Dec 29, 2020
Looking for the most unique wedding dress Melbourne has on offer? Whether you’re looking for unique wedding dresses boho, long sleeve, white or colourful (check out this incredible Suzanne Harward songbird gown), on this page you’ll find some of the most brilliant modern wedding dress designers.
I’ve been lucky to photograph love and ceremony on all continents, which means seeing so much of the worlds most unique wedding dresses and bridal designers on brilliant lovers in all kids of places: these are 7 of the best unique wedding dresses and wedding dress shops in Melbourne that i’ve had the pleasure of working with.
Be sure to read to the bottom to discover the final 5.
Wedding dress designer | Wedding Dress Style | Wedding Venue location | You might also like |
---|---|---|---|
Brooke Tyson Ritual | Ethereal | New Zealand | About Phaedra |
Suzanne Harward | Cutting edge classy | Collingwood | Paolo Sebastian |
Alex Perry | Unique brutalist | Collingwood | Le Louvre Bridal |
KYHA Studios | Sequinned glory | South Melbourne | Mariana Hardwick |
Paolo Sebastian | Fairytale | Adelaide | Suzanne Harward |
Jaime Lee Major | Detailed majestic | Melbourne | About Phaedra |
Mariana Hardwick | Wispy classic | Thornbury | Suzanne Harward |
Le Louvre Bridal | Classic Melbourne | Richmond | Alex Perry |
About Phaedra | Inimitably natural | Footscray | Brooke Tyson Ritual |
Bluebell Bridal | Classical | Melbourne CBD | Le Louvre Bridal |
Raffael Ciuca | Melbourne classic | Brunswick | Mariana Hardwick |
Anna Campbell | Romantic classy | Armadale | Suzanne Harward |
Gwendolynne | Vintage inspired | Fitzroy | About Phaedra |
Cathleen Jia | Romantically creative | Moorabbin | Le Louvre Bridal |
When you look at how Australian and New Zealand designers have to fight for a place at the table with smaller markets and at a geographical disadvantage to the rest of the world, it’s no surprise then that some of the most brilliant and forward-thinking designs have actually come from this corner of the globe as they place tradition a gentle second, and innovation first, pushing the craft of design past the edges.
And so, incidentally, these designers are all from Australia and New Zealand!
As an art-lover, a beautiful and thoughtfully designed gown is captivating to look at and brilliant to photograph.
This is a run-down of 5 of the most beautiful gowns i’ve had the pleasure of photographing: from the wedding dresses long sleeve genius Alex Perry has designed, through to wedding dresses boho designers like Paolo Sebastian have created.
Looking for wedding dresses boho and beyond? Check out Brooke Tyson. Brooke Tyson Ritual is what happens when you have a curious kiwi, captivated by the world of cinema and nostalgia and with a childhood spent playing dress-ups, cast her hand to the fine art of bridal couture.
Brooke Tyson’s Ritual gowns shown here are the Flora gown, and the Luna gown, photographed on Franc on film, on a volcano in New Zealand. You can also view a full feature on Brooke Tyson Ritual here. If you’re looking for wedding dresses long sleeve or medium sleeve, the Flora gown below might be just what you’re after. It’s flowy long sleeves create brilliant shape and coverage, while still being light enough to move comfortably in.
These unique wedding dresses styles might be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.
Suzanne Harward is a designer i’ve had the good fortune of working with several times, and you can see a feature on 3 of the best Suzanne Harward wedding dresses here too.
Suzanne Harward is an icon of the Australian bridal design scene, with a rich long history while always staying two steps ahead of the trends. Check out the impossibly brilliant songbird gown.
If you’re looking for unique wedding dresses australia and beyond, it’s hard to go past Suzanne Harward.
Incredible unique wedding dresses: Suzanne Harward songbird gown.
Looking for a long sleeve wedding dress or a unique wedding dress with sleeves? Alex Perry isn’t necessarily a name synonymous with bridal design – and this isn’t even a piece from his bridal collection – but that didn’t stop the forward-thinking Liv from adapting one of his other pieces for her wedding to Adam. Wedding dresses designer Alex Perry has brought something unique and modern to the table (whether he intended to or not).
