For the Bride Who Doesn’t Want to Look Like a Wedding Cake

When Carrie Bradshaw prepared to wed Mr. Big in the first Sex and the City movie (2008), she presented her proposed dress—a knee-length, cream-colored vintage number and a demure suit jacket—with the smug delight of someone about to commit an act of rebellion. The plain Jane ensemble telegraphed her ambivalence toward the sacred vows, and Carrie’s friends were aghast. “It’s pretty … but it’s just so simple,” said the proper, polite Charlotte. That was as kind as it got.

Were Carrie getting married in 2016, her friends might not spit out their cosmos: The low-maintenance wedding dress is now so uncontroversial, it’s trendy. This year, both U.S. retailer Forever 21 and British chain Asos started selling attire for a more chill bride, including short dresses and separates. Sweden’s H&M offers boho-chic pieces, and online-only brand Nasty Gal has a collection of “Little White Dresses.” Style aside, since cool-girl wedding wear requires less ornamentation and material (in some cases, a lot less), it’s cheaper than traditional gowns. The average bride spent about $1,400 on her dress last year, according to an annual survey by the Knot, an online resource for all things wedding. The most expensive piece in H&M’s line is $649. Most of the options at Asos are less than $200.