2014 was a year of celebrity weddings. Some only broke the news after an unsuspecting silence, while others chose to pronounce, “I do” openly. It was a grand ceremony for some, while the rest were private affairs with just family and close friends.

Celebrity weddings are akin to fairytales as far as the wedding dresses are concerned. Its designer, conceptualization, colors, fabric, and cost incurred naturally become the talk of the town. Some spectators endlessly critique the gowns’ ifs and buts, while others don’t stop praising them.

Here are our top picks of the best celebrity wedding dresses of 2014:

1. Amal Alamuddin

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British-Lebanese human rights barrister Amal Alamuddin, 36, wore a chic and elegant dress designed by Oscar de la Renta. The ivory-hued dress was a true filigree of fourteen yards of Chantilly lace, and gave the wedding a finishing touch of class and sophistication. Her tulle gown, which was hand-embellished with beads and crystals and featured an off-the-shoulder bodice, looked stunning as she walked down the aisle with George Clooney, 53, in Italy on 27 September.

2. Angelina Jolie

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The Brangelina duo needed to look no farther to find flower girls, ring bearers, and even designers when they finally got married – they turned to their own six children. The highlight of Angelina Jolie’s wedding dress was her floor-length veil, which reproduced drawings that their own kids had made with love. In France on August 23^rd, Angelina, 39, walked tall in her white silk satin gown created by Luigi Massi of Atelier Versace, to tie the knot for life with her man, 50-year-old Brad Pitt.

3. Kim Kardashian

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Kim Kardashian, 33, wore a Givenchy lace ensemble for her wedding with rapper Kanye West, 37, in Florence, Italy in May. The full transparent veil, long train of lace, and the strategically placed sheer panels at her waist accentuated Kim’s curves, making her look like a mermaid queen from the rear. The silhouette, rounded with long lacy sleeves and a modest neckline, was a marvel of intricacy.

4. Solange Knowles

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Solange Knowles, 28, tied the knot on November 16^th with Alan Ferguson, 51, in a high-class wedding in New Orleans. The Humberto Leon-designed wedding outfit was one of a kind – an ivory jumpsuit with a cape that complimented her fit body. She really played bold but simple with her wedding attire, adding Stuart Weitzman shoes to speak for themselves. Beyoncé, Knowles’ older sister and matron of honor, was shunned from the spotlight for once!

5. Kaley Cuoco

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Kaley Cuoco, the Big Bang Theory star, tied the knot with tennis star Ryan Sweeting on the eve of New Year 2013 (December 31^st). Breaking the cardinal “white nuptials” rule, the charming actress looked stunning in a pink wedding dress created by Vera Wang. On the big day in Santa Susana, California, Kaley first wore a short red dress, and then switched to the lovely strapless petal-pink tulle with a sweetheart neckline and a fabulously detailed bodice. The ball gown with Chantilly lace was finished off with nude tulle and a pink hand-appliquéd lace veil.

6. Ashley Tisdale

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The wedding bells rang on September 8^th for the High School Musical star Ashley Tisdale, who wedded the musician Christopher French in Santa Barbara, California. Ashley chose to wear Monique Ihuillier, a figure-hugging white mermaid gown with lace cap sleeves, and a pretty crown made of flowers that made her look all the more beautiful.

7. Jessica Simpson

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A custom Carolina Herrera gown was what Jessica Simpson, 33, chose to wear on her D-day when she tied the knot with Eric Johnson, 34, on July 15^th at San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, California. A strapless dress with golden beaded embroidery and an A-line skirt were all she wanted! The champagne tinge to the multi-layer tulle gown and her matching dyed hair completed the occasion when she finally said the magic words, “I do.”

8. Fran Drescher

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The Nanny actress Fran Drescher, 56, married the inventor of email Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai, 50, in a private party at their beach home in Los Angeles. She wore Badgley Mischka, who created a true east-meets-west concept dress for their big day. The wedding was truly a blend of cultures – true to Indian wedding customs, Fran wore red, although in a Western gown. She added a further touch of Hinduism by wearing red bindi on her forehead, and a swamiji recited the Ganesha, Murugan, and Lakshmi mantras during the occasion.

Weddings are about making statements – be it the party theme, the wedding cake, or the wedding dress. High-profile weddings are all about surprises that are inconceivable otherwise, like jumpsuits, unusual colors, and children’s art.

Did you experiment with your wedding dress, or are you planning to? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below!

Featured image source: Google, copyright-free image under Creative Commons License