If you’re engaged and nonbinary/gender non-conforming, you might be struggling to figure out what to wear on your wedding day – and where to find that perfect outfit. The world of wedding wear (and weddings in general) tends to be very gendered. Dresses for brides, suits for grooms. Where do you go as a nonbinary person to try on wedding wear? What does wedding wear outside the binary look like?
My name’s Holden and I’m a wedding celebrant. To answer these questions, I’ve teamed up with Jess from Juno Bridal Wear, winner of the 2025 Rebel Love LGBTQ+ Inclusivity Awards in the Wedding Wear category. Juno Bridal Wear is a relaxed, kind and inclusive boutique, located in lovely Leeds and run by Cloudy and Jess (both she/her). Their philosophy centres on the belief that everyone deserves an outfit that mirrors their personality and makes them feel fabulous on their wedding day. With a commitment to excellence and a passion for design, they help every Juno customer realise their vision.
Jess (she/her) - Juno Bridal Wear
Hi, I’m Jess. I’m a cis, white lesbian woman. I’m not nonbinary or gender non-conforming, so I’m not writing from lived experience. I’m writing from my perspective as a dressmaker and wedding wear boutique owner, and drawing on what I’ve learnt from listening to my nonbinary and GNC friends, to nearly-weds who have trusted us with their wedding outfits, and lots of research.
Holden (they/them) - Giddy & Gay Ceremonies
Hi, I’m Holden. I’m a queer, nonbinary person and as a wedding celebrant, I create and officiate playful, affirming and authentic wedding ceremonies and I’m honoured to work with lots of queer and nonbinary nearly-weds. I got married myself a couple years ago and I remember the experience of trying to decide what to wear. It was not easy but you’ll hear all about that below! For this blog post, I’ve asked some of my nonbinary/GNC nearly-weds to tell me about their thoughts – my heartfelt thanks to everyone who shared their experiences.
Let’s dive into the topic together.
“For me, I always had no idea what my wedding outfit would look like and if I’d ever be comfortable in what I wear on my wedding day. I’ve never found an outfit where I’ve gone ‘yes that is 100% what I want’, instead I’ve had to design it myself and try to keep it in my budget too, which is hard! Melding masculine and feminine in just the right way is super important to me, so I knew a traditional wedding outfit wasn’t going to work for me.”
Where to find inspiration for your nonbinary wedding outfit
Maybe you’ve been out as nonbinary for years and you’ve got your style pinned down. Or maybe you’re a little bit newer to understanding your gender identity and you’re still exploring what clothing feels good to you. Chances are, finding your wedding outfit is going to be hard no matter what – because it’s so outside the realm of every day, and it might be that this is the only time you’re going to need wedding wear in your life. The expectations might feel a lot heavier. The options a lot more limited.
But the truth is: you can still wear what you want.
If formal wear is not your vibe, that’s fine! People get married in Lucy & Yak dungarees - and it’s bloody joyous.
You can just get married in clothes you already own and feel your best in.
But let’s say you do want to wear something that feels more formal. You want something out of the ordinary, to mark an extraordinary day.
What do you do? You search for nonbinary wedding attire, but the results are few, and not resonating.
Let’s forget the noise for a moment and look at yourself. Your environment. Your daily life. Yes, you want an extraordinary outfit, but that doesn’t mean the inspiration can’t come from the ordinary. The best way to figure out your outfit is to tune into what you already know you love. That’s how you get to an outfit that feels like you, and not just a glossy photoshoot in a magazine.
Not that there are many photoshoots of nonbinary wedding wear in the first place – hence our problem. Lack of representation can make you feel a lack of inspiration.
But you can be your own inspiration.
What clothes/silhouettes in your wardrobe bring you the most joy?
What colour palettes show up in your home decor, or your favourite art?
When you’re looking at images of celebrities on the red carpet, what outfits make you gasp in awe? What makes you think I wish I could wear that? (If your wedding isn’t the time for you to turn up like you’re on the red carpet, when is?)
When you watch TV shows/movies and turn to your partner and say, “look at those costumes!” - what details are you finding the most delightful? Hone in on those details - buttons, cuffs, trim, lace, embroidery. A lot of what makes wedding wear feel like wedding wear are those details, whether subtle or extravagant.
