22 Wedding Dresses That Wowed from the Back

By Emily Platt
June 16, 2017
Bonnie Sen Photography

Drama from every angle.

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Bonnie Sen Photography
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Sleeves, necklines, beading, belts—there are plenty of ways to make your bridal gown stand out. You want to make a memorable entrance when you're facing the whole of the celebration's crowd, after all. But there's a whole half of the wedding dress that many brides ignore, and it gets just as much show time as your front. As you walk up and down the ceremony aisle, plenty of eyes will be landed on your back. That's not to say that it has to be dramatic, but with such an open canvas, at least consider it!

This beautiful batch of wedding dresses makes the case for wowing from behind. With bows, embellishments, and gorgeous peeks of skin, their backs do all the talking. If you want to give your dorsal side some love, take a look to get inspired.

Floral Appliqué Back

This show-stopping gown, from Carine's Bridal Atelier, had an ethereal illusion back featuring rhinestones and appliqués. 

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Ribbon-Tied Back

2 Brides Photography

Ida Sjöstedt designed this sweet gown, with a keyhole back, lacy sleeves, and a darling ribbon tie.

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Glamorous Back

Rebecca Arthurs
See More Rosa Clará Wedding Dresses

This show-stopping Rosa Clará gown screamed Old-Hollywood glamour. 

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Illusion Back

A Bryan Photo
See More From This Epic New Orleans Wedding

The soft, whimsy texture on this Inbal Dror dress looked dreamy framing the bride's back (and as a chic high-neck collar). 

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Dangling Back

Aga Jones Photography

Pearls don't have to go around your neck—this glam Janene's Bridal bride wore them on her back. 

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Open Back

Bryan from For the Love of It
Go Inside This Backyard Garden Wedding

This pretty open-backed Monique Lhuillier gown made for memorable first look.   

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Cut-Out Back

Carlie Statsky Photography
See More Vera Wang Wedding Dresses

Not only did this Vera Wang dress have detachable sleeves, but the strapless number also had a sleek cut-out back.    

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Deep Back

Caitlin O'Reilly Photography

Katie May specializes in deep, backless gowns, which must be why this one was so darn classy.

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Criss-Crossed Back

Elizabeth Fogarty Photography
See More Hayley Paige Wedding Dresses

This Hayley Paige gown stayed true to the desinger's romance with a linear, princess-worthy design.

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Detailed Back

Emma Pilkington Photography
Get Inspired By More Wedding Dresses with Bows

Every single part of this Anna Campbell back was stunning, from the V, to the details, to the beautiful bow.   

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Ruffled Back

Hunter Ryan Photo
See More Oscar de la Renta Wedding Dresses

This Oscar de la Renta gown was all about the volume, with a trailing, ruffled back that offset the simple front.

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Slit Back

Kate Weinstein Photo
See More Pronovias Wedding Dresses

Pronovias made this slit-back gown fairytale-worthy with sheer fabric and floral embroidery.  

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Draped Back

Laura Dart
Go Inside This DIY Wedding

With the help of Bridal Couture by Ruby V, this genius bride designed her stellar back herself.  

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Embellished Back

Kristin La Voie Photography

Silvery details and a satiny bow made this Anna Campbell gown so glam.  

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Clean-Cut Back

Lacie Hansen Photography

Clean, cut-out, and chicly modern, this Vera Wang gown was a stunner in its simplicity.  

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Voluminous Back

Leila Brewster Photography
See More Austin Scarlett Wedding Dresses

Timeless but bold, this Austin Scarlett gown will wow in photos for years to come. 

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Sheer Back

Nadia Hung Photography
See More Berta Wedding Dresses

There's something so bridal about a button-up back, and this Berta style brought new life to the design. 

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Beaded Back

Natalie Watson Photography

The overlap fastening on this JLM Couture gown was the perfect final touch to the embellished back.  

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Elegant Back

Paige Jones Photography

Sleek and sophisticated, this draped cool-girl gown was purchased by the bride at Saks Fifth Avenue. 

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Strappy Back

Sara Weir Photography

The crossed straps with lacey caps are what make this JLM Couture dress truly wonderful. 

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Buttoned Back

Still55 Photography
See More Amsale Wedding Dresses

Amsale designed this formal illusion back, complete with covered buttons.  

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Bowed Back

Clary Pfeiffer Photography
Go Inside This Fashionable Country-Club Wedding

This bride customized her Mestiza New York gown with a silk-wool bow that truly caught attention.   

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