Of all the weddings published on Vogue.com in 2023, three in particular seemed to resonate with the collective pop culture consciousness: AnnaSophia Robb, Beanie Feldstein, and Chelsea Grain Jefferson. So on October 19, Vogue contributing editor and Over The Moon founder Alexandra Macon asked the three newlyweds at the brand’s annual Forces of Fashion Conference how, exactly, they planned their impeccable—and internet sensational—affairs.
The connecting thread between all of them? Each of their weddings was unique in, well, their uniqueness. Feldstein, for example, used all paper flowers in lieu of real ones, whereas AnnaSophia Robb lined her aisle with willow tree branches. Chelsea, meanwhile, eschewed the traditional white dress for a blush pink one. (“The dress really picked me,” she said.)
Indeed, each bride made fashion a pinnacle part of their day: AnnaSophia wore a gown by cool-girl designer Danielle Frankel, and Beanie had a custom look from Gucci that was partially inspired by her own mother’s Celine wedding dress. “My stylist asked me what the dream was—and the dream was Gucci,” she said, laughing. With her input, the atelier dreamt up a fantastical creation with long lace sleeves. (“I’m a prim and proper girl,” she added.)
Of course, there are a lot of people involved in making a couple’s big day come to life. By some estimates, the wedding industry is anticipated to generate $414 billion by 2030. Three of the major luxury players fueling such a spend? Fashion designer Vera Wang, event planner Marcy Blum, and stylist Anny Choi—each of whom has had a hand in some of the most highly-publicized weddings in recent memory. (Wang, for example, made Hailey Bieber’s reception dress, as well as Victoria Beckham’s.)
Wang admits her path to becoming the bridal designer to the stars stemmed from her own journey down the aisle. When she wed at age 39, the then Ralph Lauren design director felt like she was “lost in the middle” of wedding dress categories: while she couldn’t afford a custom piece by iconic fashion houses like Chanel, she felt out of place in the traditional princess gowns. “I felt like a fashion bride—and nothing seemed to fill that in-between void that also wasn’t couture pieces,” she said. Turns out, many other brides felt the exact same way.
Marcy Blum, who has planned the nuptial affairs for notable names like Jennifer Gates and Kate Bock, also said her interest in honoring each couple’s individuality has helped her stand out against the sea of wedding planners out there. “Weddings are the parties of all parties,” she added. “We make a timeline but are confident enough to toss it.”
By her own admission, Choi said her “job didn’t exist five to six years ago.” But, with more and more couples looking to stand out amid the flood of wedding hashtags on social media, she’s found business to be booming. Many brides seek her help when choosing an untraditional (read: not white) gown, or to pick cohesive-yet-different bridesmaids dresses for their friends. “It’s the right shift because one dress does not look good on everyone. Unless the couple is paying for everyone’s tuxedos or dresses, it kinda sucks to not feel good at your best friend’s wedding. I think their priority is: I want everyone to feel good,” she said.
So, what is the greatest lesson gleaned from some of the wedding industry’s most notable players, as well as the brides themselves? Do whatever makes you happy—and your guests happy.
Listen to more from bridal designer Vera Wang on this episode of The Run-Through here.
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