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Dec 29, 2020
Unique Wedding dresses Melbourne and beyond
- Brooke Tyson Ritual
- Suzanne Harward
- Alex Perry
- KYHA Studios
- Paolo Sebastian
- Jaime Lee Major
- Mariana Hardwick
- Le Louvre Bridal
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.
Melbourne unique wedding dresses: a dress comparison chart
| 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.
1. Unique Short Wedding Dress: Brooke Tyson Ritual
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 (find a film wedding photographer here), 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.
Find Brooke Tyson Ritual online:
2. Unique Wedding Dresses with colour: Suzanne Harward
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.
Wedding dresses designer in style: Suzanne Harward
3. Long Sleeve Wedding Dress Melbourne: Alex Perry Bridal
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.
Find Alex Perry Bride online
4. Modern Boho Wedding Dress Melbourne: KYHA Studios
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.
Wedding dresses boho in style: KYHA Studios (Boho wedding dress Melbourne)
5. Unique Wedding Dress: Paolo Sebastian
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 (speaking of offset… take a peep at the new wave of Offset portraits) 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, and at this Hindmarsh Island wedding.
Wedding dresses boho in style: Paolo Sebastian
6. Wedding dresses Perth: Jaime Lee Major
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.
Find Jaime Lee Major online
Jaime Lee Major on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaimeleemajor
While you’re here, take a peep at these incredible modern wedding jumpsuits.
7. Wedding dresses Melbourne: Mariana hardwick
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.
Find Mariana Hardwick
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.
8. Wedding Dress Melbourne Designer: Le Louvre Bridal
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.
Wedding dresses elegant in style: Le Louvre
Le Louvre Bridal website: https://www.lelouvre.com.au/
Unique wedding dress Melbourne: 5 frequently asked questions
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.
Wedding dress Melbourne: 6 more wedding dress designers you might not know about:
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/
Hire me to photograph your wedding (if you want)
Wedding photographer Melbourne – Briars Atlas: Enquire
Nov 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 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 us down for your brilliant day in the beautiful gritty centre of Melbourne, at Longsong.
Liv’s Wedding Dress is also featured in our post on the 5 best modern wedding dresses.
See more Alex Perry Wedding Dresses
Alex Perry wedding dresses offer a refreshing take on bridal fashion, steering away from the overly traditional and into something more refined and modern. His designs are sleek, with a focus on sharp tailoring and clean lines, appealing to brides who want a polished look without all the frills.
- Structured shoulders add a bold, fashion-forward touch.
- Plunging necklines give the gowns a bit of edge.
- Long, flowing sleeves introduce some drama while keeping things elegant.
- Minimalist designs keep the focus on form and silhouette rather than embellishments.
- Subtle detailing, like a well-placed brooch, adds just the right amount of interest.
These elements come together in a way that feels contemporary yet timeless, perfect for the bride who wants her wedding look to feel effortless and chic, but still a bit unexpected.
Alex Perry Wedding Dresses online: https://www.alexperry.com.au/
Seen on Vogue
Check out Ella and Macks wedding as featured on Vogue Australia, 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.
Hire us to photograph your wedding
Briars Atlas Wedding Photography: Enquire
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 film wedding photographer.
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.
Find Brooke Tyson Ritual online
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 9, 2020
Suzanne Harward is one of Australia’s brightest design minds. Her wedding dress designs have been at the leading edge for nearly 30 years. If you’re getting married in Melbourne (or anywhere for that matter), it’s hard to go past our own hometown maestros, Suzanne Harward wedding dresses, for world-leading bridal design. In this post, we’ll look at a few of the best Suzanne Harward bridal gowns i’ve seen.
Based in Collingwood, the Suzanne Harward team are responsible for some of the most forward-thinking, design-minded pieces that are not only a joy to photograph (I might have a personal bias), but incredibly decadent pieces for brides.
Most importantly, each and every time I chat with a bride about their choice of gown, they end up falling over backwards in adoration for the team, and it’s pretty easy to see why.
While you’re here, be sure to also check out these other incredible unique wedding dresses.
