With Christmas among the most popular times of year to propose, ‘New Year, New You’ could take on a very real meaning if this festive season sees you become a bride-to-be with a new life awaiting. If you’ve recently said yes to an engagement ring (or have an inkling one’s on the way), firstly, congratulations. Secondly, what are you going to wear?! Whether you’re planning a lavish wedding or an intimate gathering, no matter how understated your choice, your wedding dress is sure to be the centre of attention on the big day. But, should that fairytale ballgown you picked out aged 7 now look a little passé, allow the biggest wedding dress trends of 2024 to offer some inspiration.

While wedding dresses traditionally offer little innovation in terms of palette, each season designers dip into their creative bags of tricks to offer fresh, unique creations. Whatever your bridal aesthetic – modern, romantic, vintage, bold, sensual, or all-out glamorous – there’s a trendy wedding dress perfect for you. Read on for our guide to the biggest bridal trends of 2024 and the London boutiques in which to find them.

Bridal bows

Bows have taken over fashion at large, so it was only a matter of time before they infiltrated bridal trends, too. Largely influenced by the balletcore aesthetic, this romantic motif transcends its traditional place on accessories for 2024, with the loops and ribbons lending themselves to be styled in multiple ways.

Take, for example, this flowing Lihi Hod dress featuring a sweetheart necklace and a Mikado bow belt or go dramatic with Rebecca Valance’s mini dress featuring an appliqué bow. Bows also make for great embellishments on sleeves, as evidenced by Galia Lahav’s diaphanous shoulder bows.

Floral appliqués

Florals aren’t just for spring in 2024. Perfect for the romantic bride, bridal designers have reimagined floral motifs beyond fabric prints, transforming them into 3D appliqués. From darling rosettes and oversized blooms to textured petals and lace trim, designers are interpreting the trend in ways both big and small this year.

Magda Butrym’s appliquéd silk-organza and satin mini dress is perfect for the fun-loving bride thanks to a halterneck design embellished with a large rosette that goes seamlessly from wedding to reception. Elsewhere, Elie Saab offers a classic dress with floral sleeves that pairs perfectly with the brand’s flower-strewn veil.

Statement sleeves

With wedding dresses often referred to initially by their neckline, there’s long been more to consider when it comes to sleeves than just long or short. This season, bridal trends see big, bold statement sleeves attached to relatively basic wedding dress silhouettes to add easy-to-wear impact. We’re talking puffed-up balloon sleeves, cape-effect sleeves, flutes, trumpets, angular shoulders, and everything in between.

Add some drama to your big day with Galia Lahav’s Fleur dress, featuring sleeves created from layers of gathered tulle paired with a stunning mermaid gown. Alternatively, Princess of Wales-favourite Jenny Packham has numerous options with embellished cape-effect sleeves.

Dropped waistlines

With everyday trousers currently sporting lower waistlines thanks to a nostalgia-fuelled moment in fashion, bridal dresses are taking cues from the trend. A lower waist on a dress fitted at the hip creates the illusion of a longer torso and a modern hourglass silhouette. Dropped waistlines also lend beautifully to the inclusion of corsets in the bodice.

British designer Phillipa Lepley’s Lauren Zibeline dress is an instant classic featuring a corsetted bodice dropping down to the hips before billowing out in a dramatic skirt. Shirred bodices also work well with dropped waists, as seen on Danielle Frankel’s Guinevere gown.

Subtly sheer

Sheer wedding dresses are great for the bold bride but, for the sake of both your grandmother and the longevity of your wedding pictures, 2024’s wedding dress trends take a subtler approach by balancing things out. Think sheer panels or peek-a-boo cutouts adorned with lace. Even subtler still, sheer layered hems allow for your carefully selected pair of Jimmy Choos to shine through.

Self-Portrait gives the trend a vintage romantic appeal with its tiered maxi dress crafted with lace left unlined at the neck and hem. A more glamorous option awaits at Elizabeth Fillmore where the Sansa dress, with its delicate lace bodice atop a column skirt, makes for a show-stopping look.

Sculptural silhouettes

If the slip-dress-like minimalist wedding gowns don’t appeal, embrace the maximalist bride within with a sculptural wedding dress. Bridal trends pivot towards interesting silhouettes for 2024, including voluminous ball gowns, layered, textured materials, and unique fabric manipulation to introduce tactility and structure.

Elie Saab displays a masterclass in couture dressmaking techniques in its Spring 2024 collection with a pleated Mikado dress featuring ruffles along the bodice, while Danielle Frankel’s Luna dress is shirred with an extreme mermaid silhouette.

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