Golden hour, toes in the sand, sea breeze tousling your hair. The beach setting is an opportunity to embrace simple, natural beauty. At a beach wedding you can leave the structured skirts and architectural shoulders at home and slip into softer styles.
The beach wedding has long been the realm of the bohemian. Expect looser silhouettes, dropped waists, and any notion of prim and proper sartorial rules out the window.
There is much to think about with new, sandy terrain. Particularly when it comes to shoes. They are instinctively best to avoid, indulging in the laissez-faire aspects of beach life. The same could be said for over-the-top accessories: leave behind the statement earrings or bracelet stacks; let the dress do the talking with goddess-like draping or a shorter hemline. But, failing all else, embody your environment and opt for an aquatic-inspired mermaid dress.
There is evidently much to discuss. Read on for our favourite beach wedding dresses that embody these sacred principles.
Grecian Goddess
First and foremost, nothing says ‘beach’ more than a dress in the spirit of a Greek goddess. For a modern spin —think cool-girl-meets-greek-goddess—there is but one option: Bonnie Young’s “understated showstopper,” the ‘Ruffle-Trimmed Pleated Silk Gown’ with a plunging neckline from The Loop. Simultaneously completely covered up and completely sheer, this dress embodies ethereal sexy. It is the bridal equivalent of the billowy white shirt period piece man; classic romance with a Grecian twist. Embrace the windy reality of a beachfront wedding and let the delicate pleats of this Bonnie Young gown flow effortlessly behind you in the wind.
Then there is Jesus Peiro’s 2402 draped crêpe bodycon dress with a Dolce Vita top in silk tulle. This dress is simple, befitting its surroundings, but no less theatrical and beautiful. It embodies a quintessential feminine silhouette, but adds an unexpected contemporary element with barely-there wafer-thin sleeves. And lest we forget the cape, which will create a heavenly frame around you, blowing gently in the sea breeze. La dolce vita, indeed.
Relaxed Romance
As you leave behind the hustle and bustle of the city, also leave behind stuffy pretension and formality. Keep the fit relaxed as you get married on your terms. The perfect dress to execute this vision is Unbridled Studio’s MILA DOUBLE SATIN BRIDAL GOWN + MARTA PUFF SLEEVES. The gathered tiered skirt, puffy ‘MARTA’ sleeves, and high neck cut a thoroughly contemporary line. And there is plenty of room to play: wear the MILA gown with a necktie arranged on the side or back of the neck. Or go for a simpler look and detach the ‘MARTA’ sleeves. Unbridled Studio thinks about the wearer with their design-led pieces, providing easy versatility. And, for those getting married abroad, extremely efficient packing.
Embrace Narrow Silhouettes
Perhaps counterintuitive given the cosmopolitan minimalism usually associated with narrow 90s silhouettes, but there is something about a paired back flowy slip dress that lends itself to the unfussy simplicity of a beach wedding. There is Savannah Miller’s ‘Estelle’ dress, which creates a glorious shape with an off-the-shoulder cowl sash sweeping over one shoulder and an asymmetric hem pointing in the other direction. It cuts a flattering figure and will move beautifully, with Italian satin cut on the bias.
Or opt for Justin Alexander’s Lace A-Line Scoop Neck Wedding Dress, a similarly narrow a-line silhouette that introduces deeply feminine drama through an embellished sheer bodice and sparkle throughout. The barely-there straps and tulle skirt are quite simply classic romance.
Bohemian Sparkle
Let us bring some glamour to the beach, some sparkles to the sand. Yes, the beach is a more relaxed setting, but that does not mean you need to leave all of the theatrics at home. By integrating embellishment into the dress while keeping a narrow silhouette and a simple V neckline, you will find a perfect equilibrium.
See Eliza Jane Howell’s heavenly ‘Amelia’ dress in cream that brings vintage decadence and romantic softness to the fore. With pearl floral embellishments embroidered by hand to trail down the dress (and gather at the waist for maximum flattery), this dress combines high intricacy and craftsmanship without fuss. And don’t forget the feather-light tiered skirt; it will waft with you as you walk.
Otherwise, take Temperley London’s ‘Elfie’ dress, a contemporary twist on old-world Art Nouveau elegance. The dress is in a column shape and features Italian tulle with panels of sequins broken up by silk chiffon godets, creating long lines. On this canvas, floral embroidery clusters around the neckline, and intricate hand-stitched embellishments follow from the straps down the bodice of the dress, creating flattering geometric shapes.
Shorter Hemlines
At the beach, there is no need for a show-stopping train. Instead, play with proportions. Shock and wow with the ‘Erin’ feathered dress from Eliza Jane Howell. This is a dress full of delightful contradictions: a short skirt but long sleeves, a high neckline but a plunging v-shaped back. The sequined underlayer of the dress has been lovingly embroidered with delicate feathers to create an all-over, three-dimensional fringe-like effect. Wind would be particularly useful to help the feathers flutter.
Or the ‘LYRA DAISY’ dress from Unbridaled Studio offers a thoroughly contemporary take on the dropped waist trend. It combines a mini hemline with a two-tiered a-line shape that, in the house style, gently puffs out at the bottom. Daisies are sweetly sprinkled throughout the bodice of the dress with a light touch, a nod to understated romance that perfectly mirrors the beach setting. Leaving your shoes on the boardwalk and hiking up the hemline will emphasise the long lines of your legs and (hopefully) your tan too.
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