Shopping for a bridal gown is the wedding-planning task many women look forward to most, and searching for “the one” for an autumnal celebration tends to be even more exciting: After all, fall is synonymous with fresh fashion, so selecting a gown to wear during this time of year (or shopping during the fall months) is experience to remember. Before you go into your first shopping appointment, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the latest bridal fashion trends. While you may not choose to subscribe to all (or any!) of them, knowing what’s popular right now will help make your shopping journey all the more seamless.
Between textured fabrics and customized veils, autumnal bridal fashion is defined by a set of subtle but striking elements that make for an unforgettable look. What’s more, no matter what trends come and go, fall brides can always rely on the fact that transitional designs—for example, two-in-one looks—and subtle pops of color will always be in style. If you’re looking to put together a one-of-a-kind ensemble, we spoke with a few top designers to gather their insight on every fall wedding fashion trend all brides should know. Read on for more.
Meet the Expert
- Andrew Kwon is a luxury fashion designer based in New York City.
- Dana Harel is a luxury bridal designer based in Tel Aviv.
- Raquelle Kilotaitis is a designer and the co-founder of The Afterwhite, an e-commerce platform that offers a selection of perfectly curated wedding day attire.
Photo by Natalie Bray
Pops of Color
While shades of white will always be in, fall brides should feel empowered to play around with color—fun hues can easily be incorporated into their dresses or accessories. “Color is so big right now and I don’t think there is any reason why you can’t incorporate color into your wedding look,” says Raquelle Kilotaitis, designer and co-founder of The Afterwhite. “If you are keen to wear white on your actual wedding day, the rehearsal dinner or welcome party is a great opportunity to incorporate color or a beautiful print.”
Luxury wedding dress designer Andrew Kwon agrees, specifically noting, “I definitely have seen an increase in a lot of brighter colored gowns from what I’ve seen before.” Brides can also lean into this seasonal trend by sporting multi-hued accessories (such as shoes, jewelry, and purses) in autumnal hues like red, brown, tan, yellow, and orange.
Photo by Anna Delores Photography
Transitional Designs
Since fall weather can oftentimes be temperamental, finding a look that can take you from day to night is something that all brides should consider. Transitional designs and pieces are perennially popular during this time of year, and they will likely remain on-trend for years to come. Gowns with removable sleeves and overskirts as well as fashionable outerwear add-ons like jackets, sweaters, and shawls are great options.
If you don’t want to spend money on additional pieces for your day-of look, know that there are other ways to embrace this trend. “Consider renting, borrowing, or purchasing second-hand,” shares Kilotaitis. “You don’t need to break the bank on every look.”
Photo by Oliver Fly
Minimal Jewelry
Given that fall allows brides to play with color and layered styling, keeping jewelry minimal—or skipping it altogether—is a great trend to embrace if you want to let your gown shine. “A lot of my brides do very clean jewelry—just like a simple stud,” says Kwon. “Most of them probably don’t even do a necklace.”
If you do choose to wear a statement piece, be sure to keep your wedding dress silhouette in mind in order to create a balanced look. Regardless of the season, you never want to wear too many elements and create an ensemble that’s too costume-like and overstyled.
Photo by Rafal Ostrowski
Customized Veils
“Whether long, short, or somewhere in between, brides have more choices than ever regarding the veil, and I love that,” shares Kilotaitis. “It’s the defining piece of the bridal look so I love that we’ve finally got some modern, unique designs to pull from.” Wedding veils for fall, in particular, are even more special as brides can give them the custom treatment, bringing unique autumnal elements like embroidered leaf motifs and luxurious embellishments to the forefront.
Photo by Emma McIntyre Photography
Textured Fabrics
Even though temperatures start to drop during the fall season, luxury bridal designer Dana Harel shares that lace is here to stay. She says, “Modern variations often feature sheer elements, reveal the inner corset boning, and incorporate lingerie-like details.” In addition to lace, wool, velvet, and brocade are also lovely choices for this season and look especially great when photographed amongst the fall foliage.
Three-dimensional flowers and bows are two other design elements that have dominated the fall season in recent years (yes, florals aren’t just for spring), and the experts agree that they’re not going away anytime soon. “As seen on many runways from the recent fashion weeks, 3D florals are used as a statement piece, boldly placed on necklines, shoulders, and skirts,” says Harel. “Similarly, oversized bows provide statement dress accents for a Barbie-like allure.”