These two marvels are featured on Together Journal, where you can see even more glorious images of their day, her incredible sense of style, and that inimitable long sleeve wedding dress by Alex Perry.
Looking for wedding dresses boho in style? KYHA studios is right at the front of incredible, innovative boho wedding dresses. Founded by Kyha Simpson after tying the knot and wanting to bring something new to the industry, KYHA Studios.
Designed and handmade in Melbourne, KYHA Studios are one of the early frontrunners of doing things differently, and as a result have inspired an industry-wide shift in risk-taking designs. See more of this Kyha Studios wedding dress.
I hope i’m not the only one who, based on the brand name, initially thought Paolo Sebastian was some kind of lavish octogenarian European designer with over half a century of brilliant work under their belt.
Nope – it’s the work from the genius mind of an impossibly young designer, Paul Vasileff, straight out of Adelaide, Australia. Designers like Paolo Sebastian push the edges of classy couture that leans in to the future of the genre.
Paolo Sebastian gowns blend a nod to tradition offset with something resembling the top end of the Disney playground of fantasy designs.
Hannah wears Paolo Sebastian. The Royal Mail Hotel wedding of Hannah and Ben, alongside the inimitable Humdrum Films, is featured on Farewell Fiance. See more of this over on Paolo Sebastian Wedding Dress.
Check out these unique wedding dresses Perth has available. Jaime Lee Majors designs are from another planet. The Fremantle / Perth designer made a name for herself cutting cloth for every celebrity under the sun, beginning initially with an epic gown for Kimbra right around the time of her career take-off.
Since then, Jaime Lee Major has used her progressive, artistic inspired approach to design gowns that push bridal to the very edge. Check out this incredible piece from the Fremantle wedding of Sarah and Dave. See more over on the feature on Jaime Lee Major.
If you’re looking for wedding dresses Perth or nearby, Jaime Lee Major is your designer.
Jaime Lee Major on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaimeleemajor
While you’re here, take a peep at these incredible modern wedding jumpsuits.
Looking for unique wedding dresses lace and elegant? Mariana Hardwick is an iconic Melbourne wedding dress designer. Check out this incredible gown on Elisha at Zonzo Estate. This lace wedding dress is light, flowy, and elegant.
If you’re after wedding dresses vintage in vibe but with an elegant modern twist, Mariana Hardwick is hard to go past.
Mariana Hardwick website: https://marianahardwick.com.au/
While you’re here, take a peep at this Mariana Hardwick wedding dress on Elisha at this Zonzo Wedding showcase.
Looking for wedding dresses vintage in style? You must check out this Le Louvre classic, unchanged for nearly a century. Melbourne bridal designers Le Louvre have been around for 95 years, but that doesn’t mean that this classic Le Louvre Wedding Dress, worn here by Bianca, looks like anything other than one of the most incredible designs on the planet.
If you’re looking for wedding dresses vintage in style, this sleeved gown is one of the most unique designs you’ve ever seen and hard to go past. Maybe you’ve seen these two in Together Journal? If not, pick up a copy of issue #19 to see more of this incredible unique wedding dress on Bianca.
Le Louvre Bridal website: https://www.lelouvre.com.au/
You can buy a wedding dress from any of the 7 incredible wedding dress designers on this post.
A good wedding dress might cost anywhere from $2000 to $20000. There can be hundreds and hundreds of hours involved in creating a wedding dress, so we recommend making an enquiry with all of the incredible Melbourne wedding dress designers on this page to find out yourself.
The best wedding dress Melbourne has on offer might be anything by Suzanne Harward, KYHA studios or Le Louvre. Incredible designers right on our doorstep.
In my opinion, the best new wedding dress is About Phaedra. You can go to their website here: https://www.aboutphaedra.com.au/
Head up and to see incredible wedding dresses with sleeves by Le Louvre, Alex Perry, and Brooke Tyson.
If you’re looking for a unique wedding dress in Melbourne, check out Suzanne Harward, KYHA studios or Le Louvre. Unique designs available right in Melbourne.
