There is a very specific kind of bridesmaid look that makes you pause mid-scroll.
Maybe it is the unexpected colour. Maybe it is the designer gown that feels more red carpet than wedding aisle. Or perhaps it is simply the fact that the bride’s best friend somehow looks like she could be getting married herself.
Recently, celebrities and influencers have been giving bridesmaid dressing a little more personality, and we are very much paying attention. From Anya Taylor-Joy slipping into custom John Galliano to Bella and Gigi Hadid going barefoot in coordinating green, these are the bridesmaid looks that deserve their own moodboard.
Because yes, the bride is supposed to be the main character. But that does not mean the bridesmaids have to dress like supporting cast members.
When your best friend is getting married and you happen to be Anya Taylor-Joy, apparently the answer is couture.
For Ivy Getty’s lavish San Francisco wedding, Taylor-Joy served as maid of honor in a custom gray silk gown by John Galliano for Maison Martin Margiela Haute Couture.
The look was elegant but slightly unexpected, with the muted gray palette offering a sophisticated alternative to the usual bridal-party pastels. It also had exactly the kind of fashion pedigree you would expect from Taylor-Joy, proving that a bridesmaid dress can still have a strong point of view while complementing the bride.
The Hadid sisters made a case for coordinated bridesmaid dressing without looking like they had been put into identical uniforms.
At their sister Alana Hadid’s Los Angeles wedding, Bella and Gigi both wore green dresses in the same colour family, but in different silhouettes. More importantly, both went barefoot.
The result felt relaxed, modern and very California wedding. The matching shade kept the bridal party visually cohesive, while the different dresses allowed each sister to retain her own style.
And honestly, going barefoot might be the ultimate bridesmaid move when the reception gets good.
Dakota Johnson brought a completely different energy to bridal-party dressing.
For the occasion, she wore a custom Rodarte black silk velvet devoré bias ensemble. The rich fabric and dark colour gave the look a more dramatic, fashion-forward feel, proving that bridesmaid dressing does not have to mean automatically reaching for blush, champagne or sage.
Black can be incredibly elegant for a wedding, particularly when the silhouette and fabric are doing enough of the talking.
Kendall Jenner served as a bridesmaid for her close friend Lauren Perez’s wedding to David Waltzer, wearing a custom Bec + Bridge look.
The dress kept things sleek and contemporary, fitting naturally into the fashion crowd surrounding the wedding while still reading as distinctly bridal-party appropriate.
It is a useful reminder that the best bridesmaid dresses do not necessarily need elaborate embellishment. Sometimes a clean silhouette, great fit and the right styling are enough.
Alexandra Saint Mleux brought a softer approach to bridesmaid dressing when she served as a bridesmaid at Lorenzo Tolotta Leclerc’s wedding to Charlotte Di Pietro.
The Formula 1 style figure wore a pink Atelier Emé gown, offering a romantic take on the bridal-party look.
The colour felt unmistakably wedding appropriate without looking overly traditional, making it an easy reference for brides who want their bridesmaids in colour but still want the overall palette to feel elegant.
Danielle Pheloung took the black bridesmaid dress in a much more dramatic direction when she served as maid of honor at her sister Brigette Pheloung’s wedding.
She wore a dramatic black drop-waist gown, bringing a distinctly fashion-forward edge to the bridal party.
It also worked particularly well because the dress had enough presence to feel special without competing with her sister's bridal look. It is proof that black bridesmaid dresses can be romantic, glamorous and completely appropriate for the occasion.
Looking at these recent celebrity and influencer bridesmaid looks, one thing becomes clear: there is no single formula anymore.
A bridal party can wear different silhouettes in the same colour. Someone can wear black. Someone can go barefoot. A maid of honor can wear couture. And yes, your bridesmaids can actually look like themselves.
The most successful looks tend to have one thing in common: they feel intentional. Whether that comes through colour, fabric, silhouette or designer, the outfit feels chosen rather than simply assigned.
And perhaps that is the best direction to take when dressing your own bridal party. You do not need every bridesmaid to look identical. You just need the looks to make sense together.
Because the best bridal party photos are not the ones where everyone looks like they came out of the same catalogue. They are the ones where everyone looks like they belong there.
For more celebrity bridal fashion, wedding inspiration and bridesmaid looks worth saving for your own moodboard, follow Wedded Wonderland. Couples beginning their own wedding journey can also explore Wedded Concierge for thoughtful guidance and personalized planning support.
