The wedding series: The 2026 bridal trends you need to know

Summary

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Style-ish Podcast Summary

Episode: The Wedding Series – The 2026 Bridal Trends You Need to Know

Hosts: Rhiannon Joyce (A), Jo Fleming (B)
Guest: Andy Towner (C), Founder of The Bridal Journey
Date: April 16, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode, the final installment in a three-part wedding series, welcomes Andy Towner—founder of the influential wedding media brand, The Bridal Journey. Andy joins Rhiannon and Jo for a deep dive on the wedding and bridal trends set to define 2026 and beyond. The conversation spans Andy’s own wedding story, the evolution of The Bridal Journey, and comprehensive insights on fashion, styling, and personalization within the wedding industry. The episode is packed with practical recommendations, industry stories, and thoughtful reflections on how modern couples can create distinctive, memorable weddings.

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Andy Towner’s Journey to The Bridal Journey

[02:09–09:36]

• Andy describes her 2021 wedding: a 34-person “big party” at a favorite local winery, with a guest list so exclusive it only included those she’d consider for her own bridal party. She emphasizes the joy of an intimate, close-knit celebration.
• The experience and result: “People said it was like 150 people were there. We partied all night. People were vomiting out of the bus on the way home.” (C, 02:20)
• Her childhood love affair with fashion magazines, creating homemade mood boards, and a pivotal experience as a finalist on an Arena TV modeling competition accelerated her creative ambitions.
• Early career: Andy worked in teaching while nurturing fashion interests through volunteer work at Melbourne Fashion Weeks and co-founding a fashion blog (Snob) that quickly amassed massive traffic pre-Instagram.
• Key career pivot: The realization that bridal media was lagging in innovation. “There’s nothing really editorial out there for brides to be... I created The Bridal Journey.” (C, 08:34)
• Andy chose weddings because she loved mood boarding, storytelling, and saw clear demand for a modern, marketer’s approach to bridal content.

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Major Bridal Trends for 2026 & Beyond

1. Runway and Archival Fashion Influence

[12:03–13:54]

• Brides are becoming “fashion literate,” looking to designers like Simone Rocha, Khaite, Loewe, Schiaparelli, and Margot Robbie’s press looks for inspiration.
• Rapid rise in demand for archival and vintage dresses, emphasizing uniqueness and sustainability.
• “Brides are really looking to what’s on the runway and that archival fashion look…” (C, 12:49)
• Andy name-drops 1208 Vintage and platforms like Etsy as exciting places for sourcing unique, non-cookie-cutter gowns.

2. Personalization, Branding & Experience

[14:23–18:03]

• Weddings are shifting to “hyper personalization” and branding—inspired by social media and brand activations.
• Example: Sophia and Dan's two-part wedding (Burning Man theme + “lucid dreaming” after-party, with interactive experiences and Y2K flair).
• Guests expect immersive, original events tailored to the couple’s story, not just performative traditions.
• Traditional elements (e.g., father-daughter dance) are being omitted in favor of bespoke, guest-centric experiences: “Brides moving forward are going to create these fun branding experience and touch points...” (C, 16:46)

3. Content Creation & Lo-Fi Documentation

[18:03–19:19]

• No more stiff, staged photography: guest-sourced and lo-fi content is en vogue.
• Andy often selects candid guest shots for The Bridal Journey: “Gone are the days of those posed stage photos... that’s the content that tends to perform the best on my own channel.” (C, 18:20)
• Guest Pics, a platform for crowdsourcing wedding images, is mentioned as a tech-forward solution.

4. Dress Trends: Shapes, Textures, Colors

[19:19–22:09]

• Princess gowns are “losing dominance.” The future is corsetry, architectural lines, and silhouettes inspired by pop culture and period dramas (e.g., Bridgerton, Wuthering Heights influence).
• Material shifts toward textured, historical designs—moody lace, ribbons, chokers, and old-world creams & champagnes.
• “We’re going to see that moody lace off-whites, ribbons, chokers.” (C, 21:31)
• Andy notes a move away from traditional stark white to ivory, bone, and antique cream.
• Emerging brands and mainstream labels (e.g., Skims launching bridal, Rotate expanding collections) signal greater variety and experimentation.

5. Bridesmaids, Mothers of the Bride/Groom, and Wedding Guests

[22:09–27:03]

• Bridesmaids' and mothers' outfits are expanding beyond traditional “one-shoulder” satin into adventurous, runway-inspired territory.
• Tips for mothers: brands like Taller Marmo (feathered one-shoulder gowns), custom dressmaking as a more affordable dupe for luxury pieces, and the rise of statement suits and chic shawl layering.
• Increasingly, brides set creative dress codes, themes (“Italian garden party”), or even share guest mood boards with shoppable links. (Mixed opinions on this practice!)

6. Guest Fashion and Dress Codes

[23:22–25:22]

• Guests are encouraged to embrace sequins, bright colors, and fun, event-appropriate dressing; minimalism takes a step back.
• Black tie remains, but more couples are opting for creatively themed events, sometimes providing guests with inspiration boards.

