Lucy Coe's red-hot frock on 'General Hospital' and Erica Kane's lace looks on 'All My Children' are among the memorable bridal gowns worn on-screen

Soap opera characters have said "yes" to some very over-the-top wedding dresses.

There have been dozens and dozens of ceremonies on soaps over the past 80 years, including nuptials for infamous characters of daytime serials and fan-favorite supercouples. What all of them have in common — besides high drama, of course — are the must-see bridal ensembles.

One of the best in the soap opera wedding biz is Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, who famously walked down the aisle 11 times on All My Children, doing so in many of-the-moment gowns. It's also impossible not to remember the bright red frock Lucy Coe (Lynn Herring) donned on General Hospital or the taffeta number worn by Laura Webber (Genie Francis) in the most famous wedding in soap opera history.

These are far from the only iconic looks, though. Whether a historic first or a return down the aisle, take a look at some of the best wedding dresses the queens of daytime TV wore when their characters said "I do."

01 of 13

General Hospital's Luke and Laura

Luke (Anthony Geary) and Laura (Francis)'s wedding, which remains one of the highest-rated moments in daytime TV history, was such a big deal that it aired over two episodes in November 1981 and featured a cameo from Elizabeth Taylor.

For the big day, Laura wore an ornate headpiece paired with an oh-so-very '80s gown complete with lace detailing and puffy sleeves.

"The dress was made of silk taffeta, which wrinkles terribly, so I couldn't sit down," Francis told PEOPLE in November 2001. "And the ground was wet, so my high heels were sinking into the dirt."

As for the head dress, she said, "Any bride who wore it for 12 hours would have had a bad headache like I did. My favorite part of the day was dancing the Virginia reel and, of course, hearing 'That's a wrap!' "

02 of 13

One Life to Live's Kate and Cord

Speaking of the '80s, when Marcia Cross' One Life to Live character Kate Sanders wed Cord Roberts (John Loprieno) in 1987, her dress was filled with lace and florals, and her veil was stacked high with tulle.

03 of 13

All My Children's Erica and Tom

As the longest-running character on All My Children, Erica Kane gave us a plethora of jaw-dropping wedding looks over the decades. For her 1978 nuptials to Richard Shoberg (Tom Cudahy), Erica paired her elegant long-sleeved dress with a beaded choker necklace and frothy veil.

04 of 13

All My Children's Erica and Dimitri

For Erica's 1993 wedding to Dimitri Marick (Michael Nader), she wore a gorgeous high-neck gown with intricate lace throughout. Lucci later said the on-screen ceremony was one of her favorites.

"We did a traditional ceremony with lots and lots of candles," the actress told PEOPLE of the lavish Russian Orthodox nuptials. "It was very beautiful."

05 of 13

All My Children's Hayley and Mateo

When Hayley Vaughn (Kelly Ripa) and Mateo Santos (Mark Consuelos) officially married for a second time on-screen (their first wedding was a traumatic affair), she wore a strapless ensemble with a scalloped top. The dress was paired with white gloves and a sleek veil.

In real life, Ripa and Consuelos, who met on the soap opera, eloped in Las Vegas on May 1, 1996, and later welcomed three children together.

"I think [Kelly] might get a little nostalgic or maybe regret the fact that she didn't get to have that big wedding," Consuelos said. "But I quickly point out to her that we had a number of weddings."

06 of 13

One Life to Live's Ed and Carla

When Ed Hall (Al Freeman Jr.) and Carla Gray (Ellen Holly) tied the knot on One Life to Live in 1973, the on-screen ceremony marked the first time two Black characters got married on any soap opera, per Soap Opera Digest. For the historic moment, Carla wore a white long-sleeved gown with a high neckline and lace overlay paired with a classic veil.

07 of 13

Days of Our Lives' Patch and Kayla

Steve "Patch" Johnson (Stephen Nichols) and Kayla Brady (Mary Beth Evans) have famously had four weddings on Days of Our Lives. The first two took place in 1988 and 1990, with the former being a two-day affair on a yacht.

"I was overwhelmed as Steve and personally by her performance," Nichols told Soap Opera Digest in June 2025 of their first on-screen wedding. "There was joy in the air. It was one of those big events where filming becomes a celebration. Everyone was invested and happy to be there. A memorable, beautiful day."

Pictured above is their second wedding and Kayla's very of-the-moment dress, which included puffy sleeves and beaded lace, plus a white flower-adorned veil.

08 of 13

General Hospital's Lucy and Alan

When Alan Quartermaine (Stuart Damon) married his mistress following his divorce on General Hospital, Lucy ended up making quite the statement with her dress after an issue at the shop landed her in a bright red dress — with a matching hat to boot, per Soap Opera Digest.

09 of 13

The Young and the Restless' Mariah and Tessa

Mariah Copeland (Camryn Grimes) and Tessa Porter's (Cait Fairbanks) 2022 nuptials marked a historic moment for The Young and the Restless, as it was the first same-sex wedding in the show's history.

"I feel especially honored to be a part of this moment because I understand the importance of it," Fairbanks told PEOPLE in May of that year.

For their '70s-themed nuptials, Mariah opted for a white gown with a deep-V neckline, while Tessa sported a one-shoulder dress in the same hue. To tie the looks together, both brides rocked coordinated floral headpieces.

10 of 13

Days of Our Lives' Hope and Bo

For the first wedding of Days of Our Lives' beloved duo Hope Williams (Kristian Alfonso) and Bo Brady (Peter Reckell) in 1985, the bride wore one of the most extravagant headpieces the soap opera world has ever seen — which is saying something! As for the dress, the frock featured floral appliqués along the off-the-shoulder neckline that matched her statement piece choker.

The on-screen wedding, thrown by a British royal to thank them for their help in saving her life, was as extravagant as the ensemble. The exteriors of the nuptials were really filmed on location in England, and the major moment is still considered one of the most expensive soap opera ceremonies ever.

11 of 13

The Young and the Restless' Nikki and Victor

Like many of their fellow soap opera couples, Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) and Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) have made various trips down the aisle during their long tenure on The Young and the Restless (Scott joined the show in 1979, with Braeden following in 1980).

The couple's first wedding was in 1984. Nikki walked down the aisle in a lace-adorned dress with a massive skirt, detailed hem and puff sleeves.

12 of 13

All My Children's Jesse and Angie

Though Jesse Hubbard (Darnell Williams) had died decades before, he returned in 2008 and wed his longtime love, Angie Baxter (Debbi Morgan). For the big comeback moment, Angie slipped into an elegant off-the-shoulder gown with draping along the waistline.

13 of 13

Guiding Light's Reva and Josh

Reva Shayne (Kim Zimmer) may be known for her infamous red dress, but the off-the-shoulder white ruffled frock she wore for her first wedding to Josh Lewis (Robert Newman) on Guiding Light in 1989 was pretty memorable, too.

When Reva and Josh tied the knot, they did so with their daughter Marah (Ashley Peldon) in tow. Little Marah — who the newlyweds had recently discovered was biologically Josh's child, per Soap Opera Digest — even matched her mom with her precious white dress.

Source link