If you saw J. Lo’s wedding dress and fell in love then you’re in luck. Ruffled wedding dresses are seeing a total resurgence and we are so here for it! Whether you opt for a mermaid silhouette or a bold ball gown, a ruffle wedding dress serves drama and is perfect for a bride looking to make a statement. A ruffle bottom wedding dress can be soft and delicate or have a chic shear. From the right fabrics to the best silhouettes, we’re sharing all our tips to help you learn all the ruffled wedding dress design trends!
Are Ruffle Wedding Dresses In Style?
You might think a ruffle wedding dress feels dated, but what’s old is new again. This playful style can be done in soft sweeping layers or over-the-top shearing. Either way, ruffles add incredible texture to your wedding dress silhouette. The sense of movement and fluidity is what sets wedding dresses with ruffles apart from all the rest. With a grand selection of ruffle bottom wedding dresses, you can pick your level of drama, or even wear this glamorous style in an ultra-modern way. Needless to say, ruffle wedding dresses are definitely back in style!
Unique Ruffle Looks for Your Wedding Dress
Ruffle wedding dresses aren’t just the big and bouncy style you think of for pageants and costumes. Ruffles come in many variants from layered to tiered to cascading. We recommend opting for different styles depending on how dramatic you want to look. A cascading ruffle wedding dress offers tons of texture and movement. The looser ruffles have an elegant waterfall look that feels fluid and feminine. Often paired with more A-line and ball gown styles this frill is beautiful and with the more fitted mermaid style, a cascading ruffles wedding dress has a stunning fishtail effect. Two beautiful examples are Carmelina, style 2365 and Marciela, style 8118. Carmelina is a flirty and flounced ruffled wedding dress featuring delicate embroidered appliqués on a draped, v-neck bodice and stunning open, scoop back. The real star of the row is the skirt with gorgeous cascading ruffles. The horsehair edging keeps each ruffle defined and helps to offer more texture and movement to the ruffle bottom skirt. If you want a bit more drama, a style like Marciela is the way to go! This romantic mermaid has a sheer, sweetheart bodice adorned in diamanté beaded Alençon lace appliqués. The flared mermaid skirt is breathtaking with delicately cascading ruffles, with horsehair edging for a more streamlined look. Another ruffle type that beautifully suits a wedding dress is tiered ruffles. This style is characterized by a series of overlapping layers, at different lengths, to create a range of different hemlines on the gown. A tiered ruffle wedding dress might not offer as much drama, but the delicate look stuns nonetheless. Shakira, style 2126 is a fresh take on the classic mermaid with a crystal beaded halter neck bodice accented with lace appliqués, creating a breathtaking open back with keyhole detail. The flowing organza skirt has a lovely scalloped hemline and the tiered train is to die for! The last style we’ll be discussing is the layered ruffle wedding dress. Similar to the tiered ruffle, a layered ruffle wedding dress has overlapping layers, as the name would suggest, but not in a linear fashion like the tiered style. This always for a lot more playfulness is the flounce of each ruffle, for a fuller and more dramatic look. Milly, style 5577 is a bridal favorite and it’s no surprise! The layered ruffle wedding dress has a plunging v-neck bodice and open v-back that meets up with the over-the-top layered ruffle skirt. Wide horsehair edging helps keep each layer and flounce defined and in light-as-air organza, this dress is an easy choice.
