These Celebrity Wedding Dresses Bring Drama in Surprising Ways

Billy Idol may have sung about white weddings, but these celebrity brides definitely weren’t feeling it. In fact, these unconventional gowns are loaded with colour and packed with personality — just like the women wearing them. From dramatic to laid-back, these unique celebrity wedding gowns (and other forms of wedding apparel) were totally shocking — in an amazing way.

Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks shortly after getting married in 1988

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Rita Wilson

You have to appreciate any wedding that took place in the '80s because the fashion was just so fantastic. Rita's 1988 nuptials to Tom Hanks featured exactly that, what with the super-short bodycon dress, ruffles and lace. The fashion didn't stand the test of time but their marriage certainly has. The couple have celebrated more than 30 years together.

Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee exchanging vows on beach in 1995

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Pamela Anderson

Speaking of casual, in 1995, while on a beach in Cancun, Pam and Tommy Lee decided to hitch it up and figured why bother changing out of our swimwear? A tiny white bikini and a pair of trunks did just fine. You know, until it wasn't.

Cynthia Bailey and Peter Thomas during their wedding

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Cynthia Bailey

For the Real Housewives of Atlanta star's wedding to Peter Thomas in 2010, she went as far away from a white dress as she could, instead wearing a platinum-coloured gown custom made by designer Rubin Singer. She said her modern venue, Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta, was her inspiration.

Kim Zolciak in one of her three wedding dresses in 2011

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Kim Zolciak

Not to be outdone, Cynthia's Real Housewives of Atlanta co-star wore three dresses during her 2011 wedding to Kroy Biermann, but it was the low-cut, blinged-out Baracci Beverly Hills dress that reportedly weighed 32 pounds that made our eyes pop out of our heads. You don't want to look, but you just can't help it.

Gwen Stefani with her dad before he walks her down the aisle in 2002

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Gwen Stefani

Only a badass rock star can pull off this pink ombré Christian Dior dress designed by John Galliano, which the former No Doubt singer wore to her wedding to Gavin Rossdale. Gorj! If Gwen and current boyfriend Blake Shelton decide to make it official, we can't even imagine what her get-up will look like.

Black and white photo of Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio after their wedding

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Marilyn Monroe

Monroe's chocolate-brown dress — that she wore to her wedding to Joe DiMaggio in 1954 — couldn't be more un-Marilyn-like if she tried.

Audrey Hepburn and Andrea Dotti after their 1969 wedding

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Audrey Hepburn

The actress was a blushing bride to Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti in 1969 — and her dress matched. The pink Givenchy long-sleeved minidress was made all the more complete by her matching head scarf.

Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson after their wedding in 1989

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Emma Thompson

Thompson married first husband Kenneth Branagh in 1989 and her wedding dress couldn't be more of that era thanks to its bold colours, squiggly lines, pouffy sleeves and feathery veil. One of a kind, that Emma.

Black and white shot of Lauren Bacall during her wedding reception in 1945

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Lauren Bacall

Bacall may have been known for her glamorous looks, but she kept it simple for her wedding to Humphrey Bogart in 1945, opting for a beige skirt suit and black leather belt to tie it all together.

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Lauren Bacall

The actress' second wedding, to Jason Robards in 1961, was almost as untraditional as her first. A yellow dress with black and pink squiggly stripping? Sure.

Julianne Moore carrying baby daughter Liv to wedding

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Julianne Moore

Moore's look was more bridesmaid than bride in this lilac Prada for her 2003 wedding to Bart Freundlich. Love that her slip lining matched his jacket while his shirt and tie matched her dress.

Black and white pic of Raquel Welch and Patrick Curtis after wedding in 1967

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Raquel Welch

The bombshell dropped a bomb of her own on her wedding to producer Patrick Curtis in 1967: in the form of her crocheted dress that was so casual, she looked like she just came from the beach.

Bianca Jagger and Mick Jagger on their wedding day in 1971

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Bianca Jagger

Leave it to Bianca to wear a sexy skirt suit and oversized hat, a sartorial choice way ahead of its time. Her wedding to Mick Jagger may have been in 1971 but if a bride-to-be opted to wear that outfit now, we wouldn't blink.

Sugar Bear, Mama June and Honey Boo-Boo on their wedding day in 2013

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Mama June Shannon

The reality star wore a camo wedding dress with orange trim, to match the hunter vest and camo pants of her now-ex-husband, Sugar Bear in 2013. The most surprising thing about this is that it isn't very surprising at all.

Yoko Ono and John Lennon holding marriage certificate in 1969

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Yoko Ono

It was 1969 and both her and John Lennon's wedding garb was as unconventional as the couple themselves. While he opted for a white turtleneck and jacket, Yoko rocked iconic trends of the decade: a tiered miniskirt, knee-high socks and felt floppy hat for her wedding day look. They may say all you need is love but a little awesome fashion never hurt.