- Western brides traditionally wear white to their weddings, as well as surrounding events.
- But celebrity stylist Micaela Erlanger told Insider she thinks wearing only white is "passé."
- Incorporating color into your wedding wardrobe can help you express yourself.
Even as couples work to make their big days stand out, there are traditions you can expect to see at most Western weddings.
You'll likely see a newlywed couple kiss at their wedding altar, they'll probably share a first dance, and the odds are high that they'll feed each other cake before the night is out.
And aside from a few outliers, brides are typically still wearing white dresses to their weddings, making their gowns stand out with daring cutouts or removable elements instead of color.
But according to celebrity stylist Micaela Erlanger, wearing white your entire wedding weekend is "passé."
You don't have to wear white your whole wedding weekend
Today's brides don't just have to pick out a wedding gown for their nuptials, as nearly every part of the weekend is photographed.
They also select an eye-catching rehearsal-dinner ensemble and an outfit to wear while they get ready, and some brides change into a reception or after-party dress at some point on their wedding night. They're expected to look picture-perfect at each event, showing off their style in the days leading up to their nuptials like Sofia Richie did.
With all of those additional events in mind, Erlanger, who partnered with Zola to advise brides on how to create a cohesive wedding look, told Insider she's seeing more and more brides "bringing fashion into the forefront" of their wedding weekends.
In particular, she's been excited to see brides "injecting color" with their clothes for the events surrounding their weddings.
As Erlanger told Insider, brides may choose to wear a colorful dress to their rehearsal dinner or a patterned robe for their getting-ready outfit, allowing them to show off more of their personal style instead of simply sticking to tradition.
Erlanger noted that incorporating color into your wedding style in any capacity, whether it's for the events leading up to the ceremony or on the actual day, can make your looks more fashion-forward.
"This idea that you have to wear white the entire weekend long is a bit passé," she said.
"Now, don't get me wrong. I think that we are still seeing wedding dresses being white and so forth," she went on to say. "But I think there's still a lot more variety going into the entire wedding weekend."
Embracing color allows brides to express themselves more
Interest in wedding gowns with color has been growing for years. Insider has seen brides wear everything from black to red and even rainbow dresses; gowns that are so sheer they have almost no color; and looks that pop with bright florals.
At its core, Erlanger likes that brides are leaning into color because it makes their wedding outfits more unique.
Likewise, she told Insider the trend goes hand in hand with vintage pieces or clothes that are bought to be reworn rather than just once on your wedding day, as these brides are thinking outside the box.
"I love the sentiment of being able to have things that you get to rewear, that you get to reuse," she said. "It's just the idea of buying things that are authentic that you are going to love and get use out of after the wedding."
"It's kind of like the equivalent of having a couture piece," Erlanger added.
For instance, Lily Swindell altered two vintage wedding gowns she bought from thrift stores into one-of-a-kind gowns for just $150, and "Harry Potter" star Bonnie Wright customized a 100-year-old gown for her nuptials.
Other brides are also using vintage fashion to honor their family members. Jaime Guillory wore her mom's wedding dress from the 1980s to her rehearsal dinner, and Anastasia Domanico altered her wedding gown so she could turn it into a maid of honor dress for her twin sister's big day.
They all found ways to make their wedding looks distinctive and more meaningful, which Erlanger hopes she sees more brides do moving forward.