Top 20 Memorable TV Wedding Dresses

Kate Beckett is a character in a TV drama, which means her wedding won’t happen so easily. In the season finale episode of “Castle” Season 6, Kate and Rick are scheduled to be wed. Everything seems to be in order, until it isn’t, of course. The dress Beckett dons is her mother’s, and it is a thing of elegant beauty. Designed by Alberta Ferretti, the gown features an illusion neckline adorned with lace appliqué that extends to the back. It’s really a stunning dress, perfect for a dramatic ending in which Beckett thinks her groom-to-be has been killed in a fiery car crash.

Season 9 of “How I Met Your Mother” took place over a single weekend: that of Robin and Barney’s wedding. So it’s safe to say the wedding was long-anticipated, if highly unexpected for viewers of the earlier seasons of the show. Robin would probably look great in any old frock, but for her wedding, she dons a Monique Lhuillier gown, a name famously associated with wedding couture. The gown is a mermaid style, with a sheer bolero-style sleeve. It’s simple, yet timelessly elegant, and the rhinestone belt and simple jewelry accent the piece perfectly. It’s a gown that, despite its simplicity, is worth the season-long wait.

TV weddings were always a big deal in the pre-streaming days, as the build-up was anxiety-inducing even for viewers. Also, kids, we had to run to get a snack during the commercial break and race back so we didn’t miss a thing. In Season 4 of “Full House,” Becky and Jesse finally tied the knot. The dress Becky wore, though it now seems perhaps a little dated, was really a thing of awe for 90s folk. The off-shoulder, puff-sleeve, princess-like gown made us all swoon. Even that odd-looking enormous embellished headdress was cool back then. In an interview with show producer Jeff Franklin, it was revealed that this was actually actress Lori Loughlin’s wedding gown.

Fans of “Sherlock,” ignore what ends up happening with this bride. Let’s just focus on the wedding and the gown. The secondary characters are often a little buried in this show, due to Sherlock’s overpowering personality. However, in this episode, Mary Morstan definitely got our attention in this wedding gown. It was designed by Jane Bourvis, a designer known for her vintage lace style pieces. Mary wears a cap-sleeved, V-neck white gown with a light sepia-toned lace overlay and belt. The vintage feel is definitely there, which nicely blends the original source material of the show with the modernized version. Lace was a major Victorian wedding dress staple.

“This Is Us” jumps back and forth in time, and for this dress, we find ourselves in 1976. Rebecca wears a beautiful, long-sleeved lace gown reminiscent of the 1960s, complete with flowers in her hair. The cut and overall style of the dress was very much in fashion in the 1970s, and actress Mandy Moore pulls it off ever-so-elegantly. The pair marries at the courthouse, which, let’s face it, isn’t the place for over-the-top princess garb. This dress is perfect for the occasion, and is simple in the best way. It pairs nicely with the pile of tissues we require when watching the show.

For another long-awaited TV drama hook-up, in Season 9 of “Bones,” Brennan and Booth finally tied the knot. Not all of the gowns on our list are greatly adorned and reminiscent of cake toppers, and with Temperance Brennan, no one expected anything elaborate. True to character, Brennan wore a simplistic yet elegant off-shoulder dress with a subtle lace overlay on the bodice. The ultimate simplicity of the gown is matched with the lack of jewelry. Honestly, we’re all for this type of dress, as it has a more realistic feel to it, character-wise and real-life-wise. And who needs jewelry when you’ve got such lovely collarbones! Get it? Bones? Ok, we’re done.

“NCIS” is one of those shows that has been on-air for what seems like forever (actually since 2003), so there are bound to be a few weddings in the mix. Perhaps the most memorable was that of Timothy McGee and Delilah Fielding, in part due to this amazing wedding gown. The gown has a silky, ethereal look, with a deep-V neckline ending in a sort of sheer lace modesty panel. Her veil matches the dress nicely, with its beading and lace embellishment. It’s a great choice of style for a person of limited mobility, as it appears just as elegant in a seated position, with the eye gravitating towards the top half of the dress regardless of the bride’s stance.