“I’ve always struggled with formal wear because it’s so gendered. It specifically tends to accentuate body parts that are associated with gender which makes me feel uncomfortable because of my own issues in accepting my body as a nonbinary body. I’ve been working on this with other formal events, and it’s been interesting to figure out what actually makes me feel good to wear, and why other people seem to like dressing up so much.”
How I found my nonbinary wedding outfit
By Holden from Giddy & Gay Ceremonies
Photo by Caitlin Wilder Photography
This is what I wore when I got married. An orange silk co-ord set from Max Mara (women’s clothing brand) consisting of trousers and a long, oversized, billowy collared shirt with puffy sleeves. I then put a second shirt under that orange shirt (so I kind of wore the orange shirt like a suit jacket). The shirt underneath is made of white lace with a ruffle down the front and frilly cuffs, and it’s from Phix (men’s clothing brand).
How did I arrive at this outfit?
I started with the obvious: I didn’t want to wear a dress or a skirt. I adore a suit, but I was open to things that weren’t suits as long as they have the same kind of vibe.
I feel the most comfortable in outfits that are oversized and loose-fitting. But I also love dandyism. I like outfits that have elements of both masc and femme.
My wife and I knew we wanted to have colourful outfits. When I saw the orange co-ord in a sale at a department store, I was smitten already. Orange is one of my favourite colours. The sofa in our living room is orange. When I tried it on, I liked how the top felt flowy and breezy and interesting. And I could instantly see that even though it’s a collared shirt, I could wear another collared shirt underneath and it would still make sense.
I realised it would be perfect with a white lace shirt. White lace, traditionally associated with women’s wedding dresses and therefore making the outfit feel more wedding-y somehow. But a frilly white lace shirt from a men’s clothing brand puts a different spin on it, giving it that genderqueer flavour.
The result is something that feels a little hard-to-place, gender-wise. Something that feels really playful, and unique, and me.
I hope my story inspires you to experiment with your own wedding attire to find something uniquely you!
“Don’t be scared to make something completely new out of things you know you like! I think the most important thing about your wedding outfit is making sure you feel comfortable and like yourself on the day, so don’t go for an outfit that would benefit others more than yourself.”
Wedding wear without gendered boxes
“I love crafts and am making a big part of my wedding outfit by hand. I think it’ll feel great to wear something that I have made, and I can design it in the way I want. It feels very freeing and exciting.”
Some nonbinary/GNC nearly-weds choose to make/design their own wedding outfits. An excellent choice, if you’re creative in that way!
But if you’re not that crafty/artistically inclined, or you don’t have the time/energy, you have other options:
Search for vintage/period clothing – clothing from a different time period can often give your outfit a more interesting vibe when it comes to gender, because of how the relationship between fashion and gender has evolved through time, and you might find yourself drawn to cuts that aren’t so popular/easy-to-find anymore.
Go look at formal wear in both men’s sections and women’s sections of clothing stores (gender-neutral brands are great, obviously, but they’re not readily available) – department stores are best for this. You can mix and match pieces that you like and draw inspiration from there.
Work with an inclusive wedding wear supplier!
“I’ve come across a lot of inspiration for nonbinary wedding outfits that didn’t really resonate with me ... I’m going with a more masc/androgynous suit that I’ll have made by a tailor here in our city ... I’d originally planned to just buy a new or vintage suit and have it fitted, but I’m looking forward to having something made locally that will fit really well! I’m also feeling a bit nervous about going in for a fitting and looking for something that might not match with what is expected of me to wear, but the tailor I’m going to had something on their website about being LGBTQ+ friendly and the explicit welcoming has made me feel more comfortable going into a fitting and expressing what I want in a suit.”
The good news is, there’s an increasing number of wonderful inclusive wedding wear suppliers out there.
Juno Bridal Wear is one of them. With Juno, it’s not about picking the side of dresses (though they do sell AMAZING dresses). Juno’s range of separates is great because you can choose any top to go with any bottoms, so whether you’re after a wedding dress, a bodice and trousers or even a waistcoat and formal jorts, they’ve got you!
