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If your bridal look is all about simplicity, the best courthouse wedding dresses and sets should speak your sartorial language. Traditionally, these bridal gowns and separates are clean and minimal in aesthetic, focusing on sharp tailoring and fluid. But a courthouse wedding doesn’t mean all whimsy and fanfare goes out the window. For some, the event comes ahead of a blowout after-party or destination “I do’s,” with family and friends by your side. Others consider it an ideal way to embark upon marriage—executed in one hour or less. In any scenario, there’s a certain romantic appeal to the civil ceremony, something intimate and sacred… whether you’re skipping the months of planning and slipping out midweek to make things official or turning the legal act into something of a chicer affair.
Vogue’s Guide to the Best Courthouse Wedding Dresses
Sets:
Because courthouse weddings are uncomplicated by nature, a voluminous princess dress or a sweeping gown with a train might feel too over-the-top as you navigate the halls of a government building. Instead, lean into timelessness and practicality with ankle-length or shorter silhouettes tailored from crepe and wool or draped from more fluid materials like silk. You can go for a more celebratory look with an ultra-mini hem, off-the-shoulder neckline, or some sort of glitzy element. And when in doubt, channeling Bianca Jagger with a timeless pantsuit (or vest-and-trouser combo, or matching top and skirt set) is always a good idea.
Ahead, find a range of the courthouse wedding dresses and sets that work for your sweet and simple civil ceremony. However spur-of-the-moment your nuptials may be, there’s an option you’ll be able to slip into sans theatrics and feel ready to walk down the courthouse aisle.
Dreamy Dresses
Finding the best courthouse-appropriate bridal dress for your wedding day has nothing to do with a dress code and everything to do with personal style. Look for details that speak to your individual style in subtle ways—whether it’s boho details like romantic lace and a flowy silhouette or something sleek and simple that channels to your minimalist side.
Danielle Frankel is known for designing heirloom-worthy gowns for her brides and the Lucy dress is one to hold onto forever. It features corded lace that give it a 3D “flutter” effect while in motion.
Think of this as the mini version of a dramatic lace wedding dress.
Perfect Pairings
Whether your vision includes a classic white suit, a fanciful blouse, or a matching skirt set that
s fall wedding-ready, these coordinated sets ahead are all perfect pairings for the wedding gown-averse bride.
If you’re getting married during the spring or summer, a tailored vest and trouser set is no fuss and frills, and one you can easily wear all season long.