7. Budget-Smart Strategies

[34:24–35:45]

• Focus on the couple’s top three “non-negotiables”—think food, music, or décor—and invest there, trimming costs elsewhere.
• Practical hacks: reusing ceremony flowers at the reception, buying preloved dresses, or working with dressmakers for custom looks at a lower price.

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Quick Fire Recommendations

[29:21–34:24]

• Shoes: Tony Bianco’s ‘Nonnie Ivory Brocade’ ($219) is the budget bride’s staple; Jimmy Choo is the luxe go-to.
• ‘Overdone’ Trend: Champagne towers ("overdone" but usually photogenic).
• Must-Have Product: Good steamer for dresses; a thorough wedding-day run sheet for logistics: “Every bride or couple create a run sheet of the day and really go through the logistics…” (C, 30:47)
• Affordable Dresses: Kaya’s sample sales, Made With Love, The Bridal Journey Marketplace for secondhand options, and Meshki for under-$1,000 styles.

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Top Bridal Styling Tips

[32:28–33:57]

• Start with what you love and feel best in—review favorite outfits for features like sleeve type, neckline, or silhouette, and use that as a blueprint.
  • "Look at the outfits you love to wear and when you felt the best and really analyze those pieces." (C, 32:28)
• Resist the pull of trends for their own sake; stay true to your style.
• At the same time, “Go in with an open mind”—many brides discover their final dress is nothing like what they initially imagined.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “Brides are really planning a day for an experience rather than performative. Rather than doing the Champagne tower, they’re looking to really entertain their guests with these touch point moments.” (C, 15:28)
• “It’s much cheaper to bring a look to a dressmaker… Also a great wedding tip. For brides!” (C, 28:09)
• “[Reuse] ceremony flowers inside to your reception—you don’t necessarily need a big budget to have an amazing wedding.” (C, 34:41)
• “How do you want your guests to feel and how do you and your partner want to feel on the day is most important.” (C, 35:32)

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Notable Timestamps

• Andy’s Wedding & Backstory: 02:09–09:36
• Evolution of The Bridal Journey: 03:26–09:36
• Bridal Trends, Fashion, and Sourcing: 12:03–14:23
• Event Experience & Personalization: 14:23–18:03
• Content Creation/Documentation: 18:03–19:19
• Dress & Color Trends: 19:19–22:09
• Mothers of the Bride/Groom, Custom Looks: 25:47–28:21
• Quick Fire Recommendations: 29:21–34:24
• Styling Advice/Budget Hacks: 32:28–35:45

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Episode Tone

Casual, enthusiastic, and expert—the hosts balance lighthearted banter with practical, up-to-date advice. Andy’s commentary is candid, creative, and grounded in both industry knowledge and personal experience.

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Final Takeaway

2026 weddings are all about individuality, creativity, and authenticity—whether through fashion, event design, or content capture. Brides are encouraged to blend runway inspiration with meaningful personalization, let go of unnecessary traditions, and prioritize what truly matters to them and their guests. The market is more accessible and diverse than ever, making it possible to create a beautiful, memorable day at almost any budget.

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Transcript

[A]

Foreign. This episode of Stylish is brought to you by Michael Hill. Diamond season is here. Find your wedding band, adorn your bridal party or mark a milestone. Welcome to the wedding series by Stylish. A three part series. Guys third episode. You've been here for a while, so you know it's all about weddings and wedding culture. I'm Rhiannon Joyce.

[B]

I'm Jo Fleming.

[A]

So this is our second wedding series and if you listen to our first two episodes, you'll know we covered the biggest lessons we learned from our own weddings with Shameless Media, Cindy Liu and our Wedding Regrets with podcaster and writer Jasmine Wallace.

[B]

Today we have a very, very special guest, Andy Towner, the founder of the Bridal Journey, a global wedding media brand that covers the biggest bridal based stories, trends and products. We're so happy to have you here, Andy, welcome.

[C]

I'm happy to be here.

[A]

I don't think I've ever been more excited for an episode. I just said off mic before, damn, why did I get married last year? We didn't run this episode last year because there are going to be so many amazing gems and insights. I adore following your page and your, you know, broader platforms. You've got a digital presence as well, Jo. I know you're the same.

[B]

Absolutely. And when we were putting together this episode and we were thinking of like, what guests do we want for this round of this series? And I was like, andy, Andy, Mandy's gotta be on. We have to have her. The Bridal Journey is like every person's go to when it comes to starting to pull together what their wedding is gonna look like. So we cannot wait to hear from you today.

[C]

Thank you so much. I'm so excited. I've been waiting. I've seen your wedding series and I'm like, when are they going to invite me on? So thank you so much.

[B]

Don't worry, Andy. You've definitely been top of our list to invite onto the podcast.

[A]

A few girls in the office had name dropped, myself included. And Jo, So yes, we're very happy to have you here. So. So in today's episode, we'll be doing a bit of a deep dive into the biggest bridal trends for 2026 and beyond, according to Andy, of course. And we'll also be talking about bridal styling and Andy's journey to building the bridal journey. Because I feel like a lot of people maybe aren't super familiar with this story, but I know will be very interested in it.

[B]

Can we get a little bit of an elevator pitch from you on your own wedding, which I know was in 2021 and then how that ended up becoming the Bridal Journey and what your career is now.

