The range is bigger than a plain white shrug. A fur or faux-fur stole, a feather bolero, a fringed knit wrap, a full mink coat: each one gives the gown a different mood. Pick the one that matches your wedding, then wear it in the photos on purpose.
The brides below found cover-ups for real snow, for golden-hour fields, for city sidewalks in January. Maybe you’re picturing a plush capelet, maybe a fringed wrap, maybe a coat with actual sleeves. There’s a look here to steal. Click through to see any full wedding, and for more, browse our Real Weddings directory.
Our Favorite Winter Wedding Dress Cover-Ups
First up, cover-ups spotted on real Love & Lavender weddings. Click any wedding link to see the full day. Keep scrolling for shoppable options you can order for your own.
Crimson Fringed Knit Wrap
This is what a winter wedding actually looks like: snow coming down, and a bride who planned for it. Sara draped a deep crimson knit wrap over her sweetheart lace gown, the fringe long enough to keep her arms covered while she held a red-and-blue winter bouquet.
Not fur, not fussy. Just a rich pop of color against all that white.
See Sara and Peter’s Magical Winter Wedding →
Caramel Fur Stole
Golden hour at Fox Hill Farm, and the bare trees behind Myri say everything about the season. She pulled a caramel fur stole around a full tulle ballgown, the kind of layer that reads intentional in photos instead of like something grabbed at the last minute.
It’s proof that a rustic farm setting and a soft fur wrap can share the same frame.
See Myri and Blake’s Rustic Farm Wedding in Pennsylvania →
Ivory Fur Capelet
Anna and Alessandro married at a villa in the Italian countryside for a Christmas Wonderland celebration, and she dressed for it. A plush ivory fur capelet sat over a long-sleeve lace gown, so the fur and the lace layered up without hiding either one.
The red-and-white winter bouquet did the rest.
See Anna and Alessandro’s Christmas Wonderland Wedding in Italy →
Soft Ivory Fur Stole
Cat made the shawls herself, one for every bridesmaid, then kept a soft ivory stole for her own gown. The bridesmaids wore theirs in grey over jewel-tone dresses, so the whole party read like it belonged together against the bare-branch backdrop at Boulder Country Club.
If you’re handy with a sewing machine, this is the DIY that pays off in the photos.
See Cat and Eric’s Quirky Colorado Wedding →
White Faux-Fur Shrug
Real snow, a pearl choker, and a white faux-fur shrug: Gianna leaned all the way into the fairy-tale winter her day was going for. The shrug covered her shoulders over a strapless gown while Joseph leaned in for a kiss, snow catching on the branches behind them.
It’s the storybook version of a winter wedding.
See Joseph and Gianna’s Snowy Fairy-Tale Wedding →
Two-Tone Fur Stole
Rachel took her ivory fur stole somewhere unexpected, an urban underpass in Kansas City, and the cold bright light made it work. She carried a cascade of red amaranthus that ran nearly to her knees.
Her bridesmaids carried the theme in brown fur wraps of their own, so the group shots looked pulled together.
See Rachel and Isaac’s Colorful Kansas City Wedding →
Honey Mink Fur Coat
When a stole isn’t enough, there’s the full coat. Danielle wore a honey-toned mink with actual sleeves over her lace gown, paired with a baby’s-breath crown and a veil long enough to pool at her feet.
A coat covers more than any wrap can, and it still photographs like part of the dress.
See Danielle and Thomas’s Charleston Wedding →
Mink Stole with a Navy Gown
Not every winter bride wears white. Leigh chose a deep navy gown and softened it with a caramel mink stole, the pale fur playing off the dark satin.
With a crown braid and a loose pastel bouquet, the whole look felt more cool-weather cocktail than traditional aisle.
See Leigh and Dave’s Distillery Wedding in Maryland →
White Marabou Feather Shrug
Amber’s shrug was pure drama: white marabou feathers over a crystal-beaded illusion gown, tied at the back with a wide satin bow. The second shot catches that bow being fixed in place during getting-ready, red nails and all.
For a spooky-chic party at the Prospect Park Picnic House in Brooklyn, she landed the glamour without a single cliche.