Picking the Right Fabric for a Ruffle Wedding Dress
Picking the right fabric is important in finding the right ruffle wedding dress. A ruffle is a delicate design detail that requires both a lightweight fabric to manipulate and be comfortable and one stiff enough to hold the curved shape. We’ll break down some of the most common wedding dress fabrics and let you know whether they are ideal for a ruffle wedding dress. The first is tulle. Tulle is one of our top fabric choices for ruffle bottom wedding dresses! This sheer fabric has an open weave, making it incredibly light and airy, but can be ruched to add more structure. This fabric is often used for layering and creating volume, making it a great choice for creating ruffles. Organza is our other pick for a ruffle wedding dress. Very similar to tulle, organza is a lightweight, sheer fabric made from silk fibers that have a stiff texture that will hold the shape of a ruffle without feeling heavy. This fabric beautifully flows off the body, making it perfect for twirling the night away. Chiffon is another sheer, breezy fabric that you might think would be a good option, but we don’t recommend it. While chiffon is lightweight, it’s not as stiff as organza or tulle making it problematic for a ruffle skirt. Lace is a popular wedding dress fabric that many brides might be looking for. Lace is commonly used as overlays or appliqués, so you won’t often find a full lace ruffle wedding dress, especially as the fabric is usually very open and see-through. It will make the perfect accent and add a romantic or vintage touch to your ruffle wedding dress! Another common bridal fabric is satin. Satin is a heavier fabric that is coveted for its structure, lending itself to more constructed designs. Due to its weight and stiffness, we don’t recommend opting for satin when looking for your perfect ruffle wedding dress. Lastly, there’s silk. Silk comes in many variations and you’ll often find gowns that are made from silk blends. The look of a ruffle wedding dress all depends on the type of silk you choose. Something like Mikado would be considered too heavy for ruffles, while charmeuse has a lightweight, satiny quality to it that could lend itself to more column-style dresses with delicate cascading or tiered ruffles.
Iconic Ruffle Wedding Dress Designs
Brides love to take inspiration from iconic celebrity wedding dresses, so it’s no surprise that with J. Lo’s grand gown ruffle wedding dress, designs are on the rise. Jennifer Lopez’s ruffle wedding dress was custom-made by Ralph Lauren, featuring a modest turtleneck, short flutter sleeves, and a gorgeous illusion back, but it was the dramatic skirt is that took all of our breaths away. More than 1,000 individually cut handkerchiefs were handstitched to create the voluminous and romantic skirt. J. Lo’s ruffle train is that perfect combination of feminine frills and dimensional drama that today’s glamorous brides are looking for. If you’re looking for a more playful celebrity ruffle wedding dress to take inspiration from, look no further than Mandy Moore. Equal parts girly and boho, the starlet wore a tiered ruffle wedding dress—custom-made by Rodarte—that took inspiration from the late 1960s and early 1970s. The breezy tulle dress looked lovely with delicate dot embroidery, and the tiered layers of closely gathered ruffles were enough to have us swoon, but it’s that perfect pink shade that really wins us over!
Are Ruffle Wedding Dresses Heavy/Voluminous?
If you’re a bride interested in ruffle wedding dresses, you might be wondering whether they will be too heavy, or so voluminous that it becomes cumbersome to wear. Since the layers of ruffles add weight to the gown, ruffle wedding dresses may be considered heavier, but a lot of this is dependent upon the fabric the dress is made of. We use fabrics like tulle and organza for our ruffle skirts and trains. These fabrics are incredibly lightweight making them ideal for a bride who wants an airy and effortless ruffle wedding dress. When it comes to the volume of the gown, ruffle wedding dresses can be subtle and slim or full and fabulous. Some of this comes down to the silhouette you choose—like a ruffle ball gown wedding dress will feel bulkier than a column or mermaid silhouette. There’s also the style of ruffle to consider. A dress with layers and layers of double-edged ruffles will be more voluminous than one that has a delicate waterfall or cascading ruffle. The volume of your dream ruffle wedding dress is all about personal preference. If you’re still concerned about how heavy or voluminous a ruffle wedding dress is, consider wearing a short ruffle skirt wedding dress. This alternative style is sure to stand out, giving you the drama of ruffles with the movability of a short dress, perfect for dancing the night away!
Ruffle Wedding Dress with Sleeves
If you love the look of a ruffle wedding dress but want to still feel modest and covered, opt for a ruffle wedding dress with sleeves. Whether short or long, sleeves can alter the look of any wedding gown. They help provide support for our bustier brides and can offer coverage for women who dress more conservatively. This does not mean boring, with the playful nature of ruffles, sleeves can provide a great balance. Donna, style 5955 is the perfect example! The minimalist ball gown feels refreshingly classic. The soft satin bodice has expertly tailored seams to create clean lines that contour the body with a plunging v-neckline and matching v-shapes back to offset the modest long sleeves. The full, flounced skirt has layers upon layers of delicately cascading ruffles with a wide horsehair hemline to keep each one defined and streamlined.