[C]

Yes, well, my wedding. So we were really capped at how many guests we could have. And we had 34 guests at a winery, very local to us, where my husband and I often went for lunch. And it was a huge party. We had a few guests drop out because I had covert at the time. So, yeah, it was a very small wedding. People said it was like 150 people were there. We partied all night. People were vomiting out of the bus on the way home. So it was like a big party. And that's exactly kind of the feel that we wanted for our wedding. So long time ago, many kids in between. But, yeah.

[B]

Would you have done it differently now that you have the Bridal Journey?

[C]

I don't think so. I probably would have kept it quite tight. And we said to ourselves, only invite friends that would be in your bridal party. So, of course friends were kind of left out. It wasn't like as big as what we'd hoped to be, but keeping it nice and tight was probably the perfect option for us.

[A]

Sounds like an absolute hoot. I wish I was invited.

[B]

And so now you have this, you know, massive brand being the Bridal Journey. And I've seen you, like, share this snapshots of the engagement that you get on your social channels as well, and it's just huge. How did this come about?

[C]

I think to go back to the start when I was a teenager, I mean, we didn't have much. I was in a household with just my mum and often I got one little treat and it was a Vogue magazine or Harper's Bazaar, Elle. And I mean, this was the time before social media and I would collect all the magazines and keep them in a tub in the garage and often cut them up and reorganize them, put them into mood boards at the time. So I just love that. Kind of had that real fascination for that entire world of magazines. I brought Grace Coddington's book. It was this huge orange, hefty book that I would read. And she's actually the right hand man to Anna Wintour, so she's their creative director and I would just read that. I love that entire world. And then Fast forward till 2. Year 9, I entered a modelling competition. I know you're probably looking at me being like, model.

[B]

No, you're absolutely one of the most

[A]

glamorous people I've ever. I love that she Was trying to

[B]

be sarcastic then, and we're like, yeah,

[C]

no, actually, no, no, thank you. And I entered this modeling competition at Chadstone. It was sort of like Australia's Next Top Model. It was filmed on Arena TV on Foxtel and they flew us to Sydney because I got into the finals and we had Model Boot Camp. It was aired on tv. The cameras followed us around. And part of that was we were walking in Australian Fashion Week in Sydney for the launch of Vogue Team. So we spent the day at the Vogue head office in Sydney and I got a fitting there and with a stylist and editors there and just loved that entire world. So that kind of really, I guess, pushed me into that entire magazine world. I absolutely loved it at graphic design. I was always making my own magazine front covers and picking all the creative subjects at school. Then it hit year 12 and of course you have your career guidance counsellor meeting and she smacks that big book and says, pick a career. And. And at the time, coming from a small town, it was really unfathomable for me to move to Sydney and work in a magazine. It just wasn't. I think, like now with social media and young girls, you have so many options, but at the time, that's just not something that I would have ever have done. My mum was a teacher and my dad actually a homicide detective. So I came from kind of this working class family who entered these government roles and I selected to be a teacher. So I went to university to study teaching whilst working at Manning Cartel in Sassambaij. So I got a bit of a taste for fashion there. And I also volunteered at all the Melbourne fashion weeks that I could, helping gaffer tape shoes and fit models into outfits. I just loved it. So I did that on the side and whilst at Suss and Bige, I mean, this is when Instagram just started. So I would walk through Chadstone in my bright blue sheer dress with the orange nail polish, you know, that fluorine and you know, the silver metal belt and thinking my shit didn't stink. Walking down Chadstone like, this is amazing. And I worked with a friend and we started a blog called Snob. Now, Jo, you've mentioned Snob before on the podcast and I was at the time rewinding back before Instagram. So this is like another world of Tumblr blogs and, you know, Harper and Harley, the blonde salad, they all hate us. They were all around at the time. And to get your fashion inspirational mood boarding, you would go onto these blogs, you wouldn't access it. Via Instagram or Pinterest. It wasn't really a thing. You. You go on these blogs and you'll have a look. And so we started this blog called Snob, and we got invited to all these events in Melbourne. It was very, very exciting. We were starting to get gifting from brands, which really seems quite normal now. But at the time, that just wasn't a thing. People weren't getting that. And we got advice from Roxy Jenko at the time, who said, you need to start getting your own content. Like, we'd love to sign you on. Cause at the time, we were getting a million hits a month to the website. Like, it was huge. And Instagram had just launched. And we built our Instagram up to 50,000 followers, which seems so small now, but when Instagram launched, it was huge. And at the time, we had more followers than Al Ferguson's blog. They all hate us. It was big. Like, people still stop me in bathrooms today and say, you know, did you have a blog called Snob?

[B]

I did exactly that to you. I was like, where do I know you from?

[C]

Yeah, yeah. So big. At the time. We got this advice to start creating our own content from Roxy Jasenko. And at the time, I was working at Manning Cartel, and Nadia Bartel would come in and she had Chronicles of Nadia, I think it was called. And she would come in and she would borrow outfits and go shoot them for the day and then bring them back at the end of the day and return it. And it's just something that we just didn't see the eye for at the time. We didn't know that this influencer world would really blow up. And at the time, we had more followers than Elle Ferguson, and they all hate us. But Elle started taking photos of herself in denim shorts in front of this semicircle garage door, and she blew up. And we did it, and we just stayed very stagnant. I went into my teaching job, which was secure, you know, I got a weekly income, and we just didn't run with it. So that's where the journey led me, no pun intended, to the bridal journey. Because at the time, I really loved doing all that stuff. I was teaching, and I just thought, you know, there's nothing really editorial out there for brides to be. It was all very traditional, what you were seeing. There were a lot of American style kind of blogs, and I created the Bridal Journey.

