine and has a nod to traditional bridal style while still offering a unique flare.

The Orion by Watters Designs is glittery, flirty, bold and fun. It’s a dress equally suited for exploring an epic sunrise as it is taking on a night in town. This is a dress I imagine on a rooftop with a glass or champagne or martini in your hand. It’s definitely a non-traditional wedding dress and I’m here for it!

This V-Neck Back Bow Empire gown by Anthropologie comes in four colors. It’s kind of got that elegant bridal dress look, but make it colorful. You can go for this yellow or I also love the bright red option for this classic gown.

If your style is quirky and and a little off-beat then you are definitely going to want to check out this strapless tulle high-low dress from Anthropologie. This dress has layers on layers. It’s super fun and unique and comes in two colors — this kind of mint green and a peach if you want a slightly more common bridal color.

If you’re having a Halloween wedding or dramatic black is your vibe, then this might be your dress. It’s no way shape or form “traditional” bridal attire, but that’s why you’re here after all. Featuring a high-low hemline, oodles of tool and tons of sass, this dress is a showstopper.

For some of you, wearing a dress is not the vibe. Enter the jumpsuit. (Or go for a tailored pantsuit!) The key is feeling awesome and comfortable. And this is a great choice. It’s chic while still a little feminine and probably will make your butt look great.

I actually really love this dress from Anthropologie. While cutouts are not part of my personal style, I think it works for this gown. It’s super classy while still pushing the envelope. The peach color is beautiful and I love the floral embroidery on the bodice. This would be an amazing non-traditional wedding dress for someone.

This stunning gown comes in nine colors so if you aren’t feeling the red (which I honestly love) then you have options! You can even buy it in white if that’s your thing or in floral motifs. This would be a great dress for the pregnant bride because the corset in the back gives you a little flexibility for that belly.

This dyed blue ombre dress from a designer on Etsy is stunning. This is a great gown for the flowy fairy princess. The designer can dye the dress whatever color you want and this silhouette would be flattering on all body types.

Honestly I would wear this for my vow renewal with my husband. It’s perfect for the “natural” bride. The skirt is made from natural linen and the top is a lace crop top. It’s really pretty and feminine while also being simple. I love this for an outdoor elopement or micro wedding. P.S. this Etsy designer has a ton of beautiful non-traditional wedding dress designs if this is not quite right for you.

If the high-low dress linked above wasn’t your thing, but you love black then this might be your gown. It’s a two-piece dress featuring a long-sleeved black lace crop top and a mulberry tulle skirt. It’s dramatic and feminine while still being a little on the goth side.

If you like to show a little skin, this might be a great dress for you. Called the “forest” gown, this dress is what an elven princess would get married in. It’s kind of like ice queen meets fairy sprite. It’s whimsical, bold and a super different non-traditional wedding dress.

This listing is only for the skirt, but it’s such a beautiful piece I wanted to included it in this roundup. It’s a dusty blue ombre bridal skirt. Pair it with a bodysuit or crop top — this skirt would photograph beautifully. Love the skirt, but don’t love the color? You can customize it with 16 color options.

This floral gown is truly incredible. It’s one of the dresses on the list that if I knew this was an option when I got married, I probably would have bought something like this. If you don’t like the grey-blue, you have several other color options to pick from. I also love the green.

This 3-D floral fairy dress is a work of art. I would melt with happiness if one of my brides wore this dress. (Buy it here then book me for your wedding.) We will all have the best day of our lives.

If you want a made-in-the-US sustainable dress, then definitely check out the Voela gown from Leanne Marshall. Her dresses are so beautiful and would be perfect for the non-traditional bride looking for a colored wedding dress.

Also from Leanne Marshall, the Danra will make all of your tropical print dreams come true. I imagine this being a yacht wedding gown that you wear while sipping margaritas and watching the sun go down.

The Celeste from Flora and Lane is the perfect gown for the starry dreamer. It features an open back, plunging neckline and optional matching bridal cape.

The Aura dress from Flora and Lane is a watercolor dress. It features an open back lined with tastes and dramatic sleeves. Definitely a dress for running around chasing the sunrise or sunset.

The Meadow is the kind of dress that would pair equally well with cowgirl boots, hiking boots or fancy shoes. She’s designed for movement and features blue embroidered flowers and a whimsical feel.

For the witchy, midnight bride, you could not dream up a better dress than…Starlight by Flora and Lane. This flowy black gown features moon and star appliqués all over and tulle sleeves.

This is the dress for the nature lover. It makes you feel like you are in the middle of a summer garden. It features billowy sleeves and a beautiful tulle skirt.

The Midnight is designed to look like stardust sprinkled on a black sky. It features a plunging neckline and ballgown skirt with detachable star cape. It’s truly an epic gown and will help you shimmer your may into marriage.

If don’t find what you need here, then I have a couple tips to help you search: 

• Go to a local bridal boutique that also carries prom and formal wear and try on a “prom” dress. This incredible gown is technically a prom dress, not a wedding dress. You may find that a prom dress retails for less moolah than a similar wedding gown would be too. 
• If you want a very simple gown that you can try on then try on a bridesmaid’s dress – you can typically order them in any color you like! 
• Instead of searching for “non-traditional wedding dress” or “unique wedding dress” just search for “formal gown” or “evening gown” or “ball gown” or “unique formal wear.” The word “wedding” has such strong associations with white dress that it’s actually a weaker search than just taking the word “wedding” out of it. 

I hope this helps you find the unique wedding dress of your dreams!