Real Brides Wearing Long-Sleeved Wedding Dresses

By Emily Platt
July 11, 2018
Elizabeth Fogarty Photography

Whether you love lace or tulle, a mermaid silhouette or an A-line, or prefer a vintage or bohemian look, you'll find a gorgeous gown here.

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Credit: Elizabeth Fogarty Photography

Long-sleeved wedding dresses are often associated with a certain kind of look: one that's modest and traditional. That's at least in part due to the fact that the silhouette is beloved by royal brides. In actuality, though, wedding dresses with long sleeves are far from uniform. Take Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle—everyone's favorite British duchesses—for example. Each wore a vastly different take on the style. For more proof that long-sleeved bridal gowns are incredibly diverse, turn to real women. Each of the bride's in this gallery donned a stunning garment personalized to her and her big day.

As the following long-sleeved wedding dresses go to show, covered arms can be paired with almost any other design element. For example, lace is a popular fabric choice for the style, but it looks great in other materials, too. Same goes for dress shapes—A-line isn't your only option, though it's certainly pretty common (and just plain pretty). Add on the fact that long-sleeved wedding dresses can be embellished with anything from beading to embroidery, and the pool of possibilities only expands. You can even score one in a nontraditional color, whether you want romantic blush or bold black.

Our slideshow showcases tons of gorgeous looks, starting with this long-sleeved ball gown by Hayley Paige. The bride glowed in the unique style, which boasted a princess skirt and sheer bodice. If you're wondering how to wear a long-sleeved wedding dress, look to her for inspiration. Or, look to any of the women on the slides ahead. They each impeccably pulled off long sleeves.

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Simple Long-Sleeved Wedding Dress

Credit: Thecablook Fotolab

This simple Tara Lauren V-neck gown featured allover lace.

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High-Neck Long-Sleeved Wedding Dress

Credit: Jillian Mitchell Photography

We're obsessed with this stylish bride's fashion choice: a fringed Alessandra Rich dress with a high neck.

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Long-Sleeved Lace Wedding Dress

Credit: Zach and Rosalie

Tadashi Shoji designed this bride's gorgeous fitted wedding dress.

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Long-Sleeved Vintage Wedding Dress

Credit: Virgil Bunao
Learn All About Vintage Wedding Dresses

"Something borrowed" just got a whole lot sweeter. In honor of the tradition, this bride wore her mother's long-sleeved wedding dress on the big day.

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Long-Sleeved A-line Wedding Dress

Credit: Mariel Hannah Photography
Learn All About Wedding Dress Silhouettes

This pretty Ines Di Santo number featured lacy long sleeves, beading, and an A-line silhouette.

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Long-Sleeved Illusion Wedding Dress

Credit: Sanford Creative
Get More Boho Wedding Ideas

To complement her bohemian aesthetic, this bride chose a sheer wedding dress by Rue de Seine.

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Long-Sleeved Short Wedding Dress

Credit: Shannon Griffin Photography
See More Brides Wearing Short Wedding Dresses

Just because you're wearing long sleeves doesn't mean you need a long skirt. This bride stepped out in a contemporary tea-length style from BCBG.

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Off-the-Shoulder Long-Sleeved Wedding Dress

Credit: Betsy Blue
See More Brides Wearing Off-the-Shoulder Wedding Dresses

Flora designed this beautiful lace wedding dress, which boasted a Bardot neckline.

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Long-Sleeved Backless Wedding Dress

Credit: Jessica Lorren
See More Wedding Dresses with Beautiful Backs

This contemporary Stella McCartney gown was modest in the front but chicly daring in the back.

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Long-Sleeved Sheath Wedding Dress

Credit: The Hendrys Photography
See More Floral Wedding Dresses

Subtle floral embroidery made for the perfect accent on this bespoke Jenny Lessin wedding dress.

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Long-Sleeved Bohemian Wedding Dress

Credit: Brett Heidebrecht
See More Two-Piece Wedding Dresses

This bride's two-piece Willowby by Watters bridal set—which included a long-sleeved lace top and tulle skirt—was definitively bohemian.

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Long-Sleeved Casual Wedding Dress

Credit: Tec Petaja
Get More Casual Wedding Ideas

The flowing skirt and open back gave this Lihi Hod wedding dress a laid-back look.

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Long-Sleeved V-Neck Wedding Dress

Credit: KT Merry
See More Embellished Wedding Dresses

A long-sleeved gown can still be bold. Take this Inbal Dror wedding dress, which paired a plunging neckline with intricate embellishments.

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Black Long-Sleeved Wedding Dress

Credit: Fiona Andersen Photography

This fashionable bride wore a long-sleeved Oscar de la Renta number embellished with black floral details.

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Long-Sleeved Blush Wedding Dress

Credit: Ashley Seawell Photography

Looking for a wedding dress that's equal parts whimsical and romantic? Then this blush Martina Liana gown might be the one for you.

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Two-Piece Long-Sleeved Wedding Dress

Credit: Taylor & Porter

At this wedding, the bride dazzled in an embellished crop top and matching skirt.

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Long-Sleeved Beaded Wedding Dress

Credit: Annamarie Akins Photography

Talk about a statement gown. This bride's long-sleeved BHLDN wedding dress was covered with shimmering beads.

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Long-Sleeved Tulle Wedding Dress

Credit: Kristen Kilpatrick

Our favorite part about this Monique Lhuillier bridal gown? The detachable tulle overlay.

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Long-Sleeved Tea Ceremony Dress

Credit: Greg Finck

How gorgeous was this bride's handmade red dress, which she wore to her wedding's tea ceremony?

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Colorful Long-Sleeved Wedding Dress

Credit: Maui Maka Photography
See More Colorful Dresses from Real Weddings

This bride fell in love with a teal Valentino gown—the embroidered piece looked surprisingly bridal.

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Nontraditional Long-Sleeved Wedding Dress

Credit: Michael & Carina Photography

A traditional shape (a long-sleeved A-line silhouette) balanced out this Monique Lhuillier bride's unconventional wedding dress color (bright pink).

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Elegant Long-Sleeved Wedding Dress

Credit: Rebecca Yale Photography

This glowing bride put on a Louvienne bridal gown with a lacy neckline plus a simple skirt.

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Long-Sleeved Indian Wedding Dress

Credit: Meg Smith

Manish Malhotra crafted this bride's unique and impressive traditional wedding dress.

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Long-Sleeved Mermaid Wedding Dress

Credit: Melissa Mills
See More Mermaid Wedding Dresses

We love this bride's sexy off-the-shoulder Paula & Jo gown, which had a corset bodice and sheer paneling.

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