[A]

I. I am obsessed with this story because I did not know a lot of this. And I don't think a lot of our listeners Would as well. I also feel like at that time, it's funny you say, like, with the gift of hindsight and looking at how big profiles are now, particularly on Instagram and how many followers you had, that is insane. In the early days. Can I ask a question? When it came to that decision to launch the Bridal Journey, why did you go into bridal? Why not stay in fashion?

[C]

I think because I traditionally know that I don't really have an eye for style, but I really loved mood boarding and storytelling. I think essentially marketing. I was, I had that more eye for that creativity rather than fashion itself. And at the time I just saw this demand for it. I obviously wasn't married or engaged, but knew I would be one day and I was like, this is what I need to create. I just saw a gap in the market at the time.

[A]

I followed it well before I was engaged as well. And I think to your point, it's knowing it's going to come and it's good to kind of see what other people are doing. It's also nice to have a little bit of a sticky babe.

[C]

Yes. I don't think you ever move past that. And especially, you know, we do pieces for mother in law dresses. And I think everyone's kind of involved with someone who's getting married, whether it's your little sister or you yourself are a mum and your daughter's getting married. It's just a widespread audience that are really engaged and everyone kind of loves that storytelling piece behind a wedding and how you know what their wedding looked like. And we all love following that type of content. I think there's also a bit of

[A]

an intersection with branding and marketing. I'm seeing more of that as well. A lot of people taking inspiration for their weddings from wedding publications, but also branding activations and in reverse, because I'm constantly looking for sources of inspiration for when we do events or, you know, styling. And if we were to do an editorial feature, what does that look like? I often go to the Bridal Journey for that as well. So there is this really interesting cross section. Next we'll be getting into the biggest bridal trends of 2026. But that will be right after a word from today's sponsor. There are milestones in life where only a diamond will do. Obviously, marriages are right at the top of the list. An engagement ring celebrates your future together. A wedding band marks a lifelong promise. And together they become family heirlooms. So your love story lasts for generations with so much sentimental value. And let's be honest, when you're looking at these pieces every single day. There's never been a more important purchase. Our friends at Michael Hill know this. They believe those life changing moments deserve more than just a memory. They deserve a diamond or two. What you might not know is that with Michael Hill, you can design a piece that's uniquely yours. From the diamond shape and carrot to the style and precious metal. Whether it's an engagement ring, wedding band, or even a tennis bracelet, you can craft the perfect piece for your moment. This April is diamond season at Michael Hill, which is a month long celebration with premium services, expert knowledge and some of the most incredible diamonds you've ever seen. And did we mention exclusive offers on diamonds as well as a gift with purchase? Visit Michael Hill this diamond season online or in store to try on luxury bridal pieces. Find special gifts and choose your wedding event jewelry. My hot tip, their luxurious diamond tennis bracelets and necklaces should be on the top of your list. Thank you so much to Michael Hill for making this and episode of Stylish possible.

[B]

So, Andy, we hear a lot about wedding trends and I'm very interested to hear your predictions. What bridal trends do you predict will be big in 2026 and beyond? Because there'll be lots of brides planning for 2027 weddings as well.

[C]

So I firstly want to discuss the fashion side of things. I think the brides today are really fashion literate, so they're following the Runway. I think we're looking at the fall 2026. So Simone Rocher, Kate Loewe, Schiaparelli. So I think the brides are really kind of going to that straight off the Runway look. And right now the bridal wardrobe is a huge thing. So brides are opting in for like multiple looks across their wedding. So I think that's going to be a huge thing. And often brides are starting to hire stylists to help them pull together an entire look for their wedding. So I think that's going to be a huge thing. But when I said, you know, we're looking at look straight for from the Runway into the wedding, I think this is going to be a whole new category, particularly with those vintage archival looks that are coming through. So we've just seen Margot Robbie off her press tour for Wuthering Heights and she wore a archival Galliano outfit at her press tour. So it's this razor sharp tailoring. So I think brides are really looking to what A is on the Runway and B, that archival fashion look because we're often seeing, you know, Andrew Vucamel, who is Margot Robbie's stylist, he's styling her in a lot of archival pieces and I've seen brides starting to do that too. So Carol Tran, I don't know if you follow her. Yes, I do follow her. Influencer in Sydney and stylist. I interviewed her on the podcast. She got an archival piece that is what she wanted to wear for our wedding. And I think a lot of brides are kind of opting in for something different that they're not seeing. With a bit of history as well.

[A]

It feels there is this shift to secondhand bespoke looking for something that is indeed entirely unique. I've also noticed a lot of pages popping up. People sourcing vintage archival dresses and offering them at a much more affordable price point as well. Do you have any wrecks on any pages or anyone who do that really well?

[C]

Do I ever.

[A]

Here we go.

