If you’re a faithful follower of actress Emma Roberts, then you know she’s been fond of dolls for years now. A portion of her TikTok content is even dedicated to opening blind boxes. It’s safe to say that she has a penchant for eerie-looking dolls—the large-eyed ones that may or may not be haunted.
So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that on the day of her wedding to Cody John, Roberts wanted to resemble a “little antique ghost doll.”
Given her long history of dressing high-profile women for their walk down the aisle, Cebu-born fashion designer Monique Lhuillier was, of course, more than enthusiastic to make Roberts’ dream gown come true. Since she founded her namesake company with her husband, Tom Bugbee, in 1996, Lhuillier’s designs have appeared on some of Hollywood’s most famous brides.
Roberts is simply the latest addition.
Britney Spears
RELATED: Are You Ready for Nadine Lustre’s New Music Era?
Britney Spears’ 2004 wedding to Kevin Federline came with a confidentiality agreement and a fitting at a secret location. Lhuillier brought 40 gowns, though Spears quickly chose one of the first designs she tried and asked for adjustments.
Her custom strapless mermaid gown featured pearl buttons and a crystal-covered train sewn with platinum thread. Lhuillier also made the cathedral-length veil, lace gloves, neckpiece, and the minidress Spears changed into later. When the designer learned that the entire wedding party needed their outfits within a week, her studio paused its other work and got to sewing.
Alicia Silverstone
Alicia Silverstone went barefoot when she married Christopher Jarecki in 2005, which tells you plenty about the mood before even getting to the dress. She wore a strapless, sand-colored Lhuillier gown with a green sash and chapel-length veil. Its earthy palette suited Silverstone, while the unfussy styling allowed the design to fit naturally within the relaxed ceremony.
Pink
Pink wanted her 2006 bridal look to make Carey Hart’s heart stop for a second—a reasonable demand from one’s wedding dress, honestly. Lhuillier answered with a cream halter design, giving its bustled skirt plenty of volume before circling the waist with a black sash.
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood embraced bridal grandeur for her 2010 wedding to Mike Fisher. Lhuillier created a drop-waist ball gown from Chantilly lace and silk organza, covering its corseted bodice with silk flowers and crystals. A blush-pink sash framed the waist, while clear and pale-pink crystals decorated her chapel-length veil.
Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon chose blush for her 2011 wedding to Jim Toth—years before the color became familiar territory in celebrity bridalwear. Lhuillier paired a Chantilly-lace corset with a full tulle A-line skirt, then added a double-faced silk-satin ribbon with cascading silk flowers at the waist. Witherspoon’s daughter, Ava Phillippe, wore a coordinating custom dress from the designer as part of the wedding party. Elle Woods would surely approve.
Ashley Tisdale
Ashley Tisdale’s 2014 wedding to Christopher French caught flower-crown bridal style at its peak. Her custom Lhuillier gown had lace cap sleeves and a full A-line skirt, finished with baby’s breath woven through her hair. The flower crown places the look firmly in its decade, but the A-line silhouette kept it from drifting too far into woodland-festival territory.
Jamie Chung
For her 2015 wedding to Bryan Greenberg, Jamie Chung chose a custom Lhuillier gown with a soft V-neckline and sheer long sleeves. Lace embroidery continued into the tulle skirt with a side slit. Chung also planned to carry a lucky coin that her father had kept for years, tucked into a small pocket sewn into the gown.
Lea Michele
Lea Michele actually found her wedding dress on Instagram. After seeing Lhuillier’s “Luna” gown from the Spring 2019 bridal collection, she knew it belonged at her wedding to Zandy Reich. The designer customized it with a structured sweetheart neckline and silk gazar draped over the corseted bodice. A hand-tufted skirt supplied the ball-gown volume, completed by a cathedral-length veil with hand-applied lace.
Sophia Bush
Last but certainly not the least, Sophia Bush gave Lhuillier a deeply personal assignment for her 2022 wedding to Grant Hughes. She wanted an off-the-shoulder ball gown printed with flowers connected to their families and shared history. Peach Oklahoma tea roses represented Hughes’ roots, while California poppies referred to the home they shared. Olive branches honored Bush’s Italian heritage.
And yes, the bees were just as significant, since Monique Lhuillier added them as a reference to the beehive the couple had built together early in their relationship.
Photos from EMMA ROBERTS (via Instagram) and MONIQUE LHUILLIER (via Instagram)
Photographed by NORMAN AND BLAKE
Frequently Asked Questions
Monique Lhuillier is a Cebu-born fashion designer who founded her namesake bridal and fashion house with her husband, Tom Bugbee, in 1996, and has since designed wedding gowns for numerous Hollywood celebrities.
Monique Lhuillier has designed bridal gowns for Britney Spears, Alicia Silverstone, Pink, Carrie Underwood, Reese Witherspoon, Ashley Tisdale, Jamie Chung, Lea Michele, Sophia Bush, and most recently, Emma Roberts.
Emma Roberts, known for her love of eerie, large-eyed dolls, wanted to resemble a “little antique ghost doll” for her wedding to Cody John, which Monique Lhuillier designed to fit that vision.
Lea Michele discovered her wedding gown, based on Lhuillier’s “Luna” design from the Spring 2019 bridal collection, on Instagram before having it customized for her wedding to Zandy Reich.
Sophia Bush’s Monique Lhuillier gown featured peach Oklahoma tea roses for Grant Hughes’ roots, California poppies for their shared home, olive branches for Bush’s Italian heritage, and bee details referencing a shared memory from their relationship.
Recommended Video
Latest Posts
Latest Issue
