While Met Gala themes may vary hugely from year to year, if there’s one thing we can be certain of regardless of the dress code, it’s that the red carpet will serve up some instantly-iconic looks. What we weren’t expecting this year, however, was such an array of inspiration for all the brides-to-be among us.
Of course, with this year’s theme honouring Karl Lagerfeld – who memorably cast a ‘Chanel bride’ to close the vast majority of his runway shows – we should have perhaps seen it coming…
But which wedding dress looks reigned supreme at the 2023 Met Gala, and (crucially!) which will be influencing the wedding set over the next few months?
Here are the six bridal trends we can all expect to see making their way down the aisle of our nearest and dearest this year…
1. EXAGGERATED WAISTS
A-line silhouettes have been big news in the wedding industry for decades, but this fuller-skirted, Cinderella-approved ball gown look has fallen out of favour in recent years. Thanks to the likes of Penélope Cruz, Dua Lipa and Alia Bhatt – who all made a very convincing case for the more dramatic cinch-and-flare waistline a this year’s Met Gala – the look is set for a dramatic u-turn over the next few months.
2. FLORAL DETAILING
Florals have become quite prevalent in the wedding dress arena over recent years, but while they’re often an intricate lace or beaded embellishment adorning a more slim-fit silhouette, the 2023 Met Gala showcased a number of looks with a much more prominent nod to the detail. With three-dimensional appliqués offering up a more contemporary take on the trend, it’s a detail that the more fashion-forward brides won’t be able to resist.
3. OTT TRAINS
Whether you are a bride, you’ve been a bride, or you’ve just watched several episodes of Don’t Tell The Bride, you’ll likely be aware that where there’s a wedding dress, there’s a train. But while the dramatic design detail was once a non-negotiable for brides, practicality has seemingly been prioritised over recent years, with brides ditching the ‘bustle’ option of an evening and instead forgoing the trip-hazard altogether. Well, if the 2023 Met Gala looks have anything to do with it, dramatic trains are back – and we’re here for it.
Dimitrios Kambouris
4. MEGA EMBELLISHMENT
If we told you it was time to ‘frost yourselves’, would you know what we were talking about? It may have been Matthew McConaughey’s character’s most iconic line from How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days, but the idea of any sort of over-the-top embellishment has been absent from the bridal agenda in recent years as shoppers focussed on ‘timeless classics’. With individualism now a top priority for contemporary brides, this mega embellishment is set to become a hugely popular way to ensure your own wedding dress stands out from the crowd.
5. CAPE ACCENTS
If you’re still tbc on the idea of a train in fear of it driving you mad on the dance floor, why not consider a trailing cape? The perfect alternative for those who are also anti-veil but who are after that sense of sartorial drama for the aisle, a removable cape is already proving a popular option for 2023 brides and is only set to soar in popularity after the likes of Halle Bailey, Glenn Close and Gisele opted for the accent for this year’s Met Gala.
6. CUT-OUT FEATURES
Looking for something a little sexier to add your own personal style to your bridal look? Once seen as the height of poor taste – before everyone from Michael Kors to JW Anderson Stella McCartney, Givenchy, Self-Portrait, Emilia Wickstead, Supriya Lele, Christian Siriano, and Nensi Dojaka gave them the high fashion seal of approval over recent seasons – the cut-out trend has had something of a renaissance over the last couple of years. Now making strides in the bridal circuit, you need look no further than Amber Valetta, Olivia Wilde and Julia Garner on the Met Gala red carpet to tempt you towards a little wedding day flesh-flashing.
Keen to see more looks from the 2023 Met Gala red carpet? Click here to see all of our favourite red-carpet fashion moments…