The Trump Ladies' Wedding Dresses Are Just As Over-The-Top As You'd Expect

Not many presidents can brag of having a recognizable style (unless you count Barack Obama's tan suit). The name "Trump," though, has become synonymous with over-the-top (and usually gaudy) architecture, fashion, events, and merch. The cost of living like Donald Trump might make you feel faint, and the women in his family are no slouches in the expense department, either — especially when it comes to weddings. They've all tied the knot in luxurious style, including their elaborate dresses.

Topping them all, of course, was the show-stopper worn by First Lady Melania Trump, which made headlines and a magazine cover. From there, the president's daughters and daughters-in-law have gone on to wed in slightly less massive, yet still stunning, gowns. No discount bridal stores or Facebook Marketplace hand-me-downs here. When you're born with or marry into the Trump name, the thought of a budget-conscious wardrobe would never even cross your mind. As soon as their left hand gets the bling, these women's chosen designers get busy pulling out their finest satins, lace, pearls, and whatever else the brides' hearts desire. A couple of presidential family members even decided they couldn't stick with merely one dress for their big day.

The result is a gallery of gorgeous gowns that cost way more than most women's total weddings, bridal showers, and yearly mortgages combined. Ostentatious? For sure. Regardless, whether your reaction is "No, I would never" or "Yeah, I'd wear that if I had the money," it's fun to look at the photos and do a little backseat critiquing.

Most people opt for low-key celebrations if they marry more than once. Then again, most people aren't Donald Trump. The billionaire real estate mogul was already nearing the end of his second marriage when he met Slovenian model Melania Knauss. Donald and Melania's relationship went through a few bumps over the next several years, but they weren't enough to ruin the future president's proposal in 2004.

The couple had a full church ceremony, followed by a bash at Mar-a-Lago, where the ballroom had just been given a $42 million facelift. Melania turned heads in a Christian Dior gown that Vogue accurately called "The Dress of the Year." The $100,000 crystal-and-pearl-bedecked strapless dress reportedly used 90 meters of satin, including a 13-foot train, and was accompanied by a 16-foot veil. The whole ensemble was so heavy that the bride needed to sit down on a special bench during the ceremony.

@melaniatrump/Instagram

Fortunately for Melania (and her spine), she had a much more forgiving outfit to change into for the reception. As seen on her Instagram account, she made her way down the stairs in a sleeveless dress with a front-opening skirt that was topped with a floral wreath. "Our wedding was a beautiful affair," she recalled in the social media video. "A breathtaking gown, a perfectly created dinner by a celebrated chef, and captivating performances by music legends." We're totally sure the camera must have accidentally cut off before she could add, "And I was married to the love of my life."

Just 10 months after his dad married his second stepmother, Donald Trump Jr. became a groom himself. He married model Vanessa Haydon in November 2005 at Mar-a-Lago as a crowd of 370 guests looked on, including his proud mother, Ivana Trump. To make it a full family affair, siblings Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump were prominent members of the wedding party, and the ceremony was officiated by Maryanne Trump Barry, his aunt and Donald Trump's sister. 

The bride helped design her own gown, which was then made a reality by acclaimed designer Reem Acra. It couldn't have been more dissimilar to Melania's over-the-top creation: The form-fitting mermaid-style dress featured a small train, a plunging back, and a crystal-encrusted bodice. Its cost hasn't been reported, but when you consider that pre-owned Acra gowns can run from $1,500 to $9,000 or more, it's safe to say that a new, custom-made dress for a celeb wedding might be a trifle more pricey.

The day didn't go off entirely without a hitch — a hurricane had recently come through the area and damaged the resort's front lawn, where the couple had planned to hold the ceremony. The affair was moved to the pool area instead. Despite Donald Trump's bold claim that Mar-a-Lago marriages never end in divorce, Don Jr. and Vanessa called it quits after 13 years and five children together. The first son was then engaged to Kimberly Guilfoyle; after the disintegration of that relationship, he proposed to socialite Bettina Anderson. This raises the question: Will he make another go at a Mar-a-Lago wedding, or wait until dad's White House ballroom is finished?

Famous at the time for her fashion brands and her "boardroom advisor" gig on "The Apprentice," Ivanka Trump became a bride in 2009, four years after her father entered his third marriage. Her wedding to business advisor Jared Kushner veered slightly from other Trump nuptials. For one, it wasn't held at Mar-a-Lago; instead, Ivanka chose another of her dad's properties, the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. More significantly, it was a traditional Jewish ceremony, since Ivanka had just converted to her husband's faith.

Some things never change, though, especially when it comes to this family. As one might expect, Ivanka's wedding look cost a staggering amount of money. Her custom Vera Wang gown reportedly cost $50,000, but that was a relative bargain when compared to the accessories she chose. The new bride picked out diamond pieces from her own jewelry line, together worth $265,000. She didn't shortchange her wedding party, either, with her bridesmaids getting their own bling from Ivanka for the occasion.

The next of the Trump children to wed was Eric Trump, who tied the knot with the former Lara Yunaska on November 8, 2014. Like his dad and older brother, Eric chose Mar-a-Lago as his venue. This time, there were no weather catastrophes to keep the couple from marrying outdoors beneath a huge canopy of dangling crystals.

The one downside to the day was the fact that Lara had broken both her wrists in a horseback-riding accident two weeks earlier. Fortunately, it didn't dampen her spirits or even her style. The bride simply went through the day in her casts, putting on fingerless gloves for the reception as a clever cover-up.

Thank you to our flawless wedding team @JZEvents @prestonrbailey @DonnaPhotog @mattshair & #AmyKennison 💗love u all!💗 pic.twitter.com/lk12YnGFc4

— Lara Trump (@LaraLeaTrump) November 12, 2014

Lara followed the popular bridal tactic of choosing an elaborate gown for the ceremony and one more suited to dancing for the reception. She exchanged vows in a strapless Vera Wang number featuring a ruffled ballgown skirt. "I knew that I needed a dress that could be seen from the farthest guest's viewpoint!" she told People at the time.

Meanwhile, the invoice must have been seen from space: The designer's Haute Collection starts at $7,900, and that's just for non-celebrity clients. The new Mrs. Trump kept the dress on for her first dance, but by the time she and Eric cut their pink six-layer wedding cake, she had switched to a slinky lace gown made by Inbal Dror for Mark Ingram Atelier's bridal shop.

Not to be outdone by her stepmother or older sister, Tiffany Trump had a stunning wedding of her own. The lawyer and younger daughter of Donald Trump wed business executive Michael Boulos on November 12, 2022. Although the couple was said to be considering a ceremony in Greece, a favorite spot of theirs, they ultimately decided on the president's Mar-a-Lago resort. Marla Maples, the proud mother of the bride, explained the choice to People: "[T]his was Tiffany's childhood home and where she was brought into the world." 

The outdoor ceremony featured a pastel bridal party color scheme, elaborate hydrangea arches, an open flower-bedecked gazebo, and more than 500 guests. The star of the show, though, was Tiffany's Elie Saab gown. Beaded from neck to long flowing train, the long-sleeved number was cinched with a slim belt and needed only a pair of diamond drop earrings to finish the look. 

For the reception inside the club, Tiffany changed into another Saab dress, this one a simpler satin gown with a sweetheart neckline and front slit, with ruching on the bodice and waist that hugged the new bride's figure perfectly. The cost of her wedding ensembles hasn't been made public, but a 2025 Saab gown with similar beading goes for $37,500, and the designer's lower-end dresses run in the $11,000 range.