Princess Brides Still Reign

The princess ballgown wedding-dress fantasy is alive and well.

Princess-inspired wedding dresses have only gained interest since Kate Middleton wed Prince William in 2011 with 27.7 million viewers watching. And Meghan Markle’s and Prince Harry’s 2018 wedding only created further interest — as evidenced by the nearly 29.2 million viewers of that union, noted Kleinfeld director of merchandising Dorothy Silver.

Those royal weddings has changed the whole industry from beaded, shiny styles to classic, timeless and elegant gowns, Silver said. “I always tell my brides, ‘You want to look back at your wedding pictures 20 years from now, and love the way you look.’ That classic timeless elegance is so important. You don’t want to feel trendy.”

Princess weddings are also offered up by Disney — which animated the fairy-tale narratives many Millennials grew up on — which has an estimated 50 different venues for couples to get married. Approximately 1,500 couples tie the knot at the Disney World Resort each year. Aside from the travel and attire expenses, Disney World’s minimum wedding event fee starts at $7,500 and reaches $50,000, depending on the venue, day of the week and event time.

While some may question if princess fantasies align with women’s empowerment and equality initiatives, Silver said each bride reserves the right to dress as she pleases.

“It’s every woman’s own dream about how she wants to look and feel when she gets married. They have the right to feel that way,” Silver said. “There’s a pot for every cover. Everybody is different. We see so many different types of brides who comes from all over the world and all over the U.S. They all have their dream of how they want to look on their wedding day — whether that is like a Disney princess or Grace Kelly.”

Wearing a princess dress is also a break from the pandemic-induced ultracasual lifestyle, noted Christine Wettstein, cofounder and director of brand strategies at Coterie White and Melange de Blanc. “No matter what, it’s not every day that you can wear a ballgown. It’s more of a question of, ‘Why not do it if you can and you want to?’ Versus fitting into a mold of a princess bride,” she said.

Simultaneously, more-is-more trends, like pajamas with feathers and oversize sleeves, and other over-the-top looks can be found at any price point, she said. “Of course, that will translate to a bride’s wedding dress should it be desired,” Wettstein said.

Justin Warshaw, CEO and creative director of Justin Alexander, said what to wear for a wedding day boils down to personal choice. “Whether it be a more feminine, princess-y style, or a more structured and modern silhouette, a wedding dress is a reflection of the individual. A bride should wear whatever she is most comfortable and feels best in on her wedding day.”

Rami Al Ali, who has a signature bridal collection, doesn’t see a conflict between women’s empowerment and being delicate and feminine. “Empowerment doesn’t just come from appearance. It’s also a lifestyle and behavior, regardless of their background women are still very interested in looking beautiful.” the designer said.

Enaura’s cofounders Sohil and Nayha Mistry said many Millennial brides grew up with princess stories that are often associated with royalty and glamour. “This can still be appealing regardless of women’s rights and empowerment as it represents a romantic ideal and a sense of fantasy,” they said.

Mark Badgley and James Mischka said the endurance of the princess bride style is all about the dream or magic of being a bride. “It’s about the wonder, the fascination and the enchantment of walking down the aisle in all the formality — and that is a very special kind of power.”

Yellow by Sahar’s owner and creative director Sahar Fotouhi described the princess bride as “the epitome of magic.”

And while a lot of women feel empowered embracing their femininity, Fotouhi said there are other ways to celebrate that don’t fit into the princess box. “Some brides may choose to express themselves in a stylish and bold way, and we honor that with our gorgeous wedding suits,” Fotouhi said.

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