Arts & Culture
Southern Wedding Venues and the Bridal Dresses They Deserve
The season’s newest designer looks get matched to the Biltmore, the Swan House, and more beloved settings
It’s high wedding season in the South, and as we look forward to our first-ever G&G Weddings issue this fall, we’re shining a light on a few of our favorite event venues—and a dress fresh off the runway from the spring 2026 collections to suit each.
Hotel Emma
San Antonio, Texas
Photo: (From left) Courtesy of Hotel Emma, Danielle Frankel Studio
Each city in Texas marches to its own beat, and San Antonio is no different, which is exactly why this column gown fitted with a dramatic organza overlay by Danielle Frankel Studio matches the energy of the personality-forward, 149-room Hotel Emma, set in a former brewhouse that anchors the city’s historic riverfront Pearl district.
The Dewberry
Charleston, South Carolina
Photo: (From left) Perry Vaile, Oscar de la Renta
Charleston, South Carolina, revels in making the old-fashioned new again, and this Grace Kelly–esque gown by Oscar de la Renta complements the elegantly appointed midcentury-modern Dewberry Hotel alongside Marion Square.
The Biltmore
Asheville, North Carolina
Photo: (From left) Shutterstock, Elie Saab
This romantic Elie Saab gown and veil confection mirrors the ensemble worn at the most iconic wedding ever held at the Biltmore house, outside of Asheville: the 1924 vows of Cornelia Vanderbilt, daughter of the Gilded Age estate’s builder, George Vanderbilt.
The Breakers
Palm Beach, Florida
Photo: (From left) Lindsey Boluyt Photography, Vera Wang Bride
The current iteration of the Breakers Hotel opened in 1926 in Palm Beach, and the simple lines of this fit-and-flare Vera Wang dress offer the ideal counterpoint to the ornate Italian Renaissance–inspired architecture.
Palmetto Bluff
Bluffton, South Carolina
Photo: (From left) Courtesy of Montage Palmetto Bluff, Markarian
This beaded lace cape and gown by Markarian is equal parts vintage-inspired and very current, a look that’s right at home among the majestic live oaks and character-rich structures in South Carolina’s Palmetto Bluff resort community—built to look far older than their years.
Swan House
Atlanta, Georgia
Photo: (From left) Courtesy of Atlanta History Center, Reem Acra
The high formality of the Swan House, an architectural gem designed by Philip T. Schutze in 1928 and now a part of the Atlanta History Center, provides a complementary backdrop for this ornate gown and veil by Reem Acra.
The Hermitage Hotel
Nashville, Tennessee
Photo: (From left) Kéra Golombisky, Hera Couture
This corseted, off-the-shoulder gown by Hera Couture echoes the elegant Beaux Arts detailing of the historic Hermitage Hotel in Nashville.
The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee
Greensboro, Georgia
Photo: (From left) Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, Ines Di Santo
The woodland magic surrounding the Ritz-Carlton’s Lake Oconee resort and this sprightly, ethereal gown by Ines Di Santo were made for each other.
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