In the first week of April, amid torrential rain and heavy traffic, dozens of bridal fashion designers descended on New York to show their latest collections. There was no shortage of beauty to behold: lace and tulle and satin, appliques, beading, sparkle, and shine. And among it all, a few trends prevailed, popping up in myriad collections and presenting fresh takes on something classic. Here, we highlight eight of our favorite trends from the Spring 2025 showcases to inspire your upcoming wedding. Whether you’ve just started your search for a dress or are on the hunt for a second look, this offers an idea of what you’ll very likely be wearing for your 2025 affair.
1. Drop Waist Silhouettes
The most prominent trend from the Spring 2025 collections was the drop waist silhouette; nearly every designer showed something that fit the category. Defined by a bodice that extends lower than the natural waist—and a throwback to ’20s-era fashion—drop waists came in many forms and fabrics. KYHA Studios stretched ruched tulle across a long boned bodice. Monique Lhuillier and Ines Di Santo even got in on the trend, showing long fitted bodices atop layers of floaty tulle.
2. Bows Are Back Again
Bows began naturally appearing in bridal over the last few years but this season the trend hit a fever pitch, with bows—from dainty and demure to edgy and oversized—appearing in countless designer collections. One favorite iteration was Amsale’s Anderson column dress: A large bow sits at the back waist and tapers down to the hem. They’re not just for the dress, of course: Monique Lhuillier showed bows in her brides’ hair, and we anticipate them in bridal ponytails and half-up styles for 2025.
3. Poor Things–Inspired
It’s a question of the chicken or the egg: does pop culture inspire fashion, or the other way around? Whichever came first, we noticed some major similarities to the Oscar-winning costume design of Poor Things at Bridal Fashion Week. The movie is set in a sort of sci-fi Victorian London, and that era of fashion made its way to the forefront. From unique heavy fabrications at Markarian to basque waists and ruffles at CINQ (whose whole collection—and presentation—embodied a Bella Baxter vibe), Victorian details got seriously modern twists. Danielle Frankel went all in on the trend, too, with a ruched basque bodice topping a Victorian artwork-inspired skirt.
4. Sophisticated Sparkle
We’re officially in the era of the party bride—even the most classic ballgown brides are opting for playful afterparty dresses—so it tracks that sparkle would take off in a big way. The dresses at Dana Harel, Ines Di Santo, and Mira Zwillinger all glittered, and even some newcomers added a hint of bling. Kim Kassas, known for her couture detailing with beading and crystals, added a sparkly fabric to her Game of Thrones-esque collection; Francesca Miranda showed a long party frock with feathered hem and sparkly sequins glinting in the light. This trend is a perfect fit for bridal—weddings are celebrations, after all!
5. Versatile Toppers and Accessories
In the spirit of brides wearing multiple dresses for the big day, many designers created versatile, convertible styles and introduced accessories that change the look without changing everything. For the classic ceremony-to-reception switch, Amsale’s long sleeve high-neck lace toppers can be added to a strapless design—and appear as if worn underneath, rather than topping the dress in a traditional sense. Galia Lahav offered a floral applique topper that totally changed the look of a vintage-inspired strapless dress. This trend is a windfall for brides who can’t quite make up their minds or are seeking more versatility to mix up the fashion throughout the wedding day.
6. 3-D Mini Floral Appliqués
Last year, hand-painted florals and pastel fabrics were trending; this year, we saw a garden of another kind with miniature three-dimensional floral appliques adorning dresses. Elie Saab sprinkled them across a long-sleeve minidress; Francesca Miranda brought to life a full garden of appliques down the entirety of her Andromeda dress; and Honor introduced a more unexpected floral in its appliqué construction with playful daisy shapes popping off a long tulle skirt. Mira Zwillinger is a queen of the floral applique technique; hers appear to crawl right off the lace and dance across the wearer’s arms. Whether for a garden-party wedding or a black-tie affair, this trend is fresh and oh-so-bridal.
7. Mini Dresses with Striking Structure
Mini dresses started appearing in collections a few years ago—when brides were looking for more casual attire during Covid and then as they sought more than one dress when big weddings returned. The trend for minis this season, though, combines the structure and sophistication of black-tie gowns with the length of a party dress. Dana Harel’s sparkly mini has a corseted strapless bodice and draped skirt that reads like chainmail in the chicest way; Ines Di Santos’s Kitty dress has a structured short hoop skirt. Katherine Tash showed a lace version and a bubble-hem style, both with structural corset tops. The structured mini dress is a best-of-both-worlds trend: It says you’re ready to party, but still shouts, “I’m the bride.”
8. Visible Corsets
The corset isn’t anything new in bridal, but it took on a whole new life this season, with tied, boned, and basque-waist versions making the corset a more visible—rather than unseen—element of the dress. Kim Kassas bedazzled and embroidered her corsets and even showed some skin between the corset and skirt, and KYHA Studios put a removable corset top over a triangle bikini (looking at you, black-tie beach brides). Galia Lahav’s was lace, Amsale’s was luxe satin with a draped cowl. The iterations were endless, but they all proved one thing: Sophisticated bridal is back.