Below, Jess from Juno shares her thoughts on everything that makes Juno a welcoming space that truly sees and embraces nonbinary/GNC nearly-weds.
Juno Bridal Wear - an inclusive wedding wear experience
By Jess from Juno Bridal Wear
Why “Juno Bridal Wear” when we sell inclusive wedding wear?
When we started Juno, having “bridal” in our name helped people find us online. As a small independent business with no shopfront, no footfall and no advertising budget, appearing in searches for bridal and wedding dresses was essential to making the business viable.
Our wedding wear collection includes mostly wedding separates (skirts, bodices, alongside some trousers and shorts), but we don’t believe dresses are just for people who are AFAB. At Juno, every garment is for anyone who loves it. The word bridal helps people find us but it doesn’t define who our customers are. We’re also nearly at a stage where we can get rid of the “bridal” because we’re starting to get our name out there!
Rest assured, we don’t automatically call our customers “brides” unless that’s the language they choose for themselves. We use neutral language (“nearly-weds”, “wedding wear”, etc.), we ask for your pronouns (and your partner’s) when you book an appointment, and we will never assume your gender, or your partner’s.
A safe space for wedding wear “try on” appointments
When you shop with Juno, we ask things like:
How do you want to feel?
What silhouettes do you love?
What clothing makes you feel most comfortable in your body?
Even if you don’t have a clear vision, we’ll help you figure out what feels right for you. We give you the freedom to try on as many or as few silhouettes as you like, and there’s never any pressure to try something that doesn’t feel comfortable. We let you lead.
We always say that while we can’t guarantee you’ll find the outfit of your dreams at Juno, we can guarantee a relaxed experience where you’ll be affirmed and celebrated. You won’t need to worry about being misgendered, judged, or assumed to be anything you’re not.
We also understand that bodies and identities don’t always fit neatly into standard wedding wear. Whether you wear a binder, use tape, have had top surgery, are taking hormones, or your body is changing during the lead-up to your wedding, we’ll work with you to make sure your outfit feels comfortable, practical and affirming. Flexible fittings, thoughtful design choices and custom alterations allow us to adapt to your needs rather than expecting you to adapt to the outfit.
We’ve heard stories of people being misgendered in fittings, pressured into trying things that felt wrong, or made to feel like a problem to be solved. We want the opposite of that. There is no “correct” silhouette, no expectation to feminise or masculinise, and no pressure to wear something because it’s considered flattering. Instead, we focus on helping you find an outfit that feels authentically you.
Because when you feel seen, respected and understood, you can stop worrying about what you’re supposed to wear and start enjoying the process of discovering what feels right for you.
Conclusion
If you’re a nonbinary or gender non-conforming person looking for the perfect wedding outfit, we hope this post has helped you feel more confident about how to approach this process!
Here are your three key takeaways:
You’re allowed to wear whatever you want for your wedding.
You can always find inspiration from what you already know you love.
There are amazing inclusive suppliers out there who can’t wait to support you in fleshing out your ideas and bringing them to life.
Jess: Book your try-on appointment via the Juno Bridal website or get in touch via the Juno Bridal instagram and we’ll help you find your perfect outfit in a comfortable and safe environment!
Holden: Want to have an affirming, joyful wedding that celebrates you authentically? Make sure you check out my blog post about getting married as a trans/nonbinary person in the UK. Find out more about my inclusive wedding ceremonies and fill out my enquiry form to check if your date is available!
Styled shoot credit
The fabulous photos you see in this blog post are from a Y2K Bratz inspired wedding shoot featuring wedding wear available from Juno Bridal Wear - here are all the suppliers involved:
Shoot organised by @junobridalwear
Photography @altweddingco
Styling @docsandprops
Wedding Wear @junobridalwear
Bouquets @bertievalentinelondon
Makeup @rosierobertsbeauty
Hair stylist @jf.styling
Earrings @fairlyoddshop
Cake @valkyriecakesyork
Venue @headrowhouse
Stationary @padraiganthonydesign
Content creation @_electricjoymoments
Models:
White + pink outfits: Emilia (they/them) @emiliake & Penny (she/her) @pennymarshall92
Navy + green outfits: Mia (they/ them) @miapancholi & George (they/them) @georgekingx
