What can I wear instead of a wedding dress? Non-dress wedding outfits

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A celebration of Neo-Soul with rich florals, jumpsuits, & tulle skirts
Photo by Charmed Life Photography from this wedding

So you've gotten engaged. You're doing it! You're getting married… but wtf are you going to wear? Some of us have dreamed of our evil fairy princess wedding dress for decades, or know exactly which fringed mermaid gown would be perfect. But others of us? Maybe we don't want to wear a wedding dress. If you try googling what can I wear instead of a wedding dress, you find a lot about alternative wedding dresses (And as you can tell from the Offbeat Wed Shop, and we loooooove alt wedding dresses!).

But that's not what we're here to talk about. This is the post for someone who's not looking for alternative wedding dresses, but wedding dress ALTERNATIVES… as in you're thinking: “I don't want to wear a wedding dress.” What are your wedding outfit options if you hate dresses?

Now, maybe that's a fashion choice, maybe it's a function choice, or maybe it's a gender identity issue. Doesn't matter — if you're wondering what can I wear instead of a wedding dress? WE HAVE ANSWERS. We're breaking our answers into a few different buckets, depending on WHY you don't want to wear a wedding dress.

Kick up some fun in a bridal jumpsuit

If you're ok with having a one-piece, but don't want to be in a dress, a jumpsuit can be a fun option. Going to the bathroom can be tough, but that's just any jumpsuit.

boho wedding jumpsuit alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
This style is a bit more of a boho wedding jumpsuit from Desiree Marie Designs
ombre bridal jumpsuit by waiching alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
How much are you freaking over the ombre coloring on this silk jumpsuit from Wai Ching?

Go short with a romper

Again, this is a one-piece option, but with more kick! A bridal romper is great for a beach wedding, summer city wedding, or if you just want to show off those legs, honey!

bridal romper on offbeat bride alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
This is a bridal ROMPER! And it's got a removable overskirt
 

Go for bridal separates: wear a skirt with a top

Ok, so maybe your problem with wedding dresses isn't the flowy part — it's the restrictive one-piece aspect. Two-piece wedding outfits are a great solution! You can go for bridal separates with a gorgeous flowy skirt paired with a top.

wedding separates wedding bodysuit to wear with wedding skirt on offbeat bride alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
This bodysuit from SweetCarolineStyles is made from soft cotton lace with a geometric pattern in a natural ivory tone.

More inspiration for this look:

Wear a wedding suit

So if you want separates, AND you don't want to be in a flowy bottom, the suit is your perfect solution. Maybe in the past, bridal suits were associated with gorgeous lesbian brides and more androgynous hotties, but that's no longer the case.

If you want a butch suit for your queer wedding, of course that's freaking awesome… and if you want an extremely feminine wedding suit for your totally straight wedding? That's hot AF, too!

separates from davids bridal alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
This suit is from David's Bridal of all places!
Suit Shop wedding suits for women and men 12 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Suit by SuitShop

More inspiration for this look:

Wear a corset and slacks

This is an amazing look that we've only seen one bride rock, but we think has SO MUCH POTENTIAL. Pair an incredible custom corset from a place like Dark Garden with pair of slacks and you have the ultimate non-wedding-dress look.

couple

Kimberly & David's Bookish gender-avoiding party. Photo by Russ Mathews

This is just one of literally HUNDREDS of looks for brides in pants. Be sure to check our full archive!

Looking for more wedding dress alternatives?

While this post was written with more bridal / femme looks in mind, we've also gots lots of perspectives on the more nonbinary / masculine side of things, too! Be sure to check out our nonbinary archives,

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Comments on What can I wear instead of a wedding dress? Non-dress wedding outfits

  1. love it!!!!! I’m loving the creativity and the ways people can express themselves!!!
    I recently did a wedding shoot that mixed a white jacket & pants but a crazy ridiculous train…and a derby hat. IT was fabulous.

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