Wedding Dresses Inspired by the Most Romantic Poems of All Time

When everyday speech isn't strong enough to express our emotions, we turn to poetry. We called on some of our favorite verses to do justice to these awe-inspiring gowns. Each one deserves an ode all its own. 

Classic Strapless Wedding Dress 

"She walks in beauty, like the night of cloudless climes and starry eyes." – Lord Byron

You'll walk in beauty (or recline, as the case may be) in this strapless Oscar de la Renta radzimir gown embroidered with floral threadwork ($13,990, 323-653-0200). 

The Details: Azlee "Single Burst" collar necklace, $2,645, azleejewelry.com.

"How many have loved your moments of glad grace, and loved your beauty with love false or true, but one man loved the pilgrim soul in you..." —William Butler Yeats 

Your fiancé fell for your adventurous spirit, and you've got a one-of-a-kind style. It follows, then, that you'd choose an unconventional, unforgettable dress, like this Marco & Maria organza and tulle gown with its daring lace appliqués, grosgrain embroidery, and dreamy dove-gray color (price upon request, jaeheebridal.com). 

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach." – Elizabeth Barrett Browning 

Rise higher than ever, stylistically speaking, in Houghton's feminine, fashion-forward strapless "Cassidee" gown with a ruffled, high-low hemline. Made of organza, it's easy to move in and hard to resist. How do we love it? A whole lot ($3,500, houghtonnyc.com). 

The Details: Heart of Gold crown, $950, heartofgolddesigns.com. Aquazzura "Colette" sandals, $750, neimanmarcus.com.

"It's in the arch of my back, the sun of my smile." – Maya Angelou

These are just a couple of the attributes that get a shout-out in Maya Angelou's Phenomenal Woman. They also happen to be shown off to great advantage by the plunging blouson drapeof Soft by Rosa Clará's "Ian" gown, which celebrates the fact that you're awoman—and quite phenomenally ($3,000, rosaclarabridal.com).

"You will come one day in a waver of love, tender as dew, impetuous as rain, the tan of the sun will be on your skin, the purr of the breeze in your murmuring speech, you will pose with a hill-flower grace." – Carl Sandburg

Go ahead, outshine the blooms in your bouquet by wearing Paolo Sebastian's illusion tulle cocktail-length dress covered in embroidered blossoms. You'll live up to the title of Sandburg's poem: Dream Girl (price upon request, paolosebastian.com). 

"Love is a tree, and the lovers are its shade." - Rumi

What billows in the breeze, is covered in leaves and buds, and takes our breath away with its beauty? A stately tree, of course, and this ultraromantic Romona Keveza Luxe Bridal Collection ball gown in cherry-blossom-printed pale pink silk organza (price upon request, romonakeveza.com). 

"(now the ears of my ears awake and now the eyes of my eyes are opened)." – e.e. cummings

So wrote e. e. cummings in his poem about "most this amazing day." On yours, draw attention to your radiant face with the lace overlay of Maggie Sottero's boatneck A-line "Sundance" dress ($1,098, maggiesottero.com). 

"There are countries, there are rivers, in your eyes, my country is your eyes, I walk through them, they light the world through which I walk, lovely one." – Pablo Neruda

Every bride is somebody's muse. But you'll look even more like a work of art when your face, neck, and collarbone are framed by the fluttering sleeves of Amsale's silk-chiffon "Georgia" gown ($5,200, amsale.com).

"Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other." – Elliott Arnold

Sunshine on your wedding day is nice. But you'll have a luminous glow whatever the weather in Anne Barge's bead-embroidered tulle V-neck "Versailles" gown ($6,800, Mark Ingram Atelier, 212-319-6778). 

"I cannot dance upon my toes, no man instructed me, but oftentimes, among my mind, a glee possesseth me." – Emily Dickinson

Glide down the aisle and twirl through your first dance. Cortana's "Tutu" ball skirt and "Caracola" off-the-shoulder top are so easy, elegant—and magical—that you could turn cartwheels in them if you felt like it. And you might (top, $780, and skirt, $4,220, cortana.es). 

The Details: Carbon and Hyde "Marquis" earrings, $805, carbonandhyde.com. Melissa Joy Manning cuff, $1,540, melissajoymanning.com. 

"You've come and you oh, I was longing for you, have cooled my heart which was burning with desire" – Sappho

Your heart will be racing with excitement, but you'll look calm and collected as you float through your celebration in this refreshingly light and airy short tulle dress with long pleated sleeves by Galina Collection, exclusively at David's Bridal ($499, davidsbridal.com). 

The Details: Azlee "Burst" necklaces, from $2,475 each, azleejewelry.com.