See Amber and Michael’s Brooklyn Wedding →
Gatsby-Era Faux-Fur Capelet
A New Year’s Eve wedding with a Roaring 20s theme is a good excuse for a capelet, and Megan took it. Her white faux-fur capelet closed at the neck over a lace gown, paired with a birdcage veil for the full Gatsby-era effect.
Add a champagne-gold palette and you’ve got a look built for a midnight toast.
See Megan and Jerry’s Roaring 20s New Year’s Eve Wedding →
Espresso Brown Fur Stole
Proof a fur stole isn’t only for December. Amanda wore a rich espresso stole over her lace gown for a sunny fall barn wedding, the dark fur grounding a bright bouquet of sunflowers and blue thistle.
If your date lands in that in-between shoulder season, this is the move.
See Amanda and Greg’s Fall Barn Wedding in Maryland →
FAQs
What kind of winter wedding dress cover-up works best?
Start with the look you want, then match the coverage to the setting. A fur or faux-fur stole is the classic: it sits across the shoulders and slips off easily for the reception. A capelet or shrug covers a little more and holds its shape through photos. For an outdoor ceremony in real snow, a full fur coat or a heavy knit wrap will carry you through an outdoor ceremony.
How do I add a cover-up without hiding my dress?
Pick a cover-up you actually want in the pictures. The stoles and capelets here sit over the gown, not instead of it, so the neckline or the beading still shows. Slip it off for indoor moments and portraits where you want the full dress, then put it back on the second you step outside.
What is Faux Fur?
As the term suggests, faux fur (a.k.a. fake fur) is a kind of fabric that imitates real animal fur. Today, it is a popular fashion accessory that is used during many occasions. For example, brides hosting a winter wedding may like to buy faux fur wraps to give as a gift to their bridesmaids.
Faux fur was first introduced in 1929. Since then, people have fallen in love with this fabric, which looks almost like the real thing. As this article from The Guardian reports, faux fur creates a “royal look” that many people simply adore.
Can I wear a cover-up over a gown with sleeves?
Yes. A couple of the brides here layered a fur capelet right over a long-sleeve lace gown, and it looked intentional, not bulky. Fur over lace reads as one rich, deliberate look. Just keep the cover-up in a similar tone to the gown so it all reads together.
What should my bridesmaids wear with their dresses?
Match them to your own cover-up in a different shade. One bride here made fur stoles for her whole party; another sent her bridesmaids down the aisle in brown fur wraps over their dresses. Coordinated cover-ups photograph beautifully and make the whole party look pulled together.
Do cover-ups only work for winter weddings?
No. A fur stole reads just as well at a crisp fall wedding, like the sunflower-filled barn day here where the bride wore espresso fur over lace. Any time the forecast dips, a cover-up makes sense. Think of winter as the excuse, not the rule.
Why Choose Faux Fur for Your Wedding?
If you are planning to have a winter wedding and you want a “cool” look for your entourage, then faux fur is a must-have. You will not only get to save some animals, but you will look great too! Here are some good reasons why you should choose faux fur wraps for your wedding:
1. Faux fur is in style
In case you haven’t heard yet, faux fur is in while real fur is out! Many of today’s fashion designers now include faux fur in their line-up. These include not only animal prints, but bright colors and unique patterns as well.
If you want your winter wedding to be the talk of the town, then go for faux fur wraps. Your bridesmaids will love them.
2. Faux fur is easy to clean
Faux fur is easier to clean than real fur because it is made of synthetic fibers. Even if you spill some coffee or wine on it, you can remove the stain through spot cleaning. How is that for an easy fix!
Some faux fur products will need dry-cleaning, but there are some materials that can be washed by hand. If you set your washing machine to the gentle cycle, this will work for some faux fur products as well. In any case, it is best to hang the faux fur out to dry because the heat from a dryer can destroy the synthetic fibers.
3. Faux fur can last for a long time
Real fur tends to fade and change its color after just one year of use. On the other hand, faux fur will still look great after many years of use. Even if you wear your faux fur frequently, it will still look as good as new each time.
4. Faux fur is easy to store
You may need to hire a professional cleaner if you have real fur. During the summer, you cannot just store it anywhere because the heat and humidity could affect the material. You will need to take on a professional service that can store your real fur in the summer.
With faux fur, storage is not a problem. Just put it in a cool, dry place and it will look good in any season. In fact, you can store it together with your other sweaters and coats!
