Happy end of 2021! We've been rounding up all the best real weddings, decor, planning & ideas and we saved so many of your favorite topic for last: our favorite wedding dresses seen on Bridal Musings in 2021!

Maybe you got a sparkling engagement ring under the tree last weekend? If you’re like me, your first exciting order of business is: dress shopping!

 

This year colorful gowns continued to take over bridal market with pink wedding dresses truly the mainstream and lilac being ‘the new blush'. More and more designers added black wedding gowns for the daring bride.

Ruffles were the hottest dress detail of the moment while taffeta & volume had us dreaming of a modern Princess Diana bride. On the 2022 bridal fashion week runways, we saw that painted floral wedding dresses will be blooming this Spring. Short wedding dresses were no longer just for the casual bride: we are thrilled to celebrate the statement mini.

You can browse our wedding dresses section for full collections from our favorite designers & trend reports. Today, we wanted to share our favorite gowns as seen in real weddings & styled shoots across Bridal Musings in 2021. So, here are our 10 favorite wedding dresses (in no particular order)…

Claire La Faye

With minimonies & micro weddings taking over the 2021 wedding season, bridal designers pushed out some incredible, showstopping mini dresses. This lace & tulle short wedding dress from Claire La Faye fluttered wildly on the beaches of Mozambique.

Bo & Luca

Real bride Gabrielle stunned in her long-sleeve minimalist wedding gown for her sunrise wedding. But once the sun came up, a costume change was needed for this real bride designer donning a backless Bo & Luca gown we just can't get enough of.

Millia London

Ruffles, volume & color – possibly the top three bridal trends we raved about in 2021. Naturally, this lilac Millia London gown captivated us the moment we saw it on the shores of Hawaii, combining three of our favorite details of the moment.

Lihi Hod

Aiding the rise of the cool-girl ballgown, this off-the-shoulder wedding dress by Lihi Hod is modern, elegant & fitting for a fashion-forward bride. And naturally, such a fashion statement needs a trendy hairstyle, too.

Maria Konidi

 

 

We predicted extravagance in 2021, (thanks to a lackluster 2020) and we got it! Real bride Sita sparkled in her Maria Konidi gown embellished with feathers & glittering details akin to the Aegean Sea.

Custom Lehenga

While following age-old wedding customs always warms our heart, we were dazzled by this thoroughly modern bridal lehenga. Forgoing the traditional red hues, real bride Neethu opted for a glimmering champagne color palette matched by her groom Ashish.

TopBridal Paris

A princess bride wandering the halls of Chateau de Baronville needs a statement gown. Voluminous sleeves, fluttering tulle & floral embellishments make this TopBridal Paris gown absolutely of the moment.

The Other Half Bridal

It was the misty grey Qipao by The Other Half Bridal, far from the traditional style, that compelled us to publish this ethereal Cantonese wedding inspiration.

E&W Couture

We've seen tens of thousands of lace gowns in the last decade, but none quite like this. A unique fern applique makes this E&W Couture flutter-sleeve wedding gown a perfect match for any nature-loving bride.

Custom Ankara Gown

No strangers to colorful wedding dresses this year, the yellow Ankara fabric on this custom wedding gown will live in our minds for years and years to come. See other traditional wedding dress styles from across Africa here.

Ready to get shopping? Here are our absolute favorite places to shop for wedding dresses online. Follow along this week to see all the best of 2021, from stunning dresses, sage advice and unique inspiration.