Let’s go back to the 90s once again… In “A Different World,” Whitley Gilbert is all set to marry Byron, but clearly has stronger feelings for Dwayne. Thankfully, Dwayne interrupts the wedding, and in typical TV fashion, ends up marrying her instead at the same ceremony. Anyway, let’s have a look at the super-90s style dress. We’d all expect her to wear something elaborate, and she doesn’t disappoint! Honestly, we have to say it’s a little bit of a gaudy dress, but memorable all the same. Whitley’s dress boasts some rather large puff or gigot-style sleeves, and so many bodice beads that we’re surprised she can maintain her posture. The headpiece is, let’s face it, a little unnecessary. The 90s strikes hard on this one!

Indian weddings are elaborate, beautiful, colorful affairs, and in “New Girl,” Cece (of Indian heritage) marries Schmidt, who is Jewish. The two combine their traditions to create a wedding that features a bit of both cultures, and the result is perfect. Cece wears a dress designed by costume designer Debra McGuire. It is a white gown, with gold-tone Jacquard-design overlay, topped with a beautiful, red-trimmed veil (red being the centuries-old Indian wedding color of choice). She looks absolutely stunning, and the look perfectly marries (excuse the pun) American and Indian styles. And Schmidt’s yarmulke matches her gown perfectly!

Kerry Washington could probably wear a dress made entirely of discarded paper bags, and she’d still look stunning. In her turn at the altar in “Scandal,” though it was only an imagined scenario, Olivia Pope wore a dress designed by famed bridal designer Anne Barge. It was a ball-gown style, silk, and chiffon with off-shoulder cap sleeves. The sweetheart neckline and simple embellishment of the rhinestone belt added exactly what the look needed, and she looked flawless. Honestly, it looks like it was made specifically for her and no one else. It’s a classic look, but still doesn’t stop us from letting out a little gasp.

Anyone who was around and young in the 90s watched “Boy Meets World” (remember TGIF?). We all secretly hoped Topanga and Cory would tie the knot, but it’s safe to say we didn’t think we’d see it happen, given their ages at the start of the show. But, hey! We got our wish in Season 7! Topanga wore a taffeta and lace ball gown, with off-shoulder lace sleeves, and some flower embellishments. Honestly, despite its slightly gaudy florals and overly large train, the dress is classic and made all 90s kids jealous.

We’re going a little further back for this one, to the 1980s. Soap operas were a much bigger deal back then, and soap opera weddings were basically televised events. “General Hospital” has been going since 1963, and Laura and Luke’s nuptials really was an event in 1981. The wedding episode boasted 30 million viewers, which is astoundingly high by today’s soap opera standards. Naturally, Laura had to have a stunning frock, so as to not disappoint the masses. Laura wore a very white, puff-sleeved gown, with long sleeves tapered at the wrists with pearl buttons. The lace-embellished Barbie-reminiscent veil topped the look. Sure, it’s dated, but the gown was definitely a highlight in the biggest daytime TV wedding of all time.

Not all wedding gowns are elaborate. “Grey’s Anatomy” has seen its share of weddings in its years on the air. Some featured wedding gown bliss, such as Callie and Arizona’s two-gown ceremony, while others remained on the subtle side. In Season 7, Cristina and Owen tied the knot in a simple, sweet ceremony. Cristina wore a red cocktail dress, featuring a deep-V neckline, and very simplistic necklace. Honestly, actress Sandra Oh doesn’t need a big white marshmallow gown. The simplicity of this look is just as elegant as any other wedding attire, and it also perfectly matches Owen’s tie, so that’s a nice touch.

