In Hollywood, it's always wedding season. A big old wedding can set up a film's plot, introduce us to key characters and their family, provide a sneaky twist or act as a magnificent climax to two hours of jokes or romance or heartbreak. Movie wedding dresses tend to be big and brash and very bridal: think meringues and veils. Lace, perhaps the most dramatic of fabrics, is often utilised. Sometimes big-name designers get involved (Vera Wang with Bride Wars; Carolina Herrera with The Twilight Saga), other times costume departments create historically accurate gowns for period films.

Click the gallery to see the 50 best wedding dresses on film.