9. About Phaedra – https://www.aboutphaedra.com.au/
10. Bluebell Bridal – https://www.bluebellbridal.com/
11. Raffael Ciuca – https://www.raffaeleciuca.com.au/
12. Anna Campbell – https://www.annacampbell.com.au/
13. Gwendolynne – https://www.gwendolynne.com.au/
14. Cathleen Jia – https://www.cathleenjia.com.au/
Wedding photographer Melbourne – Briars Atlas: Enquire
Nov 12, 2020
KYHA Studios is the Melbourne bridal design outfit of Kyha Simpson, formerly operating as One Day Bridal. KYHA Studios are some of the most forward thinking designs, meshing together all sorts of unique wedding dress design sensibilities with a modern edge.
Check out this brilliant KYHA studios dress worn by Matylda at her wedding to Shane, and featured on NOUBA.
While you’re here check out some of the best Modern Wedding Dresses.
KYHA Studios on Instagram
KYHA Studios website: https://onedaybridal.com.au/
Australian Wedding photographer – Briars Atlas: Enquire
Nov 11, 2020
Le Louvre Melbourne Bridal have an incredible history in Melbourne, with their timeless designs serving folks in our city for over 95 years. Le Louvre Bridal fuse art, design and history together in all of their work, and this approach is what led Bianca to wearing Le Louvre at her wedding to Harry, (see more of their brilliant wedding at Half Acre by Food and Desire).
2 Daly St, South Yarra VIC 3141
Le Louvre Melbourne website: https://www.lelouvre.com.au/
Check out this incredible KYHA Studios wedding dress, and head here for the most unique wedding dresses.
Wedding Photography Melbourne – Briars Atlas: Enquire
Oct 9, 2020
Alex Perry Wedding Dresses challenge any ideas of convention around bridal couture. So much so that this one wasn’t even in their wedding category! This incredible Alex Perry Wedding Dress was seen in another part of the Alex Perry catalogue, and Liv immediately knew it would be the perfect wedding dress.
Liv and Adams beautiful Melbourne wedding was photographed by Briars Atlas and featured inside the pages of Together Journal and you can purchase it here in issue #19, and their incredible sense of style has also been picked up worldwide and seen on Yahoo and Popsugar.
Thanks to Liv and Adam for having me down for your brilliant day in the beautiful gritty centre of Melbourne.
Livs Alex Perry Wedding Dress is also featured in my post on the 5 best modern wedding dresses.
Alex Perry Wedding Dresses online: https://www.alexperry.com.au/pages/stockist-bride
Check out Zoe and Adams Blue Mountains wedding here on Vogue, and also Elishas gown in this beautiful Zonzo Estate wedding. Also see what Kyha Studios, formerly One Day Bridal, are up to. For elegant wedding venues in Melbourne, check out the deck circa.
Briars Atlas Wedding Photography: Enquire
Jul 18, 2020
Jaime Lee Major is one of Australia’s brightest design stars. Her bridal collection has grown over the last 10 years making her one of the most sought after dressmakers to come out of Australia. Jaime Lee Major wedding gowns are meticulously crafted pieces of art.
A while back I photographed the Perth wedding of Sarah and Dave, which started in a majestic ceremony and ended in a (actual) rave. Throughout all that, this incredible Jaime Lee Major creation weathered all the wild glory.
We wanted to do a piece on her because we are inspired by her wild design talent and outer-space way of approaching bridal gowns for folks wanting something a little more on the edge (see also, Kyha Studios). Her designs are for the fashion-forward bride (the exact words that came out of David’s lips all day at their wedding).
Born and raised in Fremantle (Perth), Jamie Lee Major rose to fame after she designed a gown for Kimbra at the Grammys in 2013. Her blue tulle and Swarovski encrusted dress was seen by 40 million people and she gained quite a mighty whack of international fame, and said in an interview for VOGUE that she hadn’t really thought about bridal couture but had so many enquiries that it ‘just sort of happened’.
Jaime Lee Major won WA Designer of the year, has been featured in VOGUE, dressed Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Rita Ora (to name a few). Major has since left the red carpet behind her now to focus her creative genius on wedding dress designs.
