The Best Wedding Dresses of Spring 2026
Spring 2026 marked a new wave of bridal design, as designers refocused their attention on creating a diverse offering of pieces, applying a versatility and resourcefulness not often associated with bridal couture. This design evolution was about providing brides with unparalleled individuality that was both luxurious and approachable, and prioritized a way to give them everything they could want in a singular look. Whether it was the ability to mix and match separates or layer and accessorize with detachable over skirts, capes and sleeves, never before have there been more opportunities for brides to curate a look that could take them from ceremony to celebration so seamlessly.
Stemming from this pivot came metaphors surrounding art and nature, which served as the core inspiration for most designers this season. They reflected on nature's bounty and what makes it beautiful to them, pulling from the feelings the two worlds provoked, both in a literal and symbolic sense. These emotions set the course for how each collection was executed, from silhouettes and fabrications to embellishments and embroideries. And while the “works of art” are typically defined by the new styles in each collection, this season, many designers referenced the brides themselves as the artistic masterpiece.
The culmination of these influences resulted in a series of trends that cascaded throughout the Spring 2026 collections. On top, off-the-shoulder sleeves, contoured bodices, and heavy embellishments lead the charge while shorter hemlines, high slits and a new array of Basque waistlines balanced traditional silhouettes with a modernized twist. With a little something for everyone to love, this Spring awakening is an exciting new chapter in bridal design.
zuhair murad
For Zuhair Murad, this season meant creating romance through a “virtuous form,” utilizing molded corsets, plunging necklines and ethereal lace to sculpt each and every bride. The gowns are sensual in the way they fit the body, placing embellishments with intense precision and celebrating a woman’s shape with sophisticated execution. A perfect example could be found in a tulle, off-the-shoulder beaded A-line style with a detachable blouse and overskirt. Even as fitted silhouettes bloomed into ballgowns, they remain true to his vision as seen in a duchess satin showstopper.
Ines Di Santo
As a designer known for celebrating a woman’s individuality, Ines Di Santo's “Le Nouveau Jardin” collection is an exquisite example of her couture artistry bringing the worlds of art and life together. For Spring 2026, the Art Nouveau movement was her base for inspiration. Drawing from the words of artist Elisabeth Sonrel, she highlighted the beauty and connection that nature provides us by embracing its intricate shapes and textures throughout each of her designs. The result was a whimsical bounty of colorful gowns in various silhouettes – some structured and heavily adorned with punchy hues of botanical motifs, sequins, and ombre feathers, while others seemed light as air thanks to meticulously draped silks and lace in powder pink and ivory.
Elie Saab
For Elie Saab, Spring 2026 was all about the many shapes of feminine allure, tracing the line of beauty and transforming their brides into timeless works of art. Known for his endless array of head-turning designs, this season gives brides both dramatic and subtle styles to dance the night away in. Whether it was a princess moment seen in a statement-making ballgown featuring cascades of tulle and organza floral appliques, or an ultra-chic strapless column bodice that jetted out into a billowing silk-chiffon skirt, the playful yet refined details resulted in a collection that highlighted elegance and romance through a playful mix of contour, volume, and texture.
Tony Ward
Another designer looking to remove limitations this season, Tony Ward focused on creating a collection of gowns that reflected duality, providing the modern bride with everything she could want all within one design.
"Bridal fashion is no longer about following rules. It’s about choosing your own language, your own pace, and your own version of what walking down the aisle looks like,” says Ward. This mentality was applied throughout the collection, designing each gown as its own chapter in a book with intention and quiet surprises. Each look told its own story – contemporary, romantic, traditional or refined – and gave way for fabrics and construction to take center stage with a renewed appeal. Some favorites included gowns with subtle threadwork and sculpted busts as well as Mikado silks and embroidered overskirts, resulting in a range of aesthetics to please the personal style of any bride.
Galia Lahav
It was a celebration of timeless seduction and bold opulence for Galia Lahav’s Spring 2026 collection, KISS & TELL. Through a playful back and forth between softness and strength, Galia Lahav and Sharon Sever created a world that enveloped both old-time romance with daring modernity, breaking tradition and inviting brides to embrace their most confident and unapologetic selves.
“This collection is for the bride who owns her own story, her desires and her presence,” says Sever. Sculptural and glamorous with juxtaposed silhouettes, styles such as the Ametista and Venezia are the perfect examples of combining timeless elegance with avant-garde artistry. In varying hues of powdery pinks and soft pastels, it’s the construction of pleated and double-scooped corsets paired with off-the-shoulder illusion sleeves, daring side slits and multiple layers of tulle and metallic organza that prove there’s a fearless individuality at the core of this collection, leaving an unforgettable impression in its wake.
KIM KASSAS
Kim Kassas took to honoring legendary women throughout history with her Spring 2026 collection. Titled, Fairest of Them All, it’s a nod to icons such as Marie Antoinette, Ophelia and Juliet, inspiring her to create a series of gowns that captured lavish elegance, strength, and grace while fusing vintage romance with a daring edge. As a designer who tends to cater to the less timid and non-conformist bride, it makes sense that Kassas and designer Dor Yaakov, emphasized the drama by creating exaggerated silhouettes with intricate details to give each dress a distinct and striking presence. In addition to these incredible historic women, the brands’ Victorian-era aesthetic was clearly represented throughout each style. There were waist-cinching corsets made from brocade fabrics and Solstiss lace along with varying Basque waistlines that created Rococo-esque silhouettes. Complemented with billowing sheer sleeves, crystal and pearl embellishments, and seemingly endless trains of silk, the latest from Kim Kassas Couture proved that embracing excess can be truly captivating.