Suzanne Harward Wedding Dresses featured in this post
I’ve been fortunate enough to photograph several fashion-forward brides over the years and got to photograph the best modern wedding dresses around – which much of the time happens to be a Suzanne Harward.
Here, i’ve picked three of them, that offer a quick look at what the Suzanne Harward team can do a across the whole spectrum: from elegantly classic, to something from another planet.
All photographs below captured by and remain copyright of Briars Atlas.
Suzanne Harward Wedding Dress: The Bluebird Gala Gown
Laura and Walker:
Category: From another planet
Gown: The Bluebird Gala gown also: Songbird gown
Laura’s Suzanne Harward gown knocked my socks off as soon as I walked into their Daylesford bridal prep house. Hanging from a rustic door, it was adorned with the most incredibly bright florals etched into it, with gorgeous soft peach/pink tulle layers.
Laura and Walker were married at the Daylesford convent, a beautiful historic location that made for a perfect contrast to Lauras gown.
I’ve just gotta step in here: how incredible is that speckled light above? You can find that yourself by heading to the Daylesford Convent Gallery.
Treats. Always. Win. Laura and Walker invited their beautiful little scallywag Bonnie along, and she stayed for the entire day and partied well into the evening at the Daylesford Convent.
Want to see more of Laura and Walker? They are featured in print, having been published inside issue #19 of Together Journal. Already got your Suzanne Harward gown and want me to photograph it? You can enquire to hire me here.
Suzanne Harward Wedding Dress: Eden
Iro and Alex:
Category: Somewhere from here to there
Gown: Eden (no longer available)
Iro’s stunningly detailed dress is a masterclass in modern classic design. I like to think that I have this gown to thank for this image landing me as a category finalist for International Wedding Photographer of the Year 2018 – a beautiful moment in bridal prep accomodation in rural Victoria, before her wedding to Alex at their Butterland wedding in Newstead (also featured here on this post about Castlemaine wedding venues).
What they won’t necessarily tell you on the Suzanne Harward website, is that no matter how gloriously decadent their gowns are, they are able to withstand a champagne spray from even the most enthusiastic friend.
Want to see more of Iro and Alex? They are featured here in Together Journal. Already got your Suzanne Harward gown and want me to photograph it? You can enquire to hire me here.
Suzanne Harward Wedding Dress: White Look #5
Tash and Jacob:
Category: Elegant modern classic
Gown: White Look 5
Just when you think that you can’t be beautifully surprised by a new take on subtle classicism, Suzanne Harward come out with this sleek, elegant gem. Natasha and Jacob were married at the Melbourne registry office, and we spent a little time traipsing around some of my most favourite, secret spots in the city, with gorgeous soft light that played off against the simple shapes of the gown.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this roundup of the best Suzanne Harward wedding dresses (in my humble opinion – don’t let that stop you poring over their incredible range on their website below).
Where to Find Suzanne Harward Bridal
www.suzanneharward.com
73 Johnston St, Collingwood VIC 3066
All images taken by Briars Atlas.
Book me to photograph your wedding
If you’d like to make an enquiry for me to be your wedding photographer, head here.
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.
Find Paolo Sebastian Wedding Dresses online
Paolo Sebastian website: https://paolosebastian.com/
More Paolo Sebastian at this Hindmarsh Island wedding
See wedding dresses similar to Paolo Sebastian
Best Modern Wedding Dresses – and for more dress designs like Paolo Sebastian you need to see this piece by KYHA Studios.
Hire us to photograph your wedding
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
Emerald Green Bridesmaid Dress by Elle Zeitoune
Shop Elle Zeitoune emerald green bridesmaid dresses
Elle Zeitoune Website: https://www.ellezeitoune.com.au/shop/section/55/Bridesmaids
Love these green dresses? Then check this dress inspiration out:
Head here for more modern wedding dresses and be sure to check out this incredible wedding dress by KYHA Studios.
Book me as your wedding photographer
Wedding photography Melbourne – Briars Atlas: Enquire
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.
Find Mariana Hardwick online:
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.
