Always the bride, never the bridesmaid? That's not always the case for some of Hollywood's biggest stars! Celebrities like Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and Jennifer Lawrence usually steal the show wherever they go, but even they have stepped out of the spotlight for a very important reason: to serve as a bridesmaid in a friend or family member's wedding!
We're so used to seeing our favorite stars demand attention as they hit the red carpet in stylist-selected couture gowns that spotting a photo of, say, the typically head-turning Cara Delevingne donning a demure white bridesmaids dress feels almost unnatural. And yet, it happens all the time.
For example? Taylor Swift may be a Grammy Queen and red carpet darling, but when her hometown BFF called her in to serve as maid of honor, she was there in a heartbeat. (And she gave one heck of a MOH speech, we might add!)
And as outrageous as her day-to-day attire and on-stage costumes can be, Lady Gaga has served as at least two friends' bridesmaids; both times, she's excitedly snapped meaningful messages about seeing her besties get married and she's worn the same Twobirds gown we've seen in dozens of real weddings. Turns out it's really true that stars are just like us!
From Lena Dunham and Beyoncé to Lauren Conrad, there are some super sweet celebrity bridesmaid stories, and their style might even inspire you for your big day. Click through and read about some of our favorite examples.
Above: When Taylor Swift's childhood best friend wed her high school sweetheart, the superstar was right there by her side — in a Reem Acra bridesmaid gown, no less — to hear her BFF say, "You Belong with Me." (A wedding is just too good an opportunity for some T-Swift song references, no?)
Rachel Bilson's bridesmaid dress for her gal pal's wedding looks totally runway-ready. The gown features a pretty pink hue, a princess-worthy floor-sweeping hemline, an off-the-shoulder sweetheart neckline, and a curve-hugging silhouette. Without a ruffle or unflattering seam in sight, this is what bridesmaids' dreams are made of!
While we wait for the former Bachelorette to tie the knot with her honey Jordan Rodgers, we got a little bridal preview of JoJo Fletcher when she walked down the aisle at a pal's wedding in Necker Island of the British Virgin Islands. Fletcher looked as gorgeous as ever in her Watters bridesmaid dress!
Vanderpump Rules fans finally saw the wedding they've been waiting for when Katie Maloney walked down the aisle to wed Tom Schwartz in a rustic and whimsical outdoor ceremony. And the bride and groom's co-stars Stassi Schroeder, Brittany Cartwright, Kristen Doute, and Scheana Mari were right at their side as bridesmaids!
The Vanderpump Rules girls wore White by Vera Wang gowns for the big day—which retail for a totes affordable $180 at David's Bridal!
Instead of just holding the bride's bouquet and remembering to bring the wedding rings, this actress had an extra special job at her friend's wedding—designing her own bridesmaid dress! When Ratajkowski scored a starring role in a pal's nuptials, she rocked a minidress she designed herself as part of her Christy Dawn collection—that retails for a cool $250.
Before the actress was a bride herself (she wed Mumford & Sons banjoist Winston Marshall in October 2016), she took on bridesmaid duties at a friend's wedding. Agron walked down the aisle in the $400 Anne Dress from Reformation—and looked totally stunning, we might add!
When Brazilian covergirl Ana Beatriz Barros tied the knot, she transformed her wedding aisle to a runway, filling her bridal party with a slew of international supermodels. Cassia Lara, Fernanda Motta, Isabeli Fontana, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Jeisa Chiminazzo all showed off their gorgeous gams in blush bridesmaid gowns with high slits in the silky skirts.
When Miranda Kerr's brother Matthew married his longtime partner and restaurateur James Wright in a commitment ceremony, the supermodel served as a beautiful bridesmaid, wearing a white bridesmaid dress and boho flower crown for the big day.
At Anna Camp and Skylar Astin's wedding, their co-star Brittany Snow was right by their side to make sure everything was Pitch Perfect! Snow and the other 'maids rocked mismatched pale pink bridesmaid dresses by Theia for the occasion.
Just imagine the dance floor at this reception! DWTS pro, Witney Carson, called upon her twirling co-stars to serve as bridesmaids at her New Year's Day wedding. Lindsay Arnold, Emma Slater, Jenna Johnson, and Brittany Cherry all donned matching pale pink Amsale gowns and wintery wraps for the occasion.
Can you tell that it wasn't Paris' first time as a bridesmaid at her sister Nicky's Kensington Palace nuptials? The hotel heiress didn't outshine the beautiful bride, but still looked like royalty in her pastel blue gauzy gown. The girl has got this whole bridal party thing down pat!
A fashion designer is bound is have the most beautiful of bridal styles — and the most fashionable of friends! Designer Kara Smith recruited Scream Queens star, Emma Roberts, as one of her bridesmaids, outfitting her girls in variating styles of ivory-hued maxi dresses. Think her friend's "I do's" inspired Roberts' reconciled engagement with American Horror Story co-star, Evan Peters?