[C]

A lot of them are overseas. I mean you can probably dig around and find some. I know some brides are looking to Etsy. I had one Bride who owns 1208 vintage and she actually recreates pieces and she wore one for her wedding and actually brought a corset to wear over this like 60s style slip in that it's not that ivory color, it's more like that champagne look.

[A]

Gorgeous.

[C]

So she brought like a yet modern corset and wore it over the slip and looked amazing.

[B]

That's on the dress side of things and the fashion side of weddings. Any other trends that you're picking up for styling of weddings?

[C]

So I think with styling of weddings moving forward, we're really going into that wedding branding and hyper personalization. So I think. And Ray, you can probably chat to this. I think brides are on social media, they're living on TikTok and they're seeing all these really cool brand of activations from events. And I think what brides are going to be doing is really personalizing their weddings with these really cool brand touch points. And I want to reference this wedding that we featured on the bridal journey. Their names were Sophia and Dan and they had a two part celebration. And I really loved this wedding because it was just entirely unique to them. So I had a Burning man wedding. They got married in the desert and they had their guests like riding bikes. It was like this Burning man theme. It was like incredible. And then they had a second wedding and it was the theme of lucid dreaming. So it was like you were entering this lucid dream and the guests were in sparkles and Bright colors. And it was at this kaleidoscope garden, like this amazing garden. And they had bubble gums on the dance floor. So it was just this really cool theme and this Y2K feeling to their wedding. And I don't know what it is because I couldn't find anything written about it. But they had this bar where they were making like these. They had like these takeaway big slushy cups and they were kind of rolling, they had all these activations, they're rolling like this amazing sprinkle design and giving out these drinks and it was just like all really like personalised and branding to who they were as a couple. So I think that moving forward, I think brides kind of are planning a day for an experience rather than performative. So rather than being like very performative and doing the Champagne Tower, they're looking to really entertain their guests with these touch point moments, make it really integrated.

[A]

It's interesting seeing a move away from this traditional wedding culture as well and that copy paste wedding, like people are really trying to create this bespoke experience. You also can do that on so many different budgets. A few of my friends are really leaning into the goal is for their wedding to be a party. So they're actually omitting a lot of those traditional formats of a wedding, whether that be a father, daughter, dance, you know, even traditional ceremonies, little things like that to make it feel really unique and bespoke feels like it's popping up a lot more.

[C]

Yeah. And I mean you don't have to do any of that stuff. And I think I fell into the trap of this when planning my own wedding was you feel like you need to do those things like the first dance and have like I had my mum walk me down the aisle and I carried my daughter because she was one. And I think you get stuck into thinking that you need to do all this stuff. But ultimately at the end of the day I think the celebrant needs to say some particular words and you need to sign the document. That's all you need to do. So I think like brides moving forward are going to create like these fun branding experience and touch points to their wedding. For instance, you know, having cake, people rolling out a tray and like delivering cake out of a thing or ice cream or experiences throughout the wedding or personalizing it to them as a couple. And another example, I interviewed Georgie from After the Rock. She's a wedding planner in Sydney. She has five weddings a year or something and nothing's under like a million dollars. Or something insane. Very like niche planner, mind you. And she does. These weddings are always different to who the couple is. And she often says when planning weddings with clients is to look at things that you and your husband love. So do you like going to this Italian restaurant or what music do you like? What does your house look like? And then they build the wedding around that as a couple. So I think that's something that people need to think about is who you are as a couple and how to bring that into your wedding.

[A]

That's a great tip. We've been talking about wedding content a lot over the past few episodes and, and how there's been a shift to different types of content you can create at a wedding. And we're seeing the rise of lo fi content. Do you think that trend will continue or what other trends are you seeing when it comes to capturing content specifically at weddings?

[C]

Yes, a hundred percent. I think gone are the days of those post stage photos. I myself, when I'm choosing to feature a wedding, will often get photos from the guests because I think they, I go into the tag photos and I'll select random little videos in posts and that's the content that tends to perform the best on my own channel. And I think that's what people want to see. They don't want to see anything overly staged by a photographer. And I think that's why there's a rise of content creators. The guests and the bridesmaids get amazing content. I interviewed the founders of Guest Picks and it's a platform where people take photos and all get shared into one album. And I think that's going to be like the content creation moving forward is guests are going to be creating the content for the couple.

[B]

I don't know if I could trust all my guests to get the content for my wedding.

[A]

Wow.

[C]

I know after a couple of drinks it depends who the. Who the guests are.

[B]

My dad with his phone landscape.

[A]

I will toot my own horn here. I feel I would be a very good guest to capture weddings same.

[B]

But I don't know that every guest would be cut out for that. Okay, so just to go back to dresses because obviously that is one of the most important things of the day. What dress styles, silhouettes, fabrics do you think is set to dominate for wedding dresses in 2026, 2027? I know that you go to New York for that bridal fashion. When is that, by the way?

[C]

That's a two weeks ago.

[B]

Yeah, I was gonna say it's normally

[C]

start a few and I'm panicking a little bit internally about that one. Yes.

[B]

Well, you'll probably have more insights after that. But what are you seeing now in terms of not even just bridal gowns, but also bridesmaids dresses and mother of the bride, mother of the groom dressing?

