We’ve all attended weddings and we have, undoubtedly, oohed and aahed as the bride, in her beautiful white wedding dress, walked towards the altar to marry the man she loves. Usually the wedding gown would bring out the natural beauty of the bride, however, there may have been times when you’d shake your head and silently wonder why she chose her bridal vestments. Not that the dress is awful (because all wedding dresses are beautiful)– but she probably could have chosen something better. As we enter the wedding month of June, we take a look at 7 celebrity wedding gowns that raised eyebrows, one way or another.
Hmm … that’s different
Wedding gowns are generally white, to symbolize the purity of the bride. In recent years, brides have chosen to wear gowns of a different color. Here are three celebrity brides who veered away from traditional white and wore something different.
Gwen Stefani
When songbird Gwen Stefani married Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, she wore a voluminous white and hot-pink ombre couture gown by John Galliano for Dior. Some celebrity websites don’t like the combination, even saying Gwen looked as if she walked on pink paint on her way to the altar – but Gwen pulled it off. Don’t you think she looks amazing?
Dita Von Teese
From white and hot pink to completely PURPLE! Burlesque bomb-shell Dita Von Teese wore a purple Vivienne Westwood wedding gown when she married American rocker, Marilyn Manson. The dark purple hues highlighted Dita’s milky complexion and fit the goth-inspired wedding theme the couple had (couldn’t Marilyn Manson be normal even just on his wedding day). Instead of a traditional veil, Dita wore a hat designed by Stephen Jones.
Sarah Jessica Parker
Black is usually not associated with Weddings (more for funerals) however, Sex and the City’s Sarah Jessica Parker wore a black wedding gown when she tied the knot with Matthew Broderick. SJP said she chose to wear black because she wanted to escape unwanted media attention (though it probably made the media focus on her quirky dress even more), a decision she regrets. Given the opportunity to renew her vows with Matthew Broderick, SJP said she will definitely go with traditional white.
Slightly OTT
It is socially accepted for wedding dresses, even though these will only be worn once, to be big and beautiful. However some brides, due maybe to their enthusiasm or access to almost unlimited funds, have chosen to wear massive gowns on their wedding days. Here are two dresses that are slightly over the top.
Mariah Carey
When Mariah Carey married her first husband, music producer Tommy Mottola, she wore a $25,000 Vera Wang gown that was hand embroidered with sequins and about 10,000 pearls. She also had a 27-foot-long train, reminiscent of Princess Diana’s that had to be carried by six “ladies in waiting”. In addition to her big wedding dress, Mariah also carried a floral bouquet was about as big as her whole ensemble. Everything looked … uncomfortable.
Celine Dion
Mirelle Gentile designed the French marquise gown Celine Dion wore when she married her manager, Rene Angelil. The pearls on the dress were all hand sewn and took over 1,000 hours to complete. Celine also wore a very heavy tiara made of 2,000 Austrian crystals that also had to be sewn onto her hair … and this was attached to a 20-foot veil. It’s all a tad bit … too much, really.
Just – No!
Some brides choose to wear something simple on their wedding day: a low-key dress that can be worn again on a different occasion, perhaps; or a dress that they can alter to create a less formal garment. These two celebrities have taken simplicity to a new level. Their wedding outfits are just beyond belief.
Britney Spears
Even though Britney Spears wore a $26,000 Monique Lhuiller strapless silk gown when she married her 2nd husband, Kevin Federline, she changed into a lacy micro-mini (above, also designed by Monique Lhuiller) for her backyard reception. Yes, receptions should be the time when everyone can relax and have fun – but it should still be done with decency. She should have just worn her wedding gown to the reception. (Oh yeah, the gown had a veil that was as long as the cathedral she was married in – it would be difficult to move around in that).
Pamela Anderson
In 2006, Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson married Kid Rock on a yacht at St. Tropez. There’s nothing strange about that, right? Well, on her wedding day Pamela donned a white bikini and a captain’s hat, while her husband wore jeans and a fedora. At their wedding! Pamela must be used to baring it all because when she married her first husband, Tommy Lee in 1995, she wore a bikini as well (and Tommy Lee wore shorts).
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So, when you’re finally creating your wedding to-do-list, remember to put a wee bit more thought in selecting your wedding gown. You can break tradition and wear something different, but remember that this is still a solemn event that is worthy of respect. Remember too that weddings (ideally) happen only once in your life. You should be able to look at pictures of your wedding day with fondness and nostalgia, and not cringe and say “What was I thinking?”