Brides are always searching for that perfect wedding dress that's unlike anything their guests have seen, that drops jaws and is The One. For more than a decade, colored wedding gowns and accessories have glided down the runways at New York Bridal Fashion Week and down wedding aisles. Brides are looking past dresses of the purest white or ivory and are far more open to gowns in popular pinks, lavenders and especially light blue. They're the perfect way to add personality, a sentimental touch or creative flair to any wedding couture.

Brides who choose colored gowns are not necessarily blazing new style trails. Historically, brides usually wore color until 1840, when Queen Victoria wed Prince Albert; she established the white wedding gown as fashion-forward and a shade conveying a sense of wealth and royalty. For many brides and in some cultures, white became a must and even a symbol of virginity.

Now the world of wedding fashion has opened to a myriad of cultures, shades, patterns and adornments. There is no universal "must" anymore, and modernity has let go of the virginal symbolism. Brides can wear whatever design they like, a dress that speaks to their personal style. Colors and patterns, sparkle and shine are many brides' dream come true.

Public figures and style icons often influence bridal trends. Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, wowed the world with her elegant ivory silk wedding gown designed by Clare Waight Keller, and many bridal industry reporters were quite sure that her iconic choice would be the end of colored wedding gowns. "Markle's style inspiration was all over the catwalk," says Roberta Correia, editorial director for Brides magazine. After all, the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding gown still leads a mighty wedding trend of lace-feature gowns all these years later. With these knockout designs and other style icons', it seems the white gown trend would be sealed, but color is making a wedding splash on more that just the dress.

Traditional gowns on bridal fashion runways show color in all-over hues such as Pink Lavender, the 2018 Pantone color of the year, and in embellishments. There are tons of occasions for color: appliques on a gown, cape or train; accessories including shoes, handbags and jewelry; and fashion-forward styles such as bridal jumpsuits. A pop of color shows off the bride's fashion identity and makes a sentimental statement. "My grandmother passed away before my wedding day, and one of her favorite jewelry pieces was a big garnet stone necklace, which I wore to honor her at my wedding," says Liza Dennison, a recent bride. When planning the wedding, the bride should simply choose how big a role color will play.

"Something blue" has long been a wedding tradition, paired with something old, something new and something borrowed. Brides often hid their blue item under their slip or within their bouquet. Now the gown itself might be blue, or it might be accessorized with a blue sash or an ombre veil. You might find fabulous glittering Christian Louboutin heels with a dash of blue and the signature red bottom. Or the engagement ring might have a blue diamond. Any of these options put a creative twist on a classic trend.

In short, wedding dresses are a world of color, from barely there, muted neutrals to pastels to bright, bold shades. At the most recent New York Bridal Fashion Week, renowned designers Jenny Packham, Hayley Paige, Vera Wang, Theia and more sent colored gowns and accessories out into storms of camera flashes down the runway. Gowns had neutral hues such as champagne, wheat and dusty pink; boho chic floral patterns by Claire Pettibone; metallics to suit this year's focus on the disco era; and even colored feathers suiting the Old Hollywood trend. Color trends aren't strictly confined to calendar years. According to the bridal blog Colors Bridesmaid, some of the top wedding colors of 2019 -- still influencing 2020 choices -- are wine and navy; Champagne and red; navy and gray; and violet and gold. Dig into this abundance of inspiration to start building a color profile.

"For the more traditional bride, gown structure works in much the same way as color," says personal stylist Carla Imperonato. "When you have a stunning gown with structured waves or stiff, oversized bows that are on trend now, there's that wow factor with an architectural feature as effect." Brides can utilize structure and color to emphasize a certain feature. One way to bring the color up to the head, for example, is with a gorgeous floral crown or beautifully shaped hairpins.

Brides can turn the color dial up or down in their wedding day looks for a unique expression of their personal style. Gone are the days of simply toying with a white gown's silhouette. Color opens up a whole new world of imagination for your wedding to be a fairy tale of your creation.