[C]

Yeah, Well, I definitely think that princess gown is losing dominance. Again, what I said earlier about bride selecting things that they're seeing Margot Robbie wear or we're getting inspiration from the Runway and what they're serving there. So I think moving forward, that architecturally sculpted corset look is going to be in. It's not going away with that kind of 18th century cinching, you know, that really fully constructed waistline. And when we're looking at the history of wedding gowns, it's always been that traditional look and feel. They haven't been necessarily the trend thing. It's not like you're looking at Schiaparelli and there's a wedding dress. But I think we're kind of blurring the lines between the two. So if you're looking at the Runway content, perhaps what Margot Robbie's wearing on her Wuthering Heights tour, I think that's really going to start filtering down to wedding dresses and that whole bridal wedding wardrobe look. So it's going to be a shift away from kind of that clean, modern default, and we're going to see a lot of, like, that texture, history, narrative moving forward with the silhouettes and that causetry and the silhouette and the shape is going to be the statement.

[A]

It feels quite regal. Very Bridgerton esque.

[C]

Very really Bridgerton. You've seen, like, Bridgerton come out Wuthering Heights. I think people are going to really lean into what they're seeing in, like, that pop culture, and they're going to be trend driven by that.

[A]

I've also noticed a shift away from that traditional white. You touched on champagne before. I actually wore champagne for my second outfit, which was a corset skirt. But I'm seeing a lot more dresses pop up on social media that are leaning more into that office white champagne color. Is that going away or is that staying?

[C]

Although the pantone color is cloud dancer, isn't it? This year, which is like a stark white. I think we're going to be moving away from that stark white into ivory bone and that antique cream. People are really wanting that, like, otherworldly old look from, you know, the 18th century kind of vibe and feel. So we're going to see, you know, that moody lace off whites, ribbons, chokers.

[B]

Have you noticed as well a Lot of bridal designers are getting a bit more experimental with their designs as well. Like you spoke to that like sculptural stuff as well. Maybe 10 years ago we just saw bridal designers all doing the same thing. It feels like there's a bit more variety now. Would you agree?

[C]

Yeah, I think definitely when I go to New York for New York Bridal Fashion Week, a lot of those bigger bridal houses are all very much sticking to what they've always done. But the newer designers coming through like Mason, Margot and what Kaia's doing, they're these really trend driven fashion forward pieces. And then a lot of brands are launching their own bridal collections. You saw Skims this week launch her bridal collection. I think it's like lacy lingerie, but that can be worn to the after party kind of look and feel. So there's so many brands that are really branching out to bridal. It's obviously a huge category that does really well for them. Like I had a meeting yesterday with do you know Rotate? They're a Copenhagen brand. I had a meeting with them yesterday because they're launching another bridal collection and they said the bridal collection part of their brand is the biggest seller for them. But you wouldn't identify them with a bridal brand, would you? Like when you think of Rotay, I think like cool skirts and leather jackets. So I think all these brands have really caught onto the idea that people want all these different pieces for their wedding wardrobe and they're all branching out into bridal. If you want that traditional gown. There's so many designers that offer that. But I think a lot are kind of moving towards more trendier pieces even

[A]

in a local setting. Meshki is top of mind for me. It feels that their bridal selection is going gangbusters. I do want to move away from the bride itself and focus on wedding guests because I'm seeing so much and obviously I'm the demographic and I'm in the market. I've got five weddings in this year. I'm so drawn to what is a different style you can opt for for different wedding guest outfits. What trends are you seeing come through for a wedding guest dress?

[C]

Yeah, I think people are really moving away from a minimal design. Guests are really leaning into something fun for the wedding. So sequins guests are really going to be moving towards something really fun and colored and bright and I think that's going to be coming back in a little bit rather than something like minimalistic and pale blue.

[B]

Are you seeing a lot more Brides and grooms setting a dress code of black tie because they want guests to show up a bit dressier and a bit more like, I don't know, really leaning into this event that's their wedding.

[C]

I don't know necessarily like black tie, but I think a lot of couples are setting a theme for their wedding.

[A]

I've noticed this as well.

[C]

Yeah. So they're picking a theme, whether it

[A]

be Italian garden party.

[C]

Yeah. And I've heard even of some brides sending the guests a mood board of outfits they could potentially wear.

[A]

I've also heard I have received this.

[C]

Have you?

[A]

I have.

[B]

How did you feel about that as a guest, Ray?

[A]

I don't love it. I want to be delicate here because I think at the end of the day, if someone has a vision of what they want, something to look and feel, I understand the need to, like, want people to meet that expectation. We did talk about, famously, on the stylish episode, one of the creators in the US who had sent a mood board and then allegedly had shoppable links attached.

[C]

Was she getting like a kickback on that? Apparently it was shot. My. Allegedly.

[A]

Allegedly. That's a whole nother layer for me. But I think if it's not about covering certain brands and more so just trying to give inspiration for people who might not be as fashion focused as what you are as a bride or potentially your friendship group, potentially a lot of older people as well, can be helpful.

