Queen Victoria set the trend for white wedding dresses when she wore one for her own wedding in 1840. Since then, brides all over the western world have donned snow white dresses to walk down the aisle. The daring ones may even wear ivory or cream. Wahey! What about brides who don’t want to wear white? You may think it doesn’t suit you, maybe you don’t feel the virginal colour is appropriate or perhaps you just want to be a little different.

You do not have to wear white if you don’t want to, though it’s best to discuss this with the priest if you’re having a religious ceremony. I have collected a range of dresses in every colour of the rainbow just for you.

Red
Red is a very popular choice in the East as it is believed to be a lucky colour. Coupled with the Western symbolism of passion and romance, what could be a more romantic colour to marry in?
This Maggie Sottero “Lana” dress (above) is perfect for making a statement. The flattering bodice has added sparkle which catches the light beautifully, and the full tulle skirt is a perfect fairytale dream. The ideal dress for brides who want to look red hot on their big day.

Orange
Trying to find an orange wedding dress caused me no end of frustration. However, I finally found this gorgeous “Imogen” dress from Monsoon. Perfect for an informal city wedding, this dress is simple and chic- ideal for the classic fashionista. The bright colour would look lovely for a summer wedding whilst the darted sheath style is flattering on all figures as it hugs curves and skims past imperfections.

Yellow
Yellow shades are the ideal choice for a spring wedding. Bright, fresh and refreshing, marrying in yellow is sure to brighten up your guests. This zesty citrus shade is perfect for an outside wedding. From Vera Wang, “Didi” is unique in more ways than just its colour. The loose fitted bodice leaves plenty of breathing space around the chest- great for busty brides. The sash and bow detail defines the waist and creates a tiny nipped effect while the gathered skirt and net underlay invokes drama to this beautiful gown.

Green
Green dresses are almost as hard to find as orange ones, but no worries as they are out there if you look hard enough. The scarcity means green is a completely unique colour to marry in- you can be sure that your guests will never have seen a green wedding dress in action before. This Benjamin Roberts dress is a subtle sage green colour. This shade would look fantastic with a cream secondary colour. The simple style means the colour stands out and is the key detail of the dress, but the delicate detail on the bodice adds a pretty touch.

Blue
Blue dresses can be used anytime of the year- sky blue for spring, turquoise for summer, navy for autumn and ice blue for winter. This makes them hugely versatile and thankfully they are popular with designers at the moment. I found it hard to pick just one, but finally settled on this “Pasha” style from Ian Stuart. The sparkling lace detail on the bodice and skirt is a pretty feminine touch which adds to the effect created by the princess silhouette of the dress. Oversized detail such as the bow at the waist here is hugely fashionable at the moment, so you are ideal to look stylish in this gown.

Purple
Similarly to blue, purple is a very versatile colour. It can be used in a pretty, feminine way through lilac tones or a more gothic effect from deep amethyst shades. “Fleur de Elixir” from Pronuptia is an example of the former category. This dress is just perfect for the nature-loving bride. It is reminiscent of a wood nymph so would look gorgeous in an outside spring wedding. The purple flower garlands around the neckline and knees add an unusual and interesting effect as well as a very pretty one. The drape of the fabric is ethereal and dreamy- a great choice for brides who want to marry in a mythical fairytale.

Pink
Pink wedding dresses have a bit of a reputation for being tacky and tasteless- we’ve all seen Jordan’s wedding photos! However, this adorable “Cannes” dress from Alan Hannah proves that pink dresses can look beautifully chic. This shorter style is hot at the moment and great for summer weddings. The higher hem also means you don’t need to worry about getting your dress dirty or someone stepping on your train. It also gives you much more freedom of movement, so there is no need to pull yourself out of your dress for the reception. The boned bodice is hugely flattering, and the delicate sparkling detail is just gorgeous.

Black
I admit it- I’ve cheated a bit here. I could find plenty of black dresses but nothing as stunning as this Luisa Beccaria creation. It’s actually a very dark midnight blue, but it’s close enough if you ask me. This fishtail style looks amazing on hourglass figures. The slimline dress hugs those amazing curves, whilst the fishtail slicks out at the bottom to add an elegant, vintage styled shape to the dress. I love the ruffles that cover this gown- perfect for adding an edgy touch to an otherwise simple dress.

So there you have it- it really is possible to dress in any colour under the sun. In addition to these, there are gold and silver dresses everywhere so you can find the colour that is perfect for your day. Or, if you fancy it, you could just marry in white. Or cream. Or even ivory. It’s your day- go wild!

S Club 7 and Strictly Come Dancing star Rachel Stevens finally tied the knot with Alex Bourne in a Jewish ceremony on the 2nd August 2009. They married in the London’s fancy Claridge’s hotel with over 180 guests, although interestingly not one of her S Club co-stars was present.  Here is our summary of her sumptuous outfit, along with how you can replicate the look for less!

She married in a beautiful princess-style ballgown with a fitted silk bodice and full tulle skirt. Designed by Mira Zwillinger, it featured crystal beading and a pretty feathered corsage. She wore her hair in tumbling curls behind a simple two-layer veil and a delicate flower hair clip. On her feet were towering Christian Loboutin peeptoes,  and she wore dangling diamond earrings and a matching bracelet as finishing touches.

With Rachel’s dress reportedly costing over £4000, we’d need to save up a few more pennies to be able to wear it. However, help is at hand from the amazing Maggie Sottero range, with this gorgeous “Sinatra Marie” dress at around £600. It has a tulle skirt almost identical to Rachel’s dress, and with a ruched bodice this dress is uncannily similar. The only difference is the straps- perfect for brides who want a little more security than a strapless style- but you can always ask if it is possible to have them removed from your dress.

For a simple elbow-length veil, try the Wedding Veil Shop which sells this style for £35- it even features Swarkozski crystals, exactly like Rachel’s veil. A similar flower hair clip can be picked up at Acessorize for just £10.

As for the shoes, Christian Loboutins do not come cheap but I have found these bargain copies from Faith for just £55, and they come with a stunning flower corsage. At a whopping 4 inches high, these are perfect for shorter brides like Rachel.

To complete the look, pop on these pretty earrings and matching bracelet from Debenhams at just £40 for the pair. Curl your hair loosely, slick on a little liquid eyeliner and there you have it. Your superstar steal bridal outfit for a fantastic £740! I spoil you, really I do.

Congratulations to the new Mr and Mrs Bourne!

What I love about Maggie Sottero is that they offer such a wide range of styles, to fit any budget. While other designers focus on the luxury market (that wonderful combo of rich and thin), Maggie gowns offer couture style to brides of all shapes, sizes and means.

The Maggie Sottero collection gowns are undeniably glamorous, with plenty of diamante embellishment, embroidery and ruched fabric. Or, if you are looking for something simpler, the Destinations collection is made up of slinky, streamlined designs ideal for a wedding by the pool, or on the beach. In the Sottero & Midgley collection, the brand has teamed up with designer Kelly Midgley to create a line of dresses that explore exquisite and contemporary fabrics.

The collections also offer more colour choices than most, with dresses available in champagne, ivory, gold, as well as subtle shades such as ‘blush’ and a silvery ‘oyster’.

Maggie Sottero is available at bridal stores throughout the world, and there is a handy store locator on their website.

More Resources:

View all the dresses at MaggieSottero.com