Well, that's one way to practice for your wedding! Before tying the knot with Magic Mike XXL hunk Joe Manganiello, the Modern Family star served as a bridesmaid for one of her closest friends. She wore a strapless yellow bridesmaid dress and carried a white bouquet for her pal's nuptials, which paired beautifully with the bride's own classic white strapless wedding dress and larger white bouquet. Not only that, but she shared a bit of little-known wedding wisdom: On an Instagram of wedding cake, she wrote, "Its [sic] bad luck if you dont [sic] eat wedding cake." Thanks, Sofia!
Leave it to the stunning actress to make a standard bridesmaid dress look red carpet-worthy. Longoria rocked a seafoam green Jenny Yoo strapless, floor-length gown for her friend Alina Peralta's wedding in Cordoba, Spain, but it was her personal additions that made it really stand out — a bedazzled belt and the relatable way she took off her heels to walk the cobblestone streets!
When the ultimate Bad Gal is your bridesmaid, BFF, and boss, you know you're in for a good time at your wedding. The superstar posted photos of her pal Jennifer Rosales's Hawaiian wedding day, which featured Rihanna herself in a stunning lilac Badgley Mischka gown. The only thing better than her curve-hugging bridesmaid dress? The "bridesmaid" and "bride" robes the whole party donned before the Rastafarian-themed bash.
Rachel McAdams knows a thing or two about weddings, thanks to her many roles in the best romantic comedies of our age. She recently put her experience to good use as her sister Kayleen's maid of honor! McAdams was seen wiping away tears at her younger sister's Canadian nuptials. She looked good doing it, too — she donned a draped, halter bridesmaid dress in a gorgeous light blue color.
It was a Jersey Shore affair when Jenni "JWoww" Farley wed Roger Matthews last year. Farley's MTV castmates, Snooki and Sammi, joined her for her walk down the the aisle, wearing purple lace bridesmaid dresses in a form-fitting mermaid cut.
The Girls star played the part of jubilant, supportive friend at her pal Isabel Halley's wedding last June. The actress and director shared snaps of her posing with the bridal party and nuzzling into the bride's neck, all while wearing a lovely Reformation bridesmaid dress.
The supermodel pulled a Pippa Middleton while serving as her big sister Poppy's maid of honor last May, donning a floor-length white Chanel gown with a flutter detail on the neckline and sleeves. We love how she kept the rest of the look understated, with a simple bun and killer shoes.
We may never know exactly what Queen B wore to BFF and fellow former Destiny's Child-er Kelly Rowland's wedding, but it's widely assumed that she served as a bridesmaid. She shared this snap on the wedding day, and if you ask us, the polished hairstyle and hint of organza on her shoulder seem to point to a bridesmaid dress. All we know for sure is that this is one day that Bey did not outshine Kelly.
LC has her own line of bridesmaids dresses, so it's no surprise that she looked flawless in one of them at her BFF (and Paper Crown co-founder) Maura McManus's wedding last summer.
When you ask TV's Carrie Bradshaw to be in your wedding, you have to expect that she might upstage you a bit. Imagine how surprised we were when we saw photos of SJP as one of her assistant Melinda Relyea's bridesmaids, looking totally demure. The fashion icon looked beautiful and low-key in her strapless, orchid-hued chiffon dress.
Superstar Britney Spears let her little sis, Jamie Lynn, take center stage on March 14, 2014. (It was her wedding, after all!) While the Zoey 101 star wore a lace Liancarlo bridal gown, Britney donned a simple gray bridesmaid dress with a plunging neckline at the New Orleans bash.
Everyone needs that one bridesmaid who will bring the party and good vibes, and clearly model Brooklyn Decker is that girl. She posted this photo from a friend's wedding last year, and if her wacky face is any indication, she made the whole day a hilarious celebration.
Sure, Ashley Tisdale's September wedding to Christopher French looked gorgeous, but so did Vanessa Hudgens as a bridesmaid! Hudgens stunned in a floor-length, blush pink gown at her High School Musical co-star's wedding, and not just thanks to her trendy crown braid.
That's hot. Yes, we're talking about Paris Hilton's daring, low-cut lilac bridesmaid dress she wore for her cousin Brooke Brinson's Mexico wedding! Paris, along with other famous 'maids including sister Nicky and cousins Farrah, Sophia, Alexia, and Portia (you know them as Kyle Richards's daughters on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills), was every bit the supportive bridesmaids for the big day. "Brooke's wedding! The day is here. Yes! Mexico!" she wrote on an Instagram video. We're sure she brought the party at the reception.
We may not have gotten to see Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher tie the knot (darn those secret celebrity weddings!), but at least we got to sneak a peek at their walk down the aisle at the wedding of Kunis' brother, Michael. Kutcher looked dapper in his classic black suit, while Kunis was pretty in pink in her strapless bridesmaid frock.
J. Law is one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, but on her brother Blaine's wedding day last year, she was just another bridesmaid in yellow. Her J.Crew dress wasn't quite the Dior couture we're used to seeing her in, but this heartwarming moment with her brother is the typical every girl reaction we've come to expect from her.
