Elopement Dress Inspiration for Your 2021 Elopement
One of the (often) hardest things about tying the knot? Picking out your elopement dress! It can feel like there’s a ton of pressure: you want to pick something absolutely perfect. Something that fits you and your personality, that you feel confident in, and that your partner will love. And do you even want a dress dress, or would you prefer another type of outfit? There are so many decisions to make!
So first up, I’m going to walk you through some of the top things to take into consideration when choosing your elopement dress!
Afterward, to give you a little inspiration and some ideas, I’m going to go through some of my recent brides and talk about the dresses they chose + wore on their big day. I’m hoping it’ll give you some inspo and clarity as to what styles + elements you like / don’t like when it comes to elopement dresses, so that you can find your perfect one easier.
Now let’s look at some beautiful gowns!
What to Consider
Movement - how well will you be able to move in your dress? Make sure you pick something that’s comfortable for you to be in for many hours, and that you can easily move around in - especially if you’ll be walking or hiking.
Accessories - look into different accessories to add some extra magic to your look. Do some research on different styles of veils, jewelry options, and even special add-on’s like capes or sleeves.
Patterns - your dress doesn’t have to be plain/solid if you don’t want it to be! Many of the dresses pictured below have unique patterns like shapes and florals to add some spice to your gown.
Colors - your dress also doesn’t have to be solid white or cream-colored. Look into dresses that feature other colors or extra touches like sparkles, glitter, or pearls.
Now let’s get into some features of my recent brides’ elopement dress choices!
Simple Satin
We’ll start off simple! Katherine went with a super beautiful, simple solid white satin gown. She kept the look classic and timeless with a traditional long, white veil, which lined up perfectly with the longer backside of the train. If you want a timeless look, a white satin gown will never fail you - especially one with a low back cut like Katherine’s.
Dress: bhldn
Boho Florals
This beautiful bride went for a classic lace look, with boho floral patterns and loose sleeves adding some spice. White lace is always a no-brainer if you’re wanting a simple-yet-not-too-simple look, but the bohemian floral shapes really amp up the look of this dress. The loose sleeves are super flattering on her arms, and the low back cutout exposes some skin while the front stays covered by floral lace. The details of this dress are stunning and simple, and her veil added a special little touch to the backside of her look.
Strapless Lace
Let’s look at another lace gown since they are pretty popular in most bridal shops! This dress features a strapless, stretchy top - making the bride look very comfortable and showing off her shoulders beautifully. It shows just enough skin without being too revealing and leaves lots of room for necklaces to make your look pop. The lace texture is flattering across her body and I love the fringe at the ends of the sleeves and short train!
Attention-Grabbing Cutouts
Okay this dress has one of my favorite backs I’ve seen! The dress itself is fairly simple, with spaghetti straps, lace lining around the edges, and a short train at the bottom. But the back is where your attention goes when she turns around - the criss-cross of the straps is so beautiful against the back of her shoulders! I love how it goes from one big “X” down to narrower ones where the straps cross. It’s easy to add some spice to a simple dress with a unique back like this one.
Business in the front, party in the back
Oh man this dress that Taryn wore is one of my favorites. It’s the true definition of “business in the front, party in the back.” From the front, it’s a simple lace boho dress with spaghetti staps and beautiful patterns. The lining of the train is easy to spot because of the shapes cut out on the edges. But the back is where the fun is at - Taryn chose to feature a bow on the back of her dress, with the ends draping down almost like pieces of a cape. How freaking cool is that? She looked majestic while she read her vows to Seth during their first look. The bow shows you just how impactful adding simple accessories to your look can be!
Dress: rue de seine bridal
Modern bohemian
Natasha wore a modern bohemian dress for her western boho ranch wedding and it was absolutely perfect for her. The dress has got stunning boho patterns across it, all the way down to the train. But my favorite part is the deep v-neck featured on the front of the dress, which beautifully shows off some skin in a modern way. The extra little shaped cutouts that line the top half of the dress, as well as around the waist, add so much to an already beautiful look!
Dress: rue de seine
Sleeving beauty
I think I’m funny sometimes. As you can tell by the title, this dress features some absolutely gorgeous and unique elements, including sleeves! The V patterns across the dress add unique form to the gown and how it fits on the bride’s body, and each V shape even has floral designs inside of it. The criss-cross back adds some fun to the back of the dress, but my true favorite part of this gown has to be the sleeves. They’ve got straight lines going down the shoulders, varying in thickness and patterns/designs. Then, the bottom of the sleeves have slits and loosen up to create the most beautiful movement with her arms! The long train adds a nice touch, too.
Pearly glam
Gianna’s dress was a simple, white, and satin tanktop gown with a classy v-neck cut. The thing that really adds a special touch and totally transforms the style is her veil with pearls decorating all of the material! She even had a matching pearly cape that she buttoned around her neck. Paired with a pearly crown, she created a super simple, glam bridal look!
Dress: daughters of simone
Two-piece celestial magic
Jenna wore one of the most unique gowns I’ve ever seen: a celestial-inspired, two-piece dress. The top layer of the entire dress and the veil are covered in crescent moons, stars, and jewels - but in a non-tacky way, somehow. The two-piece aspect shows off a classy amount of skin, and the thin sleeves add a light touch to the shoulders! Even the bottom of the train has a thin layer of celestial designs and trails behind beautifully.
Dress: white meadow bridal
Vintage boho
Amanda wore a super unique dress that I would call “vintage boho” - it’s got a cream-colored, solid, more traditional vibe to it mixed with modern boho elements. I’m obsessed with the pearls decorating the dress, the ruffles, and the leg slit!
Daughters of Simone 2021 “Sacred Heart” Collection
Lastly, I wanted to share about Daughters of Simone’s new 2021 collection, “Sacred Heart.” I work with this bridal company often an absolutely love everything they create. I was lucky enough to photograph their most recently launched collection, which features a variety of bridal looks from pantsuits to dresses with sleeves to patterned gowns. Take a look at my most recent blog post here, featuring the collection for a huge variety of unique bridal inspiration for your own elopement!
