Best Wedding Dress Styles for Women Over 50

Finding yourself wondering what a 50 year old bride should wear for her wedding? Let’s make things clear right from the start: The best wedding dresses for women over 50 are the styles that make them feel beautiful, confident, and happy! Of course, that means the right wedding dress for each bride over 50 is going to be a little different, and that makes perfect sense. Need a little inspiration to help you find the perfect look for you? Avery Austin’s got several suggestions for the best wedding dress styles for older women, whether it’s going to be your first or second marriage, or even a vow renewal. From the perfect embellishments to classy coverage and timeless designs, these wedding dress styles are perfect for the mature bride.

Wedding Dress Embellishments for Mature Brides

Mature brides often worry about whether or not a certain embellishment or dress feature might be “too much for someone their age.” How much embellishment you personally prefer on your wedding dress will vary, and you should definitely go with what makes you happiest! Still on the fence? Then check out the start of our list of the best wedding dresses for women over 50, which includes three gorgeous embellishment styles to consider.

• Beaded Wedding Dresses: Beadwork on wedding gowns is often done meticulously by hand, so the result is a beautiful crafted work of art! While fully beaded bridal dresses might be on the heavier side, wedding dresses with beaded floral designs across the bodice have a whimsical and delicate look and feel that’s especially perfect for garden or spring celebrations. Paired with a tulle skirt, a beaded-bodice bridal gown offers a classic romantic vibe that’s sure to make any bride (even a mature bride over 50) feel like she’s stepping into her own fairy tale.
• Wedding Dresses with Ruffles: Delicate tiered ruffles offer a vintage frill vibe that’s classy and elegant. Ruffled wedding dresses are favorites of brides over 50 who are looking to add some visual curves to their wedding day look. Ruffled sleeves and necklines can add shape and volume near the bust, while a ruffled skirt can round out the hips.
• Simple Wedding Dresses: The unadorned, minimalist look with no embellishments is super classy and modern. Simple wedding dresses for women over 50 are an easy way to tap into the latest trends while keeping a sophisticated look that suits a variety of bridal themes and venues.

Classy Coverage: Wedding Dresses for Older Brides

Older brides often prioritize comfort and coverage for their wedding day looks, so it’s important to find a beautiful style that will keep you happy and confident through both your ceremony and reception! Here are three examples of modest and stylish wedding dresses for older women.

• Long-Sleeve Wedding Dresses: A top pick for boho-themed weddings, long sleeves offer comfortable coverage and chic style. From loose-fitting bishop sleeves to sheer lace sleeves, there are so many styles to explore that offer different levels of comfort and coverage. You can even find wedding dresses with removable sleeves, allowing you to wear them for the ceremony then remove them for fun at the reception!
• Halter Wedding Dresses: For full coverage of your neckline, you can’t go wrong with a halter wedding dress! Women over 50 also love the way a halter can highlight slender shoulders and provide solid support to the bustline.
• Ruched Wedding Dresses: Ruching on wedding dresses can either provide flattering shaping for the illusion of curves or it can provide the perfect coverage, especially around the waistline. Whether you’re looking for petite styles that offer visual curves or flattering plus-size wedding dresses for women over 50, ruched bridal gowns are the way to go!

Timeless Wedding Dresses for Brides Over 50

As we get older, we notice a lot of fashion trends come and go, especially in the bridal industry. A great way to honor the favorite fashions of your youth is to go for styles that are still loved today because they are timeless. Here are two timeless wedding dresses for brides over 50.

• Embroidered Wedding Dresses: Embroidery is the perfect bridge between vintage styling and modern bridal fashion. An embroidered bridal gown is naturally sophisticated and feminine, so it fits right in with most wedding themes. From romantic gowns to rustic or beach wedding dresses for women over 50, embroidery can enhance the effect.
• Lace Wedding Dresses: Lace has always been a bridal favorite, so it’s gorgeous for brides of any age! Lace can be used as a beautiful embellishment scattered across sleeves, the bodice, or the skirt. A dress could also feature lace from neckline to hem! Whether lace is used as an accent or the main fabric of the wedding dress, brides over 50 are sure to love the romantic and elegant effect of this classic fabric.

Pro Tips Regarding Wedding Dresses for Older Brides

1. Shop by Your Body Type, Not Your Age. There’s no actual rule that says wedding dresses for brides over 50 should be shaped or styled or colored a certain way. But there are general fashion “truths” that are true regardless of age, like the way certain silhouettes flatter different body shapes: Fit-and-flare or mermaid styles are always best for brides who love to show off their curves, a-line gowns are the most universally flattering, and sheath styles are favorites of petite brides. Because of this, we do recommend shopping for styles that will flatter you based on your body shape and style preferences (more on that in the next tip), rather than worrying about what may or may not be appropriate for your age. Be sure to check out our blog for tips on how to choose a stylish and flattering wedding dress by your body type for more of those general fashion “truths.”
2. Be True to Your Style. No need to compromise on the things that are most important to you. If comfort is your top priority, it is absolutely possible to find a stunning bridal style that is also comfortable and fun to wear. If you’ve always adored the glitzy, glamorous feel of sequins, then go for it! Whether we’re giving wedding dress advice to older brides or younger brides, it always comes down to the fact that this is YOUR big day. Choose what YOU love.
3. Trust Your Bridal Stylist. A true bridal expert will be focused on more than just your age. Gathering information about your wedding venue, bridal theme, and style preferences, your bridal stylist can then pull together a collection of stunning styles for you to try that will suit some, if not all, of your requests. In fact, when you contact an Avery Austin bridal stylist, you’re sure to come away with several flattering designs, so it may be difficult to choose just one to try! And really, why choose just one? Your bridal stylist can easily help you set up a Try at Home box so you can try on three gorgeous styles at a time from the comfort of your own home. Bringing the bridal salon experience right to your home is the height of convenience, no matter your age!
4. Worry Less About Color. We’re often asked what color an older bride should wear, since most people assume that white is only for very young, new brides. The truth is, pure white is not actually the most common or popular bridal color. Ivory is actually the bridal favorite because it is much more flattering for most skin tones! In fact, these days there are wedding dresses in a variety of blush and neutral hues that are super flattering. That said, the color you choose to wear for your wedding dress, as a 50-year-old bride or a 20-year-old bride, does not need to have any special significance unless you want it to have one. You might want to wear red to honor a rich cultural tradition, black to step away from classic bridal expectations, or white because you always dreamed of that hue. Bottom line: Your wedding, your choice!

Wrap-Up: What Should a 50-Year-Old Bride Wear?

While there are many charming and flattering designs that are common favorites of older brides, the best wedding dresses for women over 50 are the ones that make them feel beautiful and happy. While the suggestions and tips above are a great starting point for dress shopping, don’t be afraid to be true to your own style! You can mix and match your favorite ideas from our top 8 list or go completely off-course with your tried-and-true favorites or something bold and new. It doesn’t matter if this is or isn’t your first wedding. What does matter is that you are confident and wrapped up in the joy of celebrating this new start.