If she didn't have a booming career, we'd suggest that Jessica Simpson take on a side job as a professional bridesmaid. In the past few years, she's been a 'maid for her sister Ashlee, her BFF Cacee Cobb, several other close friends, and her assistant. The most memorable moment was when, three years ago, she wore this gorgeous printed maxi dress for a friend's wedding in Palm Springs. Her burgeoning baby bump is pretty much the only thing that could've distracted us from Adam Brody's presence as a groomsman.
Katharine McPhee was a Smash as a bridesmaid at her sister's L.A. wedding. Decked out in a pale pink gown with a halter neckline and bejeweled waist, McPhee couldn't contain her excitement. "Today is the big day... Wedding bells are ringing!" she tweeted out on the day of the "I do's."
She's an engaged lady herself, but that hasn't stopped Gaga from participating in her lifelong besties' weddings. This March, she was spotted in a stunning, draped one-shoulder lilac gown for her friend's New Orleans nuptials. "Watching your best friend get married, these are the specialist times in my life. Seeing happiness in the lives of all my friends," she captioned an Instagram from the weekend. If those aren't the words of a supportive friend, we don't know what are.
No one will ever forget the Royal Wedding — or the beautiful bridesmaid who was thrust into the spotlight by the magical affair. Pippa Middleton, the sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, wore a form-fitting, cream colored gown at the ceremony and took charge of the pint-sized members of the bridal party.
At her big sister Kate Moss' 2011 nuptials, budding supermodel Lottie Moss played bridesmaid — and got a little silly while doing so! Kate's Art Deco inspired John Galliano wedding dress may have taken center stage, but her mini-me's boho bridesmaid dress also stunned.
Selena Gomez headed down to Mexico with her then-beau, Justin Bieber, for the wedding of friend, Shannon Larossi — the costume designer on Selena's former Disney show, Wizards of Waverly Place. Selena donned a something-blue bridesmaid dress during the seaside nuptials, but here's hoping that the next time Selena's at a wedding with the Biebs, she's the one in white! (Feel free to get back together anytime now, guys...)
"I was the worst bridesmaid in the entire world!" Keira Knightley told The Daily Mail of her role in her brother's 2011 wedding. "I don't normally spill things down myself, but every single drink went down that dress." Oops! Looks like the actress won't be winning any awards for her bridal party performance.
At her friend's Beverly Hills "I do's," actress Jessica Alba and her husband, Cash Warren, were pulling bridal party double duty! While Alba was a bridesmaid, wearing a short blue frock and clutching a colorful bouquet, her hubby played best man at the 2010 nuptials.
Don't let her 2012 raunchy comedy, Bachelorette, fool you! In real life, Kirsten Dunst was one perfect bridesmaid when her friend wed in Santa Barbara. For the occasion, Dunst donned a pale pink and cream colored slip, a flower crown, and clutched a bouquet of lavender as she walked down the aisle.
Naomi Watts matched the bride's white dress in her eyelet maid-of-honor frock. If you ask us, the summery style and the lush, green ceremony space was a match made in heaven!
The best part about having sisters? Built-in bridesmaids! (No matter how many times you say "I do!") For all of the Kardashian nuptials, Kim, Kourtney, Khloé, Kendall, and Kylie all played bridesmaid, but the girls' matching purple-hued dresses at Khloé's wedding to Lamar Odom are among the clan's most memorable.
Kate Bosworth was a bridesmaid down under at her friend's Australian wedding back in 2008. In a silky black frock and holding an all-white bouquet, Bosworth could've won an Oscar for her role as a fresh-faced bridesmaid beauty.
Before walking down the aisle to marry Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel first made the jaunt as a bridesmaid. At her 7th Heaven co-star Beverly Mitchell's wedding in Ravello, Italy, Biel wore a brown chiffon gown and was seen carrying a bridesmaid bouquet of classic white roses.
They may not have been in The O.C. for her friend's ranch-style wedding, but this is one bridesmaid who still had that SoCal glow. Rachel Bilson was front and center for her BFF's "I do's," wearing a light green strapless gown and holding an organic and loose bridesmaid bouquet.
Leave it to the couture designers of The Row to make bridesmaid duty so fashionable. The Olsen twins wore super chic white frocks at a friend's barefoot beach wedding in Cabo, Mexico. The walk down the aisle was perfect practice for Mary-Kate's own "I do's," to Olivier Sarkozy last year.
On her assistant's wedding day, it was Jennifer Garner's turn to be the adoring attendant! Wearing a strapless lilac gown, Garner played 'maid to her right hand woman at the California ceremony.
Sarah Michelle Gellar may be going on 13 years with hubby Freddie Prince Jr., but back in 2006, Gellar took yet another jaunt down the aisle — this time as a bridesmaid! At her close friend's Santa Monica wedding, the actress wore a pink, knee-length bridesmaid dress with a black band on the bodice.
