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As with so many moments in the cultural zeitgeist, Beyoncé played a major part. In May 2023, the Renaissance tour began, and thousands of Beyhive members mirrored the icon’s album cover by donning shimmering silver cowboy hats in the crowd. A few months earlier, Kevin Costner won a best actor Golden Globe for his role in the hit neo-Western show Yellowstone, which has been beaming classic cowboy style across the nation since 2018. When Pharrell Williams dropped his second menswear collection for Louis Vuitton in January 2024 complete with nods to Black and Indigenous cowboy style, it was solidified that the Western look had entered the high fashion lexicon. Then, the final shoe dropped as Beyoncé donned a white Stetson at the Grammy’s and released two songs from her upcoming country album in a Super Bowl commercial. Country Western has officially become a major trend for 2024.
Not surprisingly, this style moment is translating to the wedding space, too. “We’ve been seeing a revival in Western ready-to-wear fashion over the past few years, but it s definitely become more of a staple in wedding fashion over the past year or so,” shares bridal stylist Gabrielle Hurwitz. “Even if you don’t fully commit to a head-to-toe Western look, you can still find ways to incorporate a little Western flair into your wardrobe. There are so many elements you can take inspiration from like fringe, denim, leather, suede, and even ditsy florals and earthy colors. Bolo ties, pearl buttons, and turquoise jewelry are fun options, too.”
Hurwitz says that when infusing Western influence into bridal looks, she often turns to Ralph Lauren, Patricia Voto from One/Of, and Markarian. “There should be an ease to a Western look that I don’t necessarily associate with structured tailoring and stiff fabrics,” she says. “Instead, look for pieces with movement, whether it be a fringe jacket or a flowy skirt. Incorporating lace, swiss dot, eyelet, and denim will also help achieve the Western look.”
Of course, you can’t forget an elevated cowboy hat when planning a Western wedding wardrobe. Whether donned at a welcome party, gifted as a favor to guests, or worn for the “I do’s,” it’s a quintessential part of the look. “A cowboy hat is more than a fashion statement. It is first and foremost a tool,” notes Tyler Thoreson, VP of Marketing for Stetson. “A Stetson embodies the best of America—a sense of adventure and a trailblazing spirit, as well as a respect for quality and craftsmanship. While we don’t specifically market packages to wedding parties, we regularly get requests for hats through our network of retailers across the U.S. We love being a part of people’s big day, and are always happy to help them make an elegant Western statement.”
The venue definitely plays a part in this trend, with many couples choosing ranches and elevated Western destinations as the location for their nuptials. “Western landscapes are typically very open and dramatic with striking mountain ranges,” notes wedding planner Laurie Arons. “This lends very well to tented weddings in wide open fields and valleys.” A few of her favorite destinations include Jackson Hole and Brush Creek Ranch in Wyoming—“there are some top rental, food and beverage and design companies in the region,” she notes—as well as private properties in Aspen and the Ranch at Rock Creek in Montana. These locations not only lend themselves to a country sensibility for design reasons, but also for practicality. “When you’re hosting a party in a field and you cannot afford to do flooring, it is important to let the guests know that cowboy boots are going to be the ideal shoes in a field with potential rodent holes and soft soil and grasses,” notes the planner.
Arons emphasizes that couples hosting a Western wedding should be aware that the theme is part aesthetic and part experience. “Nothing is better in my experience than being able to take over an entire property and have your friends and family all together without the stress of shuttling to different venues for events and activities,” Arons shares. “I love to advise my clients to allow for plenty of exploration time during a wedding weekend. River rafting on some rapids or floating on the gentler part of the river are popular activities, as are horseback riding and amazing hiking trails. For this very reason, I like to plan three or four days for guests combining activities and free time, punctuated by events from the most casual, cowboy chic to Black tie.”
As for décor, don’t be afraid to bring on the gingham and hay bales—just don’t let it overwhelm the venue. “The key to weaving Western elements into your wedding design is through light, subtle details,” shares Chris Neubauer of wedding and event branding design firm Yonder Design. “Rather than designing an invitation that feels too obviously country-themed, we’ve found that there are a few elevated ways to represent a Western aesthetic, like incorporating earthy tones that are reminiscent of the surrounding environment and designing monograms and marks that have cattle brands and connecting letters.” Arons also advises you to think about the surrounding environment. “The last wedding I did in the region, we took advantage of the bride s love of wildflowers and sourced flowers that were common in the [area].”
Don’t forget that trends can have many interpretations, either. Use Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton collection as your guest dress code inspo, or host a Brokeback Mountain-inspired welcome event for your chosen family. “I think what’s so fun about styling for a ranch or Western wedding is that you can take it in a few different directions to make it really feel like you,” says Hurwitz. “The sky is really the limit.”
