Tips for LGBTQ+ Couples Styling Two Wedding Dresses Together

Planning a wedding comes with a lot of choices, but one of the biggest is what you’re going to wear. If you and your SO are planning a lesbian wedding, you’re probably wondering the best way to pick styles that complement each other without being complete matches. Here are our top tips for styling two wedding dresses, wedding suits, jumpsuits, or other attire options together at your same-sex wedding.

15 Wedding Outfit Tips and Ideas

1. Discuss Styles and Vibes Ahead of Time

*Photo Credit * // The Still Life Photography

One of the most fun parts of picking what to wear at your wedding is dreaming about the options before you even try anything on. Before heading to a boutique, sit down and chat about your wedding vibe. Are you going majorly formal or beachy boho? Creative or classic? Once you have the feel of your day figured out, have an open conversation about what you picture wearing. Does one of you want to wear a suit? Do both of you? Is there a particular style you don’t like or something you’d love to see your SO in? While the choice is ultimately yours, getting your SO’s opinion before trying on items might help you narrow down your choices when it comes time to say “yes” on your wedding day.

2. Shop Together

If you’re not one for superstition, consider shopping for your dresses together. Once the big day arrives and your hair is done, your makeup is on, and your wedding glow is in full force, you’ll still blow your future spouse away when you see her in her wedding gown suit/ensemble. When shopping, look for pieces that complement each other (consider elements such as similar necklines, trains, or fabrics) and let your stylists know that you’re looking for outfits that pair well together. Not only will you get live feedback from each other and be able to tell how your dresses look side-by-side, but you’ll get to have another special experience while wedding planning (as well as another chance to snap a few selfies in your dream outfits).

3. Entrust a Friend or Stylist to Help

If you’d rather stick to tradition and wait until the big day to see your SO’s dream dress, consider entrusting a mutual friend or two to shop with each of you. They will be able to subtly guide you and help to ensure that each outfit‘s style complements one another. If your friend groups don’t exactly overlap, you could always have your SO FaceTime in at the start of your consultation (and vice versa) and chat with the stylists. They can let them know what wedding dress style, fabric, or elements they’ve chosen, so your stylists can build off of that to create a harmonious look amongst your outfits.

4. Choose a Similar Attire Component

*Photo Credit * // Windy City Production

Once you have a friend or stylist on the inside, there are a few different ways to style your wedding looks together. The first is to pick a major component that’s cohesive between the two outfits. If you both opt for deep plunging necklines, curve-hugging silhouettes, long trains, or off-the-shoulder looks, your styles will seamlessly complement each other. If you don’t want a look that appears too matchy-matchy, just make sure that you only have one or two of the same elements.

5. Select Different Silhouettes

Once you have a similar component to work off of, one of the most exciting ways to pair LGBTQ dresses, suits, or otherwise together is to both select different silhouettes. If both brides have sweetheart necklines, but one bride is wearing a ballgown, while the other is in a curve-hugging sheath, for example, the look will appear complimentary without being too similar. Utilizing this technique not only creates captivating photographs but also gives each bride the chance to showcase her style.

6. Choose Similar or Vastly Contrasting Fabrics

Experimenting with fabrics is vital to wedding outfit shopping, and is even more so if two dresses are involved. If you’re both eyeing similar silhouettes for the big day, select different fabrics (such as satin and lace, or tulle and chiffon) so it doesn’t look like you’re both wearing the same dress. However, if you both like different styles, utilizing the same fabric is a smart way to coordinate vastly contrasting silhouettes.

7. Add a Pop of Pizzazz With Colors or Accessories

Another great way to coordinate your gowns is to include hints of color. Consider wearing sashes in the same colors, or ribbons on your bouquets to tie in a mutual theme. Additionally, selecting similar or matching accessories will help tie your looks together. Glamorous hair clips, matching diamond pendant necklaces, or pearl bracelets will showcase your individual styles and help turn your two different looks into one cohesive wedding day look.

8. Don Different Garments

Two brides doesn’t necessarily mean two dresses. In fact, your LGBTQ+ wedding is a wonderful opportunity to really lean into your person styles and style as a couple. While that may lead to the two of your wearing wedding gowns, it may also mean one of you ends up wearing a gown while the other dons a suit. Or a jumpsuit. Or a chic, stylish pantsuit. With different kinds of garments, you can create any number of combinations that look distinct and express your personal style while also complimenting one-another. In this case, because the outfits are quite different, we recommend coordinating fabrics, colors, and formality to create a cohesive appearance.

9. Play With Different Lengths

Say you both decide you’d like to wear a wedding dress throughout your celebration. Absolutely no problem. As you can likely already tell, there are plenty of details and aspects you can play with in order to coordinate your gay wedding dresses while not wearing the same thing. One area we recommend playing around with, if your dress code permits, is length. For example, one of you may prefer a floor-dusting skirt or long train, while the other desires a midi- or even knee-length dress. So long as you coordinate with formality and theme, this can look put-together and beautifully unique.

10. Wear Statement Pieces

Or, perhaps you do both end up liking similar wedding attire. You can both don sleek slip dresses or well-tailored tuxedos while setting yourselves apart. Enter: Statement pieces. If you’re both wearing tuxes, consider unique blazers or bowties. If you’re leaning more towards dresses, seek out eye-catching capes, veils, and skirt attachments. A single differing piece can take your outfits from matchy-matchy to coordinated and exciting.

11. Contrast Metallics

Hosting a glam wedding? Go all out with contrasting metallics. If it doesn’t clash with your theme, venue, or colors, try wearing wedding outfits covered in gold, silver, copper, and rose gold. For example, one bride wears a silver dress, while the other opts for a gold one. While more than one metallic might feel overwhelming when paired with other wedding colors, putting them together alone or alongside simpler schemes (think black and white) can look stunning and differentiate you two.

12. Black and White

Speaking of black and white color schemes, why not dress in them? For formal affairs, try one bride wearing black, while the other wears white. This can lend itself to the traditional white dress and black suit look, or you can switch things up with a black dress and white suit or a mix of both colors in both ensembles.

13. Decide on a Theme

Whether it’s boho, rustic, white wedding, or modern, your wedding theme helps drive the decisions you make throughout wedding planning. While your venue and decor may be the first things to come to mind, a theme can also help dictate how you and your partner dress. If you’re looking to make things easy, try deciding on an overall theme together (or a theme for your outfits), and both interpret it in your own ways.

14. Do an Outfit Change

If you’re having a difficult time deciding between classic and more out there, creative or couture looks, consider having an outfit change. During the ceremony, both of you can dress fairly similarly (white dresses, matching suits, etc.), then, before the reception, you can change into the party attire of your dreams. This checks plenty of boxes, allowing you to have a classic attire moment before changing into totally unique looks.

15. Dress How You Want

All in all, the best advice we can give you is to dress however you like. At the end of the day, the opinions that matter most are yours and your partners. If you’re happy with matching outfits, totally different looks, or somewhere in the middle, that’s what really matters. Your mutual happiness will pair you together, in any case.

Whether it’s two dresses with similar silhouettes or a lace gown next to a satin one, as long as you’re marrying the love of your life, your bridal beauty will shine through. The most important thing is that you feel beautiful in whatever you wear on your wedding day.