[C]

And I mean, to your point as well, we did a poll last week about how many of our audience are having destination weddings and it was 43%. And I think the dust has really settled from COVID and people are starting to go out. I mean, now, of course, there's some barriers to that at the moment with what's going on the world, but I think with the planning, a lot of people are organising destination wedding events. So therefore they're having that black tie moment at their wedding overseas.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

One challenge that I found with dressing for my own wedding was mother of the bride, mother of the groom. Are there any tips around that that you could share?

[C]

It's really tricky and it's often like a question that we get asked a lot. And I did do a post about the mother of the bride and it went insane. Like the engagement on it, it's becoming like you don't have to wear that one shoulder satin dress. Like you can dress really cool as the mother of the bride. And I offered all these options and I think a good starting place for mother of the bride or Mother of the groom. I might be getting this wrong, but I think it's called Taller Marmo. It's that one shouldered feathered gown that you see. And they do so many incredible, beautiful pieces. So I think mother of the bride and mother of the groom can really kind of step out of what they're kind of expected traditionally wear.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. My mum wore strapless and she was like, oh, I don't know, I don't know about having, you know, strapless. And I was like, it looks great. You're probably never gonna wear something like this ever again and you look amazing.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So let's just wear that.

[C]

Well, my mum wore a suit, I think. Yeah. She just thought, I'm not wearing something from Rachel Gilbert. I'm just not me. So she stuck to a tailored suit.

[B]

Yeah. Love it.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, while we're here, my mum wore a.

[B]

Go on.

[A]

She wore this gorgeous like spaghetti strap, a line sequin dress. And my mom has great taste and also is very adventurous with her outfits. And I gave her no description of what she had to wear. It was like free reign. And she looked unreal. And then she had this gorgeous little. I love how older women always have that over the shoulder shawl or something. I need, I need more of those. I need to invest in those because they always look so shit chic and so put together. And I'm like, the full outfit is fitting. Yeah, well done, mums.

[C]

But, but I do understand it's. It's hard, it's really hard for them to. And they're so stressed about it. It's the one thing, and I don't think a lot of brands really cater to women of that demographic.

[B]

Such a missed opportunity. More brands need to lean into this.

[A]

Can I add one more tip just before we move on to the next question? I've noticed a lot of older women in my life. My mother, my mother in law and a few people adjacent have actually been taking inspiration from Runway looks or gowns that they're seeing online that are really high price point and actually going to a dressmaker, getting it made at a fraction of the cost.

[C]

Also a great wedding tip. Yeah. For brides. Yeah. Okay.

[A]

There you go.

[C]

Yeah, yeah. Someone did tell me that the other day. They said, you know, you should, it's much cheaper to kind of bring a look.

[B]

And yeah, my mother in law did that.

[A]

Okay, there you go.

[B]

Next we'll be getting into some quick fire recs followed by Andy's best bridal styling tips. But that will be right after a word from Today's sponsor.

[A]

When you're engaged, everyone will tell you to savor the wedding day because it'll be gone in a flash. That's why your jewelry is so important. It's not just something to wear on the day. Your diamonds become a keepsake and heirloom that will carry your story through generations. And the best place to find your dream diamonds is Michael Hill. This April, they're celebrating diamond season with exclusive offers on diamonds and a gift with purchase to make your moment even more unforgettable. Whether you're choosing your own wedding day jewelry or looking to save spoil your bridesmaids, you won't want to miss this. Visit Michael Hill online or in store this diamond season. And thank you so much to Michael Hill for making this episode of stylish possible. All right, quick fire round. You guys know we absolutely love a recommendation and as the founder of the bridal journey, we know you're going to have an abundance of Rex Andy. So let's kick off. What shoe brands and styles do you see brides opting for time and time again?

[C]

I will say we have had a huge response with a Tony Bianco nonnie ivory brocade, I think it's called. It's $219. It's white lace. I think we've sold $4,000 worth on our shop. My of that one shoe, which tells me, popular, popular, cheap option, great to have. However, if brides want to go for something a little bit more spendy because it's your wedding day, you can't probably go past Jimmy Choo. It's expensive. But you can get so many different heel heights and different options and really kind of customize it to you. And it's often when I see brides, I'm always tagging Jimmy Choo. Jimmy Choo. Every single wedding in the vendor credits.

[B]

I got mine from ASOS.

[C]

Oh, yeah?

[A]

How much?

[B]

Like 50 bucks maybe.

[A]

That's great.

[B]

Yeah. I just didn't care. I was like, no one's going to see them.

[C]

Well, yeah, it depends if you're seeing it or.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Do you have a bridal trend at the moment that you feel like is overdone?

[C]

Champagne tower, did you do it?

[A]

Can I be honest? Story time. We weren't planning on doing it, but they had a wedding the week before and they'd left the champagne tower there. So we got it for free because our wedding venue was like, it's already here. Do you just want to do it? And we went, sure. I find them a little awkward in saying that one of our favorite photos is of us like doing a pour and we look quite good. So not bring it back. All right. What is a product every bride should have with them on their wedding day?

[C]

A good steamer.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

Especially for your bridesmaid bridal party with their dresses. Often that gets forgotten. And another thing is a run sheet. Now this is like my marketing founder brain here. My husband did not tell the driver for my car, the address and none of us had our phones on us. It was just something that got. I was 20 minutes late to my own wedding. I'm never late to anything. I think every bride or couple create a run sheet of the day and really go through the logistics of the entire day. So we know who's in charge of this, what mobile number to call if the transportation isn't there. Create like a whole run sheet.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And there'd be a million online that you can find and download.

