You’ve decided to get married for the second time but might be facing some hesitation about the star of the show, which is undoubtedly your wedding dress. You may want your second wedding look to differ substantially from your first walk down the aisle, and that’s understandable—but shopping for and deciding on your attire need not be any less wonderful and amazing than the first time!
A Revised Take on White
Contrary to popular opinion, all wedding dresses are not white, and you can have a different take on tradition for your second walk down the aisle. Consider creamier, vintage whites, or off-white, or even a light beige color for your wedding gown.
Many brides find that a warmer shade of white (or a warmer color overall) complements their undertones better than a stark white color. Even more classic wedding gowns come in more ivory shades, so you have a lot to choose if you are not afraid to deviate from the road commonly taken.
Patterned Bliss
In recent years, many brides on their second wedding have chosen to wear pantsuits or knee-length dresses in different patterns. Your wedding day is all about igniting that sense of joy and freedom, and what accomplishes that better than a floral patterned gown?
Floral patterns or general pastel-colored patterns make a bride glow in the warmer summer months, especially with lighter, airy fabrics. If you are someone who just loves bright colors, you can definitely let your wedding attire reflect that with a brightly colored patterned gown.
Black Is a Universal Staple
Most of us rock that simple little black dress as our go-to piece of formal attire, but wedding experts say it is wonderful and still fairly unique to wear black as a bride. Black looks good on most people, lets your makeup stand out, and matches with every theme. If you have a destination wedding or an outdoorsy wedding like on a tropical island, for example, you may steer away from black—but in general, it is a beautifully universal option that will set you apart from the crowd.
A Range of Soft Neutrals
If you want to stray from white—but not too far—using neutrals as your color palette of choice while shopping is a useful starting point. Pink, beige, soft blues and oranges, champagne, rose, and pastel tones are all beautifying colors that enhance a bride’s natural glow, especially for daytime weddings when natural light is at its best. A neutral color palette is a sublime choice for bohemian and rustic weddings as well, since they reflect colors readily found in nature, such as in flowers.
Gray Sequins and Gems
Grey is an effortlessly sophisticated color for more mature brides and can look stunning, especially with sequins, gems, and embroidery. Cap sleeves, a low cut back, and a high neckline can create a regal vibe ideal for a second wedding. Gray and beige (otherwise known as greige) also work well together!
More Color Ideas for Brides at Their Second Weddings
Bright Ombre
If you really want to experiment and go the non-traditional wedding dress route, you cannot do better than a bright ombre as a color choice for your gown. Bright ombre gowns in silk or ruffled chiffon have been picking up momentum, and you can step up and make the trend your own.
Whether it is a frock with ruffles or a simple V-neck gown, a bright ombre color transition will catch the eye and be a unique style statement for a bride. You can also be more experimental for your second wedding and choose colors that fill you with happiness, like orange, bright blue, or yellow.
Lighter Embellishments
For their second wedding, many brides prefer fewer embellishments on their wedding gowns, and may prefer to stick with tones of white. You can choose to have a white wedding dress with brightly colored accents—like a belt, a bow, or gems. Adding that well-placed pop of color can change the monotony of white and make it intriguing.
This is also a designer trick for keeping the dress within the white color family but still upgrading the look enough for it to be fitting for a second wedding (in which you’d be inclined to do things differently).
A Seasonal Approach
If you are facing a conundrum regarding what color your wedding dress should be, using the season as an indicator can help. For spring, you can stick to floral colors—even more adventurous ones like light blue—and if your wedding is in the summer months, using a more tropical, brighter color scheme may be more appropriate.
You can go anywhere from dark blue to gray to black for the darker winter months. These colors also photograph beautifully under professional event lighting during an evening reception.
Taking Inspiration from Other Cultures
There is room to change your vibe and even your preferences at your second wedding. You can even seek inspiration from the wedding ceremonies of other cultures—as long as you’re respectful about it.
Many cultures of the world prefer red, maroon, and gold as the central colors for wedding dresses. A fusion of colors inspired by a culture you admire or have a connection to could make for a dazzling wedding gown that you will remember fondly for decades to come. Most brides opt for white the first time around, but remember: a second wedding is a chance to change up your look.
There’s Room for Two
If your wedding is a day-long affair with a full itinerary, you may consider having a separate dress for the reception. Having two or more wedding dresses gives you additional range to choose from in terms of color, cut, and style. You can make all your dreams come true by choosing different color schemes for the dresses you’ll wear at the ceremony, the reception—and finally, for the wedding exit!