I’ve photographed a number of weddings in recent years in which the bride was not wearing a traditional white (or ivory) wedding dress. It’s lovely to see brides being more confident about making a break with tradition, expressing their own personal style or sometimes for cultural or religious reasons. With any wedding, what’s important is that the bride feels and looks her best, and is wearing an outfit that reflects who she is as a woman about to embark on this life-changing journey.I had a lot of fun photographing the wonderful wedding of Annie and Ed. Her pale blue wedding dress not only looked amazing but had a family story behind it, too. Her dress was hand-made by her mother and she walked herself down the aisle. The style clearly reflects a woman who revels in both her independence and close ties with family. Annie teamed the handmade dress with a silk coat that had been made for her in Nepal. The look was finished with a coordinating waistcoat worn by Ed, and you have a very special and memorable day for the couple and all their guests.
The picture below is from Sarah and Nigel’s wedding. The couple’s origins are in Hong Kong, and they wanted to honour cultural tradition by having a traditional tea ceremony be part of their wedding day. A costume change was required and Sarah donned this beautiful red number instead just for this portion of the day.
Cate and Layla’s wedding made a break from tradition. The brides plumped for a complementary green and purple colour combination, tied in with matching purple bouquets. The choices were flattering and elegant to both brides individually and as a couple. They looked really fantastic and it was a bold and brilliant choice.
Another bold style choice was from Vanda, whose wedding to Terry a couple of years ago remains one of the most unique I have ever shot! What made it so visually appealing was the incredible red and pink dress Vanda wore which she coordinated a vintage lace veil. She looked so full of joy and was positively brimming with confidence. No wonder she looked so happy – she made the dress herself.
Anjala and David’s wedding was one with a cultural element, as the couple wanted to honour Anjala’s Indian background – and David’s English one. Anjala wore a gorgeous navy blue embroidered salwar kameez and David wore a top hat, a nod to English traditions.
Aparna and Janos actually had two ceremonies as part of their day’s celebration, with both bride and groom changing outfits for the Hindu ceremony. Aparna wore a red and gold sari, and Janos a traditional sherwani, both complete with the floral garland known as varmala.
Something as bold as a colourful wedding dress will have your friends and family talking about your wedding for years to come! It will always stand out in their minds. Also what’s lovely is that you can wear your ‘wedding’ dress time and time again at parties, anniversary bashes or any other special events. If this is the dress that you’ve fallen in love with, or even made yourself, then why not get more than one wear out of it?
Choosing a Colourful Wedding Dress

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