Jaime Lee Major wedding gowns are priced from $5000 to $24,000, and like all things thoughtfully crafted, worth every cent. They are pieces of art that she carefully wraps around a human body, and have endless hours of labour put into every last little detail. There are hundreds of thousands of beads, crystals, pearls and stitches in her creations.
The bridal collection features a lot of tulle and exposed flesh, lavishly covered with luxurious embellishments. They’re a Pinterest board dream. You can forget the classic silhouette or cathedral length train.
Jaime Lee is talking frills, cuffs, ruffles, sparkles and bespoke demi-couture tailoring. The materials tend to stray away from classic whites and ivories and delve into lux golds and silvers. Something I’m excited to see more of in contemporary weddings.
If you’re a bride who wants to do things differently then Jaime Lee Major’s collection is awe-inspiring. See-through trouser suits and everything covered in Swarovski will certainly turn some heads and take your Grandmothers idea of the traditional wedding dress for a glorious golden ride. The way the light catches the sparkles and the overstated glamour is perfect for any bridal shoot.
There is no end to this gifted woman’s creativity. She is such an exciting element in Australian wedding scene. One of her recent catwalk gowns used the most insane floristry to bring her ideas to life.
I love capturing everything that makes the day special, the bride’s dress is at the top of my list. Be over indulgent, be bountiful, be sumptuous. It’s a wedding, nothing can be too amplified! Your dress should make you feel like you’ve never felt before and there is no way in hell you can’t feel $1million dollars in a Jaime Lee Major wedding gown.
Jaime Lee Major on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaimeleemajor
Steph and Zacs Quarry Farm Wedding, and Fremantle wedding photo locations.
Briars Atlas wedding photography – make an enquiry
Jul 6, 2020
Brooke Tyson Ritual – some of the most incredible bridal designs on the planet, with delicate contours and flowing textures, and what a treat it was to photograph them in a (real) blizzard, atop a volcano in New Zealand, draped over our incredible model, Fran, for the Story and Light photography workshop hosted by the genius wizardchildren over at Bayly and Moore.
Featured here is the Brooke Tyson Ritual Luna gown, as well as their Flora gown.
Story and Light was sponsored by the brilliant Australian film-lab Atkins, who kindly developed and scanned all of these images, shot entirely on Kodak Film. More on analogue wedding photography.
Removing herself from the perilously wild volcanic blizzard (despite the hardy protection of the Luna gown), here, we see Fran emerging from a more friendly forest, in the Brooke Tyson Flora gown.
Above and below is the Flora gown. Anyone that has ever met a New Zealander knows that the Ritual collection benefits from the classic kiwi ingenuity, developed in and around curious brain-zaps that test the edges of what bridal gowns should look like.
Celebrating free-spirits and with inspiration taken from cinema and folklore, the Brooke Tyson Luna gown was pretty much made to be draped across Franc and then whisked by a blizzard in on top of a volcano.
Brooke Tyson are also featured here on my top 5 best modern wedding dresses.
Website: https://brooketysonritual.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brooketysonritual
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrookeTysonRitual/
For more wedding dress designs from another planet, check out Jaime Lee Major.
If you like Brooke Tyson, you might also like these incredible wedding jumpsuits.
Jun 8, 2020
Tanya and Ryan are Jiu-Jitsu diehards, who train together, and Mario-Kart together. These legends had their Two Ton Max wedding in Melbourne right at the 11th hour before Melbourne’s first Covid lockdown. In one of Melbournes most brilliant warehouse wedding venues, these two got it done in style with a crew of the best. I was lucky to be along for the ride with my dear old mate Michelle Grace Hunder, photographing this together for the first time in years (we started out as a wedding duo before going solo).
Enjoy this little peek into Tanya and Ryans Two Ton Max wedding, featuring Melbourne wedding celebrant Shannon Jeans running the show. For more beautiful warehouse, rustic, or alternative wedding venues in Melbourne, check out this post on unique Melbourne wedding venues, featuring Rupert on Rupert and Gather and Tailor.
Two Ton Max are also featured in this post on small wedding venues.
Two Ton Max website: http://twotonmax.com.au/
Jun 7, 2020
Every now and again in this job you come across art thats just as magic as the humans wearing it. Bridal dress designer Paolo Sebastian takes his cues from a Disney-like fantasy land, and creates some of the most incredible modern bridal couture.
