The wedding wardrobe has become something that’s become expected of modern brides, but what if one dress is enough? A swing back to keeping things simple—but no less iconic—when it comes to bridal style is something many are embracing by choosing to wear just one wedding ‘fit for the big day. It’s time to normalize saying yes to just one dress.
When Austin Braxton-Smith got married last September, she and her husband hosted 65 guests for their romantic outdoor garden wedding. When she started thinking about what she wanted to wear for the day, Braxton-Smith knew it would be a singular dress, and one of the main reasons behind that decision was she didn’t want to take miss a minute of her wedding day by stepping away to switch up her looks.
“So many people had told me my wedding day would fly by,” says Braxton-Smith. “I didn’t want to take any time away from it once I was in the room with my husband and our guests.”
Braxton-Smith’s wedding dress experience was one of those kismet experiences in that she found the perfect one on her first try-on. She chose a dreamy stretch mesh, corset bodice gown with drop-shoulder cap sleeves shoulders and a sweeping A-line silhouette from the bridal brand Wtoo.
“When I found the dress, I knew I wouldn’t want to wear anything else on my wedding day,” she smiles. “After the ceremony, I bustled the train, so it felt like a fresh look with the same dress. I did not feel like I needed another dress and the one thing I caution brides-to-be to remember is there are many wedding trends that come and go, but when it comes down to it there are no rules.”
Toronto-based prop stylist Emily Howes is having a late summer 2025 wedding which she describes as being a timeless and classic affair with a Nancy Meyers-inspired aesthetic. There will be colourful florals and loads of personal décor touches that pay homage to her pup Cabot and her fiancé Troy’s love of golf. When it comes to her bridal fashion story, though she has bought two dresses, she has decided to wear only one on wedding day.
“I bought the second dress option at a sample sale before I had my first official bridal boutique appointment and it was a ‘just in case’ purchase,” Howes shares. “Almost every wedding I have gone to in the last few years the bride has changed into another dress. I felt like I needed to have another dress so I picked this one up with the intention it would be my number two.”
When Howes set out to formally shop for her wedding gown with her mom, she found it at the second store they went to. “I wanted a gown that made me feel confident and beautiful, and one that was a bit different than what I’ve seen brides wearing on social media,” she explains. “I fell hard for my dress, and suddenly the dress I was thinking about for my second option did not feel special. There are few times in your life you get to wear a big gown, and I am only going to wear it once, so why not make it really count.”
Another thing driving her decision to wear one dress for her day is that Howes says she does not want to look more casual than her guests on the dancefloor wearing a bridal mini with her wedding guests still in formal attire. “I will wear that dress for our rehearsal dinner or another bridal event. I may even take it on our honeymoon!” —Alison McGill
Photo courtesy of Alyne by Rita Vinieris
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