When “The Big Bang Theory” began, we couldn’t quite imagine Penny hooking up with any of her neighbors. However, over time, we began to root for Penny and Leonard, despite their obvious differences. In their second ceremony, held for family and friends, Penny donned a simple, short white dress with a scalloped hem and thickly embroidered overlay. It’s a bit of an odd look, perhaps not everyone’s bread and butter, but it has a sort of vintage, hippie charm, especially with the floral crown hairstyle. Some may prefer her first Vegas wedding look, simple yet also not so much wedding attire.

In “Downton Abbey,” they obviously have no choice but to have vintage styles, as the original series is set between 1912 and 1926. There are a couple of weddings, but honestly, the most memorable is arguably that of Mary and Matthew Crawley. Lady Mary wears a simple, modern (for that time), flowing, Grecian-inspired frock, with a lower waistline that was fashionable in that era. The dress is historically accurate, as Edwardian gowns were more elaborate, and “Downton” depicts a movement away from Edwardian and into Modern era fashions. “Downton” also saw Rose get hitched, in a different style (albeit still Grecian inspired). Rose’s gown had an empire waistline, and revealed a little more skin; she is more promiscuous and daring than Lady Mary in the series.

“Sex and the City” was a very fashionable show. Therefore, the less elaborate frocks stood out, such was the case with Charlotte’s wedding gown. In typical TV irony, Charlotte York marries her divorce attorney, Harry Goldenblatt. For the ceremony, she wears a Badgley Mischka gown with a bias-cut and lace trim. The straps create a sort of “cold-shoulder” look, combined with the off-shoulder-style sleeve. The criss-cross pattern created on the bodice is a nice, subtle touch that sets the gown aside from just a plain bodice. She looks timelessly elegant, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Okay, so this dress is stunning, but we will have to nitpick a little in the history department. The dress is reminiscent of Kate Middleton’s famous wedding gown, with its lace sleeves and overall flawless look. Mary Stuart looks incredible in this piece. However… it’s absolutely not historically accurate. The sweetheart neckline, the shape of the dress, and the fabric it is made of were all not happening in the 16th century. We totally understand that this is TV, and it’s more memorable for teen fans to see modernly accessible looks. But the history buffs among us know that wedding gowns in the Elizabethan era appeared far larger and more uncomfortable. Everyone else, though, is just too enamored to notice.

During its airtime, “Gossip Girl” was definitely a source for fashion and its latest looks. There were a couple of weddings, namely Serena’s with that amazing gold and white dream gown and Blair’s first wedding for which she wore a princess-style gown and large tiara headpiece. However, once again, simplicity wins for this entry. Blair Waldorf’s second wedding, featured in the series finale, saw her donning an Elie Saab light blue lace gown, and it was unforgettable. Series costume designer Eric Daman said: “It needed to feel like old-world glamor meets contemporary high fashion.” This was certainly achieved, and was a look slightly more memorable than Serena’s showstopper.

Another series that had a long run, “Friends” also saw its share of nuptials. They all had their perks (or shall we say “central perks”?), but the one we perhaps remember most is in the pilot episode. Rachel’s introduction to the show came in the form of her taking a runner from the altar, and arriving at Central Perk coffee shop in her wet wedding gown. The gown itself isn’t particularly unique - it features a Basque (or V-shaped) waistline, strapless sweetheart with off-shoulder sleeves, and let’s face it, an awful veil and headpiece arrangement. Monica’s dress is much nicer later in the series, to be honest, and the later show budget probably helped! However, this one makes our list for memorable moments’ sake.

“Outlander”’s protagonist Claire Fraser finds herself in the 18th century, meeting her soulmate in Jamie Fraser. So, with 18th-century nuptials come 18th-century gowns, and Claire does not disappoint. The very full skirt, straight waistline, and stomacher (which is the triangle part on the mid-section) are all of the era, and the costume designers for the show clearly did their homework. The gown manages to be elaborate and simple all at once, and Claire wears it beautifully. It doesn’t really make us want to wear it, however… that neckline looks painful.