Honestly, if you thought one white dress was enough for a Real Housewife, you clearly haven’t been paying attention to Porsha Williams. When she married Simon Guobadia in late 2022, she didn’t just pick a gown. She curated an entire museum’s worth of couture. Seven dresses. Seven. Most people can barely decide on a salad dressing, but Porsha managed to swap outfits more times in 48 hours than most people do on a long holiday weekend.
It was a total "fashion extravaganza," her words, not mine. But looking back, there’s a lot more to the porsha williams wedding dress saga than just high price tags and heavy beading. It was a cultural bridge.
The Red Dress That Leaked Early
Before the official photos even hit People magazine, fans got a chaotic sneak peek. Porsha was doing an Instagram Live, laughing with her sister Lauren, when the camera accidentally panned to a door. Hanging there was a massive, velvety red gown. She panicked. She tried to hide it. But the internet never forgets.
That dress was a custom creation by African couture label Lakimmy. It wasn't just red for the sake of being bold; it was a deep nod to Simon’s Edo heritage. Guobadia hails from Benin City, Nigeria, where red is the color of royalty. The gown was a strapless mermaid silhouette, dripping in gold chains and topped off with a "ruffle hem" made of light feathers.
But the real star of that first look? The okuku.
That’s the traditional Benin coral beaded headpiece. It’s heavy. It’s symbolic. It basically turned Porsha into an Edo Queen the second she stepped into the Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta for the traditional Nigerian ceremony.
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Seven Gowns for Two Days: The Full Breakdown
You might be wondering how someone even finds time to pee when they have seven outfit changes. You’ve got to admire the stamina. Styled by Selina Howard of Vainglorious Brides, the rotation was a mix of Nigerian designers and international high fashion.
On Friday, during the traditional ceremony, she didn't stop at the red Lakimmy. She transitioned into a royal blue gown by Tabik and later a rich gold number. The color palette for the guests was purple and teal, so she basically stood out like a literal jewel in the center of the room.
Then came Saturday. The "American" wedding.
For the walk down the aisle at a Methodist church, she went classic. Well, "classic" for Porsha. She wore a white lace Frida ballgown. It had a beaded skirt and a crown—because of course there was a crown—that attached to a cathedral-length tulle train.
The Reception and the After-Party "Hat"
If you think the ballgown was the finale, you’re wrong. The reception at the St. Regis Atlanta saw her shift into a sleek Albina Dyla gown. This was for the dancing, the speeches, and the general "rich people having fun" vibes.
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But then there was the bouquet toss. For that, she wore a dress gifted by designer Esè Azenabor.
And finally, the after-party. She ended the marathon in a fringe dress, also by Albina Dyla, paired with a matching fringe hat. She even swapped her hair throughout the night using various pieces from her own line, Go Naked. It was basically a 48-hour commercial for luxury living, and honestly, we have to respect the hustle.
Why the Porsha Williams Wedding Dress Selection Matters
It’s easy to dismiss this as celebrity excess. But if you look at the nuances, Porsha did something kind of cool. She used her platform to highlight West African designers like Lakimmy and Tabik on a massive stage.
Usually, when a celebrity gets married, it’s a race to see which European fashion house gets the credit. By leaning so heavily into Nigerian customs and designers, she brought a level of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) to the cultural aspect of her union. She wasn't just playing dress-up; she personally hand-selected the fabrics for her family’s iro and buba (traditional tops and skirts) and ensured the gele (head wraps) were perfect.
She even joked that she should become a stylist after the wedding because of the sheer amount of logistics involved in dressing 250+ people in traditional Yoruba and Edo attire.
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What Most People Miss About the Cost
People love to speculate on the price. While the exact total for all seven gowns wasn't slapped onto a public receipt, industry experts estimate the collection cost well into the six-figure range. A custom Albina Dyla or Esè Azenabor isn't exactly "off the rack" at David's Bridal.
But here’s the kicker: despite the "forever" vibes of seven dresses, the marriage to Simon didn't last. They filed for divorce less than two years later. It makes the porsha williams wedding dress collection feel a bit like a time capsule now—a high-fashion monument to a very specific, very loud moment in Bravo history.
Actionable Insights for Your Own Wedding
You probably aren't buying seven custom gowns. Most of us aren't. But you can take a few pages from Porsha’s playbook if you want that "celebrity" feel without the bank-breaking budget:
- Embrace Cultural Fusion: If you have a multicultural background, don't feel like you have to choose one over the other. Porsha showed that you can have a traditional ceremony one day and a "white wedding" the next.
- The "Second Look" Strategy: If a full ballgown is too much for the dance floor, look for dresses with detachable skirts or capes. It gives the illusion of two dresses for the price of one.
- Focus on the Headpiece: Porsha’s crown and okuku did a lot of the heavy lifting. A dramatic veil or a custom headpiece can make a simple dress look like a $20,000 custom piece.
- Support Emerging Designers: You don't need a household name to look iconic. Many of the designers Porsha used were specialized in African couture, proving that specific expertise often beats a famous logo.
The legacy of the porsha williams wedding dress extravaganza isn't just about the fabric. It’s about the fact that she went all in. Whether you loved the look or thought it was "too much," you couldn't look away. And in the world of entertainment, that's the ultimate win.
To recreate this kind of impact, start by identifying one "heritage" element you can modernize. Whether it's a specific color, a type of lace, or a traditional accessory, making it the centerpiece of your look ensures it feels personal rather than just trendy. Focus on finding a tailor who understands structured bodices, as that was the secret to how Porsha managed to look "snatched" in every single one of those seven changes.