[B]

Great call for brides looking for a more accessibly priced dress. What brands would you recommend?

[C]

Kaya do a great sample sale. So I would look to them. They have lines out the door and blocks down for their sample sales. Made with love do great affordable pieces. The Bridal Journey Marketplace. The second hand. That's fair enough. And also I think it's a dress worn for a couple of hours and often they're in pristine condition. Why wouldn't you buy something for 40% off? And you can often negotiate with a bride. So I think that's a great idea. And then off the rack options like your Meshki. They do great affordable pieces under a thousand dollars. You can pick up a dress from them for $600.

[A]

Great options. Something that's coming up a lot in my friendship group because a lot of my friends are at that life stage where they're getting married. Is a lot of brides want advice on bridal styling. We know obviously it can be so challenging to style a wedding outfit in a way that genuinely reflects you and your personal style. But it's also hard because you want it to feel special and timeless enough that you look back on it in years to come and still love it. What's your tip?

[C]

I think my first tip and after interviewing so many people on the podcast would be look at the outfits you love to wear and when you felt the best and really analyze those pieces. So I would be looking at did the outfit have sleeves? What was kind of the neckline? Was it scoop neck? Was it high necked like I would look at. Was it halter neck? Look at the pieces in your Wardrobe that you're reaching for that you really love. Did it have sleeves? Did not have sleeves. And then I would build your dress around that. So what you feel good in, not what you're potentially seeing online and perhaps being influenced by others.

[A]

I feel so many people fall into this trap. It is so hard not to be influenced by social media. And obviously you want to take inspiration like from your pages in a way where it's. You're getting ideas, but you don't want it to change who you are and what you actually like based on what's trending. I found the dress the hardest, where I really had to anchor my thoughts and stay true to who I am and what I like. So much so that I knew the dress that I wanted from the get go. And I've spoken about this on the podcast before in the previous series. I didn't try on any other dresses. I just went that one because I knew that style suits me. I knew it was something that I would be really happy to look back on in 10 years time and be like, I'm glad I wore that. Was it reflective of like what was trendy at the time and what was really popular? No. Did I love it? Yes.

[C]

Yes. And then I think on the flip side of that is go in with an open mind. Often when I interview brides for the podcast, they say I went for something that I didn't necessarily think.

[A]

Too bad for me.

[C]

A lot of people do say that. So they almost say that the dress that I ended up going with in the end was something that I did not have in my mind at all.

[A]

Did you do that? Kind of, sort of, yeah.

[B]

I just didn't really know what I wanted at all.

[C]

Yeah. So I think like, sometimes it's important to maybe go in not with a rigid idea of what you exactly want because something might fit you that isn't necessarily what you thought about in your mind either.

[A]

So some of the examples you've given Bougie Love. I'm sure a lot of our listeners might not have like huge amounts of money to be able to spend on their wedding day. Can you give us any tips or tricks or suggestions on how do you emulate that style of event without having to, you know, spend that amount of money?

[C]

Yeah, well, I would be looking at your three kind of non negotiables as a couple. So do you and your partner really value food and drinking and put more of your money spend towards that and then kind of take money away from other things such as flowers, if that's not important or decor of your wedding if that's not important. So I would sit down with your partner, work out what your 3 kind of non negotiables is. Is it music and entertainment? And then I'd put your spend there, most importantly, and then look at little. There's so many tips on TikTok and the Internet. For instance, we moved our ceremony flowers inside to our reception, which save money. So you don't necessarily need a big budget to have an amazing wedding. And also it's important to remember it is just one day. Your guests are there to probably have fun. So I think that's important to remember when you're building out your wedding top three negotiables. That's where you spend your money and then the rest can kind of go from there. And just remember how do you want your guests to feel and how do you and your partner want to feel on the day is most important?

[B]

A lot of people say act as a guest at your wedding. Like, don't feel like you have to entertain people, but you enjoy your own wedding day. And so that's a huge part of that as well.

[C]

Yeah, exactly.

[A]

Guys, we're finished.

[C]

No.

[A]

Andy, thank you so much for being our special guest. And thank you for joining us for the third and final episode of the second edition of our wedding series by Stylish. Guys, we'll be back in your ears next Wednesday for our regular weekly app and we'll see you then.

[C]

Thank you for having me.

[B]

Thanks, Andy. Bye.

[A]

This podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri land.

[B]

Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.

[D]

Very exciting news. Australian Fashion Week is back this May and Stylish is on board as an official media partner for 2026. From the 11th to the 15th, Sydney's MCA will come to life as a central hub and it's shaping up to be something really special. Led by the Australian Fashion Council, this new chapter is all about bringing industry and audiences together while spotlighting the incredible talent that's coming out of Australia right now. From emerging talent to the designers we already know and love, it's more than just shows, it's access, it's energy, and it's a front row seat to where fashion is heading next. Trust me, you're going to want to be in the room. Hit the link in our show notes to find out more. You can grab a ticket for a show or register for our very own Stylish panel event. We absolutely cannot wait to see you there.