The world has seen a lot of unique wedding dresses. Though not two of these designs look alike, all of them made headlines—some for their stunning elegance, others for their audaciousness, a few for their extravagant price tags, and a handful for being plain unconventional.
We’ve rounded up our favorite unique wedding gowns below. And if you can’t get enough wedding fun, step back in time for rare photos of celebrities on their wedding day or review proper wedding etiquette before attending your friend’s big celebration.
1840: Queen Victoria
Ever wonder why so many brides wear white? Thank Queen Victoria. In 1840, she walked down the aisle to marry Prince Albert wearing a white wedding dress that sparked a trend, making white the go-to shade for brides.
1928: Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn opted for an unusually ornate gown to say her vows in for her wedding to Ludlow Ogden Smith in 1928. The cream colored velvet dress with v-neck embroidery was auctioned off in 2004, among other items from her estate.
1937: Wallis Simpson
Wallis Simpson was an American socialite who intended to marry the British King Edward VIII. Because of her non-royal status and first marriage that ended in divorce, the king was forced to abdicate his throne in order to marry her. Though you can’t tell here, Wallis wore a subtle, blue dress to their wedding, which none of Edward’s family attended.
1937: Ingrid Bergman
When Swedish-born actress Ingrid Bergman wed Petter Lindström in 1937, the bride’s simple crepe gown was of typical fashion for the decade. Her real showstopper? The caged Juliet cap that she wore on top of her pin curls and veil.
1945: Bette Davis
In keeping with tradition, Bette Davis did not wear white for her third marriage, which was to William Grant Sherry in 1945. Instead, the bride went with a plaid suit dress and a veiled flat hat.
1945: Shirley Temple
When former child star Shirley Temple married Army Corps sergeant, John Agar, in 1945, it was an event that all of America wanted to witness. Her dress, a full-length stain gown with short sleeves, was on par with the fashion of the time, but the unusual beaded neckline and matching headpiece were far from typical.
1945: Lauren Bacall
Even though Lauren Bacall is an old-Hollywood actress known for her sultry looks, she skipped the big white dress and wore a beige skirt suit and black leather belt for her wedding to Humphrey Bogart (who also happened to be 25 years her senior).
1947: Josephine Baker
During her fourth wedding to Jo Bouillon, Josephine Baker let her style shine with a dress embellished with flowers and a belt.
1949: Rita Hayworth
After her marriage to director Orson Welles ended, ’40s film star Rita Hayworth caught the attention of Prince Aly Khan. The two married in 1949 on the French Rivera in a highly publicized ceremony. Rita chose a light blue, pleated dress and matching wide-brimmed hat for the occasion — a style that was soon replicated by many across the United States.
1951: Ava Gardner
For her 1951 wedding to Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner wore a moiré silk gown with a fitted bodice, a box pleated neckline, and chiffon cap sleeves. As it was the bride’s third marriage, she decided against wearing a veil and instead accessorized with a double-strand pearl choker.
1951: Janet Leigh
Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis decided on an intimate affair at home in Greenwich, Connecticut. For the ceremony, Janet wore a mid-length, short-sleeved suit, a patterned scarf, and a white embroidered Juliet cap.
1952: Elizabeth Taylor
While she wore several gowns for her many marriages, Elizabeth Taylor’s first unconventional dress was this simple suit for her 1952 wedding to her second husband, Michael Wilding.
1954: Marilyn Monroe
When Hollywood starlet Marilyn Monroe married baseball legend Joe DiMaggio in San Francisco on January 14, 1954, she didn’t wear white. In fact, she wore something nobody would’ve expected: a chocolate brown dress that hit just below her knees, plus a matching jacket.
1955: Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford’s fourth marriage, to Pepsi executive Alfred Steele, was all about simplicity. The two decided to elope in Las Vegas and the bride wore a simple and elegant black dress with an elaborate white orchid pin.
