The most stylish celebrity wedding guest looks – and why they worked
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Imagine having Kate Moss as a guest at your wedding. She would know how to party, certainly, but you could also guarantee that she’d be one of the best dressed guests in attendance, in a truly original outfit.
From Moss to Demi Moore, the Princess of Wales to Sienna Miller, many of the most stylish women in the world have been photographed at high profile weddings in recent years – unwittingly offering fashion lessons for the rest of us to take away.
All of those featured here have struck the balance of dressing for the occasion without deferring to occasionwear clichés, and demonstrating their usual style personalities without upstaging the bridal party.
Whether it’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge in stand-out suiting, or Queen Rania of Jordan’s exemplary mother-of-the-bride couture, choose your wedding season style pin-up and start taking notes.
Embrace bold colour
Who: Amal Clooney
When: 2018, at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
One of the joys of getting dressed for a wedding is that it’s a chance to try on bold colours that you might not usually wear. Amal Clooney did this in 2018, wearing sunshine yellow Stella McCartney with a colour-matched veiled hat, and gold shoes. “It’s important to bear in mind the modesty required during religious services, but Amal has still added glamour with the square neckline, draped hem – and those metallic accessories – to strike the perfect balance,” comments Alexandra Fullerton, stylist and founder of My 3 Words.
The dress Clooney wore proved so popular that McCartney later released it for sale – the “Angie” balanced a nipped waist and draped cap sleeve, with an asymmetrical hemline. The fabric – silk cady – is thick, matte, and figure flattering, making it a perfect choice for wedding guests who want to look good in photos – Me + Em’s textured materials would have a similar effect.
Textured midi dress, £325, Me + Em
Make non-traditional jewellery choices
Who: Sienna Miller
When: 2019, at the wedding of Ellie Goulding and Caspar Jopling
Brown for a wedding may sound like an unusual choice, but in the hands of Sienna Miller, it looked truly stylish. Her paisley printed Alessandra Rich dress was layered with a silver body chain – adding another dimension to the look with an unexpected piece of jewellery. Opt for sculptural pieces with draped chains, if a body chain like Miller’s doesn’t appeal to you.
Crumpled texture necklace, £155, Jigsaw
Match to the max
Who: Demi Moore
When: 2018, at the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank
Colour matching from head-to-toe can sometimes look too much, but not in the wine shade chosen by Demi Moore in 2018. Her crepe Stella McCartney dress, Gabriela Hearst satin bag and suede Malone Souliers heels were in different materials, but looked pulled together in the same hue.
“Perfectly matched accessories to outfit ensure the look is extremely polished and impactful,” say Coco Fong and Valerio Bava, Malone Souliers’s creative directors. “It is a statement that exudes power and confidence. The rich, single colour also elevates and highlights the silhouette and any details and texture play.”
Willow plum dress, £200, Wolf & Badger
Think about comfort
Who: Queen Rania of Jordan
When: 2023, at the wedding of Princess Iman bint Abdullah and Jameel Thermiotis
As mother of the bride in 2023, Queen Rania of Jordan turned to Christian Dior for a bespoke blush gown. Her dress may have been couture, but there are elements which others can replicate – from the soft, but not bridal, colour, to the flattering, gently flared sleeves. Best of all is the all-over plissé pleat effect, which will have felt as comfortable and stretchy to wear as a tracksuit, yet looked entirely elegant.
Pleated midaxi dress, £75, John Lewis
Add a little sparkle
Who: Priyanka Chopra
When: 2019, at the wedding of Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta
As Mumbai weddings are usually doused in bright colours, Priyanka Chopra stood out when she chose a dove-grey lace sari by Tarun Tahiliani for a wedding in the city in 2019. She played up the subtle bling of the look (which was embellished with Swarovski crystals) by accessorising with nothing but diamond jewellery.
Fantasy cubic zirconia bow earrings, £295, Apples & Figs
Pick out the colour from your prints
Who: Queen Mary of Denmark
When: 2023, at the wedding of Jordan’s Crown Prince Al Hussein and Rajwa Al Saif
You can’t wear white to a wedding – or can you? Queen Mary of Denmark proved in 2023 that white can be the perfect base for a floral print in the spring season. Her Erdem maxi dress featured a scattered print, and she picked out the lilac streak in it via suede stilettos, a belt, and a hair bow. When wearing a floral print dress this is a fool-proof styling trick; pick the colour which is least dominant in the print, and match your accessories to that.
Fern suede shoes, £124, LK Bennett
Try a statement suit
Who: Phoebe Waller-Bridge
When: 2023, at the wedding of Michelle Dockery and Jasper Waller-Bridge
It doesn’t always have to be a dress. Phoebe Waller-Bridge attended her brother’s wedding in a watermelon three-piece suit by Etro. “Phoebe has stayed true to her personal style in a three-piece trouser suit which is cool and unexpected,” says Fullerton. “The workwear staple looks completely un-office-appropriate (and therefore ideal for wedding celebrations) in this vibrant raspberry.” Black accessories elevate this spring look, rather than killing it, because they have been applied considerately; as the ribbon trim on a light straw hat, or as a small top-handle bag.
