Image: Michèle M. Waite via Elizabeth Anne Designs

A few weeks back, I gave my predictions for wedding trends in 2013, and today I’m exploring one of my favourite. Coloured wedding dresses have become a huge style crush for me, and it seems like just about every designer feels the same way. And why not? White dresses weren’t even a part of wedding tradition until Queen Victoria married in one in 1840, and they weren’t the norm until after the Second World War. Many brides simply wore their best dress, whatever the colour. So you shouldn’t feel obliged to wear a white gown, any more than you’re obliged to wear a veil. And as wedding dresses themselves move toward evening gown shapes and embellishments (and sometimes even actual evening gowns worn as wedding dresses), the field is wide open for you to wear something that really makes your heart sing. I think what I like most is that, unlike the coloured wedding dresses of the ’90s (which were mostly red and black and wrong all over), most of these combine soft whispers of colour with elegant flowing fabrics, resulting in all the romance of a white ballgown, but with a bit of extra zip. But it’s all very well to read this, and to see the dresses on the catwalk. What do coloured dresses really look like on real brides? Here’s a rainbow of loveliness to show you!

Images (clockwise from top left):1- Ashley Forrette and Aaron Courter/AniA Collection via Ruffled; 2- Ngg studios/Jennifer Gifford Designs/The One Day House; 3- Simply Bloom Photography/Romona Keveza via Style Me Pretty; 4- Alicia Swedenborg/Lova Weddings via Love My Dress; 5- Alea Lovely/Alea Bebenek via Ruffled; 6- Le Spose di Gio via The Broke-Ass Bride

Images (clockwise from left): 1- Brumley & Wells via Wedding Chicks; 2- Di Bezi/Vera Wang via Brooklyn Bride; 3- Erin Hearts Court; 4- Marshal Gray Photography /Ami Elisah via Whimsical Wonderland Weddings

Images: Row 1 – Jade + Matthew/Watters via Ruffled (left); Anda Marie/BCBG Max Azria via Green Wedding Shoes (centre); dna photographers/Francois Vedemme on SBB (right); Row 2- Jonas Peterson/Jenny Packham via Once Wed (left); Mi belle photography/Ralph Lauren via Green Wedding Shoes (right); Row 3- James Christianson Photography/Vera Wang via Style Me Pretty (left); We Love Pictures via Once Wed (centre); Segerius Bruce Photography/Mira Zwillinger via Wedding Chicks (right); Row 4- Tec Petaja Wedding Photography/Adrianna Papell via Style Me Pretty (left); Cluney Photo/Watters via Style Me Pretty (right); Row 5- Fresh In Love Photography/Vera Wang via Style Me Pretty (left); Shane Shepherd Photography/Carla Zampatti via Style Me Pretty (centre); We Heart Photography/Vera Wang via Style Me Pretty (right)

Images (clockwise from top left):1- Susan Dean/Alexander Mcqueen via Inspired By This; 2- Caught the Light/Jenny Packham via 100 Layer Cake; 3- Q Weddings via Style Me Pretty; 4- I Love Wednesdays via Polka Dot Bride; 5- Peter van der Lingen via The Pretty Blog; 6- Apryl Ann/Enzoani

Image: Christine Pobke/Aurelio Costarella via Green Wedding Shoes

Image: Matt Mendelsohn (left); Dan O’Day via Green Wedding Shoes (centre); Yuna Leonard Photography via HiFi Weddings (right)

Images (clockwise from top left):1- Chanel via New York Weddings; 2- ZaraZoo on SBB; 3- We love Pictures/Suzaan Heyns via Magnolia Rouge; 4- Melanie Wessels on SBB; 5- Lanvin via Glitter Weddings

Images (clockwise from top left): 1- Stephanie Swann/Dana Mathers via Love My Dress; 2- Jose Villa via Once Wed; 3- Love Katie + Sarah via Ruffled; 4- Chyna Darner Photography/Alison Rodger via Style Me Pretty; 5- Sally Thurrell via Whimsical Wonderland Weddings; 6- Scarlet O’Neill/Pam Chorley via Wedding Chicks