When you’re the most decorated gymnast in history, a single gown just isn't going to cut it. Honestly, it’s a vibe. When Simone Biles married NFL safety Jonathan Owens, she didn't just have a wedding; she had a full-blown fashion marathon that spanned two countries and five different outfits.
Most people focus on the big, puffy white gown from the ceremony in Cabo, but there's a lot more to the story. From a budget-friendly Amazon find to custom Israeli couture that costs as much as a car, the simone biles wedding dress saga is basically a lesson in how to be both relatable and incredibly extra at the exact same time.
The $119 "Placeholder" That Went Viral
Before the tequila and the Mexican sunset, there was a quiet courthouse in Houston. On April 22, 2023, the couple legally tied the knot at the Harris County Courthouse. You might expect an Olympic legend to show up in something custom for the legalities, but Simone went the opposite direction.
She wore a tiered, floor-length white gown from an online boutique called Selfie Leslie. Price tag? Exactly $119.
It was a plunging V-neck with a crisscross back. Very simple. Very "I just ordered this on my phone while watching Netflix." She later admitted on Instagram that the whole look—the dress, the shoes, and even the wedding bands—was a last-minute rush. "Everything was ordered this week," she told her followers.
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The funniest part? The shoes were from Amazon and, according to Simone, they were "not comfy at all." She actually had to swap them out for a pair from Pretty Little Thing just to get through the rooftop photo shoot. It’s kind of refreshing to know that even a woman who can land a Yurchenko double pike struggles with blister-inducing heels from the internet.
Why Simone Biles Custom-Built Her Silhouette
When the party moved to Cabo San Lucas in May 2023, the budget-friendly era was officially over. For the main event, Simone teamed up with Galia Lahav, the legendary Israeli design house known for making brides look like literal sirens.
But there was a problem. Simone is 4’8”.
Most ballgowns are built for models who are 5’10”, which means a standard "princess" cut can easily swallow a petite frame. To fix this, Simone and Galia Lahav’s head designer, Sharon Sever, did some serious engineering.
- The Slit: They added a daring leg slit to the Gimaya gown. This wasn't just to be "sexy"—it was a visual trick to make her legs look longer.
- The Corset: The bodice was a sheer, boned corset that nipped in her waist to maintain her proportions.
- The Details: It was covered in 3D floral lace and pearl accents.
She told Vogue that she was actually terrified of the ballgown silhouette at first. "I was like, 'This is going to be too much for my height,'" she said. But after the custom tweaks, she looked like she had grown four inches.
The Four-Dress Rotation in Cabo
Simone caught some flak for being "dramatic" when she announced she’d be wearing four different gowns for the destination weekend. Her response? "You only have a wedding once." Hard to argue with that logic.
Each dress served a very specific purpose for the weekend festivities:
- The Rehearsal Dinner: She wore the Galia Lahav "Jill" mini. It had an asymmetrical hem and beaded fringe that moved when she walked. It was the "I'm here to party" dress.
- The Ceremony: The custom Gimaya ballgown mentioned above. This was the "I'm a legend" dress.
- The Reception: Once the vows were done, she swapped the ballgown for a Maya mermaid-style dress. It was semi-sheer with matching floral appliqué but much easier to move in than the massive tulle skirt of the first one.
- The After-Party: For the late-night dancing, she transitioned into a sparkly A-line number.
Basically, if she wasn't flipping in the air, she was changing clothes. The total cost of these four custom Galia Lahav pieces likely ranged between $50,000 and $100,000, considering their custom gowns typically start at $10,000 each and go way up for celebrity modifications.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Choice
There's a misconception that Simone just wanted to show off her wealth. But if you look at her career, her wardrobe has always been her armor. In gymnastics, every leotard is custom, fitted to the millimeter, and designed to perform under pressure.
Her wedding was the first time she got to choose "performance" wear that wasn't for a judge. She wanted to feel tall. She wanted to feel feminine. Most importantly, she wanted to feel like herself, not "Simone Biles the Athlete."
The transition from a $119 dress to a $20,000 custom gown wasn't a contradiction. It was a choice. It showed that she values the intimacy of a private moment (the courthouse) just as much as the spectacle of a public celebration (Cabo).
Key Insights for Your Own Wedding Style
If you're looking at the simone biles wedding dress photos and wondering how to pull off a similar look without an Olympic budget, here’s what you can actually learn:
- Alterations are everything. If you’re petite like Simone, don't be afraid to chop a slit into a dress or change the neckline. It’s the tailoring that makes a dress look expensive, not the label.
- Comfort is a lie (sometimes). Even Simone Biles couldn't handle cheap Amazon heels for more than an hour. If you go cheap on the dress, spend the extra money on high-quality, broken-in shoes.
- Multiple looks don't have to be "couture." You can do the Biles-inspired "four dress" weekend by mixing a high-end ceremony gown with a second-hand reception dress or a fun mini from a high-street brand.
- Own your drama. If you want four dresses, get four dresses. People are going to talk anyway; you might as well give them something pretty to look at.
The real takeaway from Simone's wedding style? Rules are suggestions. You can get married in a courthouse in a cheap dress one day and be a floral-covered princess in Mexico the next. It’s your world; everyone else is just watching the highlights.
If you’re planning your own look, start by identifying your "non-negotiable" (for Simone, it was height) and build the dress around that. Focus on the silhouette first and the sparkles second. You'll end up with something that doesn't just look good in photos, but actually feels like you.