Mermaid Ruffle Wedding Dress
For the brides who love drama, nothing beats a sexy mermaid silhouette paired with an over-the-top ruffled skirt. The incredible contrast of form-fitting bodice with a dramatically ruffled skirt is hard to beat. If this is what you’re looking for, our Muse wedding dress is the one for you! A longtime bridal favorite, Muse, style 8177 is an extravagant mermaid gown with a romantic strapless, sweetheart neckline featuring a drop waist bodice—to elongate the form—designed with stunning sculptured, embroidered, crystal beaded appliqués. The gorgeous ruffle skirt is made from hand-cut organza ruffles, reminiscent of J. Lo’s gown that create a gorgeous fishtail effect.
Vintage Ruffle Wedding Dress
Some brides love the timeless feel of a vintage wedding dress and ruffles can help bring a vintage gown into the modern age. With classic silhouettes and delicate details, a vintage-inspired ruffle wedding dress is a lovely choice and something that can be passed down for generations. Our pick is our Evelyn wedding dress from our Grace collection, inspired by iconic women in fashion like Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. Evelyn, style 30101 is an ultra-flattering A-line with a silhouette reminiscent of a vintage McCall or Vogue sewing pattern from the 50s. The modest v-neckline and elbow-length sleeves add to the vintage feel, and we love the delicate flounce of the romantic ruffle tulle skirt.
Off-The-Shoulder A-line Ruffle Wedding Dress
Off-the-shoulder A-line gowns have a dreamy effect and with the addition of ruffles, it’s hard to resist! A-line wedding dresses are one of the most popular with a flattering fit that suits all body types. The fitted bodice accentuates the smallest part of your waist where it then flares out into a soft “A” shape. If you’re looking for an off-the-shoulder A-line ruffle wedding dress, check out Caressa, style 9518. The romantic A-line has a soft scoop neckline on a sheer, boned bodice designed with stunning frosted, floral lace appliquès that cascade down the gown. The delicate ruffle skirt is whimsical, perfect for twirling, with horsehair edging to keep each ruffle defined. Iridescent pearl and crystal beaded straps add the perfect pop of sparkle and detachable off-the-shoulder sleeves—with matching floral appliqués—are dreamy and create a cool, cold-shoulder effect.
Ball Gown Wedding Dress with Ruffles
Billowing or bold, but always beautiful, ball gown wedding dresses have a regal look. When you add in the fluidity and texture from ruffles, it’s a breathtaking addition that takes a ball gown to the next level. Whether you’re looking for statement-making ruffles or a delicate flounce, a ball gown wedding dress with ruffles is easy to love. Sage, style 1030 is an elegant ball gown with dimensional details. The grand ball gown has a plunging neckline on a bodice adorned with crystal beading and decadent frosted lace appliqués that cascade down the dress. A flounced overlay adds texture and movement to the printed tulle skirt with layered ruffles that beautifully fold and lead to a dramatic cathedral-length train. Our plus-size brides can look fabulous in a ball gown wedding dress with ruffles. Garcelle, style 3369 is a playful ball gown with a dramatic layered ruffle skirt—in a mix of light-as-air tulle and organza—that has incredible volume and texture. The beautiful bodice has lovely frosted embroidered lace with a wide v-neckline and sheer cap sleeves that lead to a stunning keyhole back.
Strapless Ruffle Wedding Dress
If you love the look of a strapless wedding dress but want the drama of ruffles, we’ve got you covered! You can have both, pairing a romantic strapless, sweetheart neckline with a voluminous ruffled skirt, for a bold bridal look that you’re guests won’t soon forget. Leona, style 8282 is a glamorous strapless ruffle wedding dress with a drop waist bodice, that elongates the body, designed with blingy beaded, embroidered appliqués. The sultry mermaid silhouette is enhanced by the dramatic organza skirt, with layer upon layer of textured ruffles for an over-the-top wedding dress.
What is the Best Color for a Ruffle Wedding Dress?
If ruffles aren’t enough of a statement, you might want a splash of color. So then the question is, what is the best color for a ruffle wedding dress? The answer is really personal preference. Some brides might love a pop of pink, while others want to look vampy in black, or something subtle like a misty blue. The choice is really up to you! We love the look of a blush pink ruffle wedding dress, like Mandy Moore’s we talked about earlier, but if you’re not into a bright pink a softer rose ruffle wedding dress is a beautiful option too. The most dramatic look we can think of is a black ruffle wedding dress, but all options are stunning and can help you better express your unique personality.
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