MONIQUE LHUILLIER
There was a change of scenery for Monique Lhuillier this season. Stepping away from their showroom, the bridal staple shared their collection in the regal, Louis XIV room at the St. Regis which became the perfect backdrop for this season’s ethereal and elegant gowns. Similar to other collections this season, there was a little something for everyone to swoon over but executed with Monique’s signature ability to capture the essence of sophisticated luxury, whimsy and glamour. For SS26, she played with proportion and versatility, reimagining heirloom silhouettes with sculptural craftsmanship and subtly sensual fabrications. Balancing drama and delicacy, styles like the Laurel exposed a brides’ silhouette through a sheer raffia embroidered tulle ballgown, pooling into a stunning train of raffia leaf detail behind her.
Meanwhile, the Layla - a fairytale dream - celebrated femininity through a ballgown of gazar that featured a bouquet of spring blooms in soft watercolor stencils with dramatic oversized sleeves and a voluminous skirt.
HERA COUTURE
Katie Yeung is known for her dedication to crafting beautiful fabrics that result in modern yet timeless designs and empower the women that wear them. Serene Echoes, the name of Yeung’s Spring collection, contains all of these facets and more. Inspired by an untouched paradise where nature’s beauty thrives, SS26 features gowns that reflect this peaceful haven, inviting her brides into a world of tranquility and timeless elegance. Created with the utmost care, hand-crafted details such as pleated accordion satin on an upside-down tulip boned bodice, detachable draped cape sleeves and a dual duchess satin gown with a seamless curve neckline evoke a sense of otherworldly grace and harmony while capturing the essence of nature’s most intricate details.
REEM ACRA
Embodying timeless elegance and sophistication, Reem Acra kicked off the NYBFW event calendar this season with styles that proved to be a celebration of love, artistry and the start of a new chapter. Titled, Laces and Petals the collection was crafted to evoke a sense of royalty and modern allure through classic design and intricate lace details. It was yet another collection rooted in the beauty that nature provides us but with an exquisite refinement that masterfully blended classic elements together and paid homage to femininity.
PRONOVIAS
Born from the fragility and power of nature, Pronovias Privée created ethereal designs that captured nature’s most magical moments for SS26. It was a tribute to nature’s textures, celebrating the rebirth of elegance through floral artistry and refined silhouettes. They focused on reinterpreting classic styles with a modern twist, playing with new fabrics that gave dramatic silhouettes more fluidity and a softer contour to the body. Some of our favorites featured asymmetrical details such as the Finke, a Mikado princess gown draped at the waist and bustled to perfection. The Bals was more demure, a crepe mermaid with a sculptural neckline showcasing a quiet strength and femininity that could be found throughout the collection.
GEORGES HOBEIKA
A true sanctuary of haute couture, Georges and Jad Hobeika shared a series of dreamlike creations for Spring 2026, blurring heritage and innovation with a masterful hand. They looked to nature both on the ground and in the stars as their inspiration, incorporating celestial details as well as wheat-inspired motifs that represented a poetic symbolism of femininity and prosperity. The bodices were mainly corseted with a barely seen rounded Basque-waist, allowing for varying skirt options that flattered each bride. From a column Chantilly lace style paired with silk crepe, to airy tulle adorned with textured beading and 3D embroidery, their craftsmanship is undeniably unique and utterly unforgettable.
LIHI HOD
Lihi Hod is known for modern elegance and designing classic silhouettes with artisanal details. For Spring 2026, she took this approach to a deeply meaningful place with her collection, LEV, her most personal collection to date. Named after the Hebrew word for heart, she leaned into couture traditions, exploring the crossover between structure and softness and spending up to 40 hours crafting each of the twelve gowns by hand. It’s an honest representation of her thoughtfulness and love for design as she meticulously shaped romantic and timeless silhouettes from crinoline, boning, lace, and tulle. The completion of each look came from her playful use of volume and embellishments, as styles were detailed with beaded raw pearls and satin bows, capturing a sculptural grace throughout the collection.
VIKTOR&ROLF
It was a royal affair for Viktor&Rolf this season. Influenced by the queen's gardens and steeped in romance, V&R looked to reimagine and pay tribute to royal court dressing. It was a thoughtful combination that featured sculpted bows, jacquard fabrics, voluminous silhouettes and cascading embellishments all of which seemed to bloom across gowns in the brands’ signature avant-garde style. We personally loved their interpretations that combined a modern aesthetic with artistic opulence. For example, two Mikado gowns, one fitted with bold sculpted puffs and a dropped waist, another, an A-line silhouette with a Watteau train, both are complimented by a fitted sweetheart bustier and finished with a signature bow at the center back, creating the perfect amalgam of past and present.