Taylor Swift Isn’t the Only Celebrity Influencing Wedding Choices

 

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The average bride won’t come anywhere close to matching the costs of Selena Gomez’s, Lauren Sánchez’s, and Nina Agdal’s respective weddings, but that isn’t deterring her from amping up her wedding plans.

Taking a lead from celebrities, brides-to-be are crafting multiday celebrations (that require more fashion options), staging immersive experiences for their guests, and opting for more extravagant gowns. Others, including designers and manufacturers, are focused on the ever-changing tariff situation under the Trump administration. With the average wedding dress costing $2,000 and the average wedding running upward of $31,000, wedding-related costs are a concern for many.

A group of bridal industry representative lobbied Washington seeking an exemption from the tariffs last summer. With 15,000-plus independent bridal stores and 300,000 workers in its supply chain, the sector is trying to safeguard jobs and businesses. Domestic manufacturers and retailers have a lot at stake, given that there are 2 million weddings annually in the U.S. About 90 percent of formalwear garments are manufactured in Asia, including in China, Vietnam, the Philippines, India, Myanmar and other countries that have the skilled labor and infrastructure needed to produce them.

Steve Lang, chief executive officer of Mon Cheri Bridals and chair of the North American Formal Apparel Association, will host a three-day workshop in Chicago to advise stores how to prosper and be competitive in this economy. He also said the NAFAA is continuing to try to secure a different classification for its gowns. He said, “These are not street dresses and given their ceremonial and most-often one-time-use complexion, we are lobbying for a separate distinction and magnitude of tax.”

He added, “I am doing all I can seven days a week to help the industry as much as possible. NAFAA is working closely with Washington to receive help, but even our lobbyists and those of other industries are awaiting the Supreme Court stance next month.”

Addressing the Swift-ification of the bridal industry, the designer Arva Polak said, “No matter her venue — her Rhode Island mansion on the ocean, or a villa in the south of France — we anticipate Taylor’s gown to be romantic, feminine, and fairytale-inspired.”

Regardless if the Grammy winner has one with a corset, gossamer fabric, delicate silk flowers, crystal beading, and a cathedral-length veil or a sexy minidress with glittery thigh-high boots for a second look, whatever she wears will resonate with shoppers, the designer said. “It will definitely influence next year’s bridal designs,” adding how searches for old mine-cut diamonds have skyrocketed since her engagement.

Flagging how weddings have become deeply Instagrammable experiences with visual stories told across a series of events, Paulette Cleghorn, creative director of Yumi Katsura Couture, said, “Brides are now investing in several looks leading up to the big day, each one curated to express a different facet of their personality and style.”

In addition, interest in luminous jacquards, sculptural mikados, and sustainable materials are taking center stage, reflecting a growing awareness of ethical beauty and mindful design, she said. 

Bridal designer Mark Ingram, who also owns an atelier, highlighted how Swift has shown “her love and appreciation for vintage costumes throughout her artistry and music,” and most notably in her daily makeup of a red lip and winged eye. Given the “Hollywood glamour” in her style preferences, that level of design is expected to be seen in her wedding attire, Ingram speculated. “Perhaps in a juxtapose to her on-stage ballgown choices, she will wear something close to the body, like a 1920s style silk-charmeuse bias cut,” he said.

Whether it’s immersive experiences or menu options, brides are all about having options. As a nod to that, the designer Katharine Polk has teamed up with Irene Albright, founder of the Albright Fashion Library in Beverly Hills to unveil the Houghton x Albright Collection, a seven-style highly crafted offering that includes corseted ballgowns and mermaid silhouettes among other styles. Made-to-order designs are being offered between the sizes of 00 and 30. With more than 60,000 couture pieces in the Albright’s archives, brides can also opt to rent styles for their nuptials.

In recent seasons, brides are increasingly influenced by celebrity weddings and are in need of multiple dresses for their dayslong celebrations, according to Mara Urshel, cofounder of Kleinfeld Bridal. Champagne fountains, fireworks and extravagant floral displays aren’t the only experiences that brides want to create. They want wedding gown shopping to be a memorable experience too, Urshel said. For that reason, the retailer has created a “V.I.B.” program, as in “Very Important Brides,” which allows them to schedule special appointments to bring more people than the usual quota for each person. They can also stay for longer periods of time, or even have the store to themselves if they schedule an appointment on a Monday, when the store is typically closed. “We’re finding that brides are coming from all over the country so that’s been a major success,” Urshel said.

Sustainability is gaining ground, with some brides opting for eco-friendly fabrics like cotton, or rental options. Forty-five percent of Millennial brides are considering sustainability when choosing their wedding attire, according to the “Bridal Wear Market Growth Analysis, Market Dynamics, Key Players and Innovations, Outlook and Forecast 2025-2032.”

Another switch with Kleinfeld shoppers is that many do not consider their dresses to be heirlooms with more brides interested in reselling them. For that reason, the Kleinfeld Again site is a platform to resell wedding dresses, regardless of where they were bought, to connect buyers and sellers. (The dresses’ sizes and quality are certified.) “That has been a growing business,” Urshel said.

Looking to woo higher-income shoppers, David’s Bridal has opened its second Diamonds & Pearls store — an outpost in Burlington, Mass. With exclusive collections from Marchesa, Viola Chan Couture and more to follow, the boutique offers curated assortments, immersive digital integrations, and one-on-one styling.

Well aware that some brides are taking cues from social media, influencers and Pinterest, Anthropologie is banking on lace — both boho and classic styles; waist-enhancing dresses like corseted silhouettes and versatile occasion dressing options, according to Holly Thrasher, chief merchandising officer for women’s and weddings.