Asymmetric waistcoat, £99, and trousers, £119, Mint Velvet
Don’t forget the outerwear
Who: Carole Middleton
When: 2011, at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton
The template of all modern mother-of-the-bride outfits was set by Mrs Middleton. Her look was deemed so pitch-perfect that it has been copied thousands of times over since. The Catherine Walker on-the-knee dress coat, in a pastel shade, felt appropriate for the occasion, sleek and flattering – it was the focal point, not an afterthought, as many outer layers tend to be. The details are worth zooming in on – the neat braided toggle fastening positioned at the smallest part of the waist, and the piped edge on the lapel, which adds vital structure and contrast. As lovely as it is to take notes from this look, if you like it, it is just as important to remember to avoid it if it’s not your taste.
Olivia coat, £249, Hobbs
Let your shoes do the talking
Who: Victoria Beckham
When: 2019, at the wedding of Sergio Ramos and Pilar Rubio
Victoria Beckham employs a specific style trick when it comes to dressing for a wedding – she wears a dress in a more muted colour, but nods to the occasion with a bright pair of shoes. She did this at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018 (a navy dress and orange stilettos) as well as for Sergio Ramos and Pilar Rubio’s nuptials a year later (cream dress, Barbie-pink heels). If you’re a person who doesn’t love to wear bold colours, injecting just a little via accessories can be a styling win.
Satin kitten heels, £35.99, Zara
Reconsider the shirt dress
Who: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
When: 2018, at the wedding of Charlie van Straubenzee and Daisy Jenks
Reconsider the shirt dress as an occasionwear option – that’s what Meghan, Duchess of Sussex did in 2018. Her Club Monaco dress was a button-down with a shirt collar, but looked soft rather than like officewear, thanks to its chiffon fabric. The contrasting pale pink and green colour blocks at the hem also break up the look and make it feel wedding-appropriate.
Coral print dress, £69, Phase Eight
Try an alternative floral print
Who: Lady Kitty Spencer
When: 2018, at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Floral prints are a classic choice for a spring wedding – but Lady Kitty Spencer showed in 2018 that not all are created equal. Finding something a little different to what else is on the high street – whether it’s a placement print like her Dolce & Gabbana dress, an abstract or “impressionist” tribute, a landscape print or a botanical leaf design – will help you to stand out in the congregation. Crucially, it may also avoid the issue of turning up in the same look as someone else.
Impressionist floral dress, £175, Kitri
Play with tonal scales
Who: Catherine, Princess of Wales
When: 2018, at the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank
Rather than accessorise with a bag and shoes in the exact same hue as her Alexander McQueen dress, the Princess of Wales switched things up in 2018. She chose heels and a clutch bag in a darker berry velvet – a tone down from the raspberry of her dress. It served to make the whole outfit look richer and is, again, a trick that could be copied at home using any tonal colour scheme.
Tonal Zenni bag, £100, Rixo
Don’t clash with the bridesmaids
Who: Cindy Crawford
When: 2014, at the wedding of George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin
For a black tie dress code, typically a long dress is required. Meeting this stipulation, without looking like a wannabe bridesmaid, can be challenging. Cindy Crawford showed that blue is the colour to opt for in this scenario – timeless and stylish, whilst avoiding pastels and, crucially, actually wearing black.
Crepe dress, £87, Monsoon
Stick to your usual style principles
Who: Kate Moss
When: 2008, at the wedding of Leah Wood and Jack MacDonald
Leave it to Kate Moss to find the most interesting wedding cover up. A velvet robe in cobalt blue, shrugged off the shoulders, topped Moss’s more traditional ivory gown in 2008. Add to that her beaded vintage bag and her metallic dreamcatcher earrings, and you have a totally original (yet still appropriate) boho take on wedding guest dressing, that still looks exciting over a decade after she wore it. A rich velvet or cord waistcoat in a statement colour might offer a similar effect when layered over a sleeveless dress.
Wyatt cord waistcoat, £180, Cefinn
Add a vintage talking point
Who: Serena Williams
When: 2018, at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
For a masterclass in accentuating your curves, look no further than Serena Williams in 2018. She picked a crepe blush-pink Versace gown that was precisely draped from the shoulder and the waist. If the dress could have read as too neat, she added a twist in the form of a vintage 1975 Bulgari Heritage necklace featuring Roman Imperial silver, gold and bronze coins dating back to the 1st Century AD. How’s that for a conversation starter?
1980s vintage Givenchy bracelet, £395, Givenchy at Susan Caplan