Straight outta Adelaide, Australia.
I photographed Hannah and Ben at their gorgeous Royal Mail Hotel Wedding in the Grampians, and Hannah wore this incredible Paolo Sebastian Wedding Dress.
Hannah and Ben’s wedding was put together by the best Melbourne Wedding Planner, Will and Jac. Head over to their feature to see some of the most forward thinking couples around.
Paolo Sebastian website: https://paolosebastian.com/
Best Modern Wedding Dresses – and for more dress designs like Paolo Sebastian you need to see this piece by KYHA Studios.
Briars Atlas wedding photography: Enquire
Jan 8, 2020
Zoe and Adam married at the incredible Hydro Majestic hotel, in New South Wales. Zoe’s bridesmaids wore stunning Elle Zeitoune Emerald Bridesmaid Dresses, in emerald green.
You can see Zoe and Adams full day on Vogue, and here we just wanted to share these incredible, shimmering emerald green bridesmaid dresses.
To hire me to photograph your wedding, enquire at Briarsatlas.com
Elle Zeitoune Website: https://www.ellezeitoune.com.au/shop/section/55/Bridesmaids
Head here for more modern wedding dresses and be sure to check out this incredible wedding dress by KYHA Studios.
Wedding photography Melbourne – Briars Atlas: Enquire
Dec 5, 2019
Modern bridal jumpsuits have made their presence felt at some incredible weddings over the last few years, so I picked out some favourites. If you’re considering a wedding jumpsuit, check out these stylish scallywags, and examples of the white wedding jumpsuit making a statement.
Being a little island far away from everything else, we tend to end up doing things out way, and wedding fashion and styling is no different. The wedding jumpsuit can be easier to move around in, less finnicky, and as a result, one often overlooked ingredient in keeping your wedding day fun, simple, and hassle free.
Which isn’t to say there’s any compromise in style when going the route of a wedding jumpsuit – check out these maestros to see just why – featuring bridal jumpsuit designers from Australia, all the way over to the UK’s Emilia Wickstead.
While you’re here, check out what are some of the best modern wedding dresses i’ve seen, as well as this beautiful Byron Bay wedding venue.
Apr 8, 2019
The Suzanne Harward Songbird gown is an impossibly brilliant piece of design by the crew at Suzanne Harward. Featuring embroidered tulle, a circular skirt, and incredible floral and bluebird details from top to bottom.
I photographed the wedding of Laura and Walker held at Daylesford Convent, and this post will feature just images of Laura in her incredible gown. Their dog Bonnie came along for the ride (as in, the entire ride, start to finish, including dance-floor raving at the incredible Daylesford Convent) and what followed was a wild day of rain-dodging and glorious times with their community at one of the gems of regional Victoria.
To see their full wedding in detail, keep your eyes on Together Journal, where it will be featured.
See the Songbird gown also featured here in unique Wedding Dresses.
Suzanne Harward website: https://www.suzanneharward.com/
Looking for another incredible wedding gown? Check out this modern wedding dress by Jaime Lee Major.
Jan 30, 2018
Mariana Hardwick is Australia’s leading designer of bridal couture, with new and progressive twists on bridal classics. Over the last 30 years, modern brides all over Australia and beyond have picked a Mariana Hardwick wedding dress when looking for wildly progressive but timeless designs.
Because I photograph weddings all over Melbourne and the Yarra Valley, that also gives me the chance to check out some of the incredible designs happening on our own fine lands.
Today it’s this majestic Mariana Hardwick wedding dress on Elisha, at her wedding to Daniel at Yarra Valleys Zonzo Estate. Elisha and Daniels Zonzo wedding was featured over on Ivory Tribe.
Mariana Hardwick website: https://marianahardwick.com.au/
If you love this stunning Mariana Hardwick wedding gown, you might also like these unique wedding dresses, fellow Melbourne bridal designer Suzanne Harward, or these beautiful modern bridal jumpsuits. Pick up the work of this beautiful Victorian designer for your New South Wales wedding at Deux Belettes.