The chaos and looks served at the much-anticipated ‘Euphoria’ wedding
When it comes to weddings, the general mood tends to be one of excitement, joy, and anticipation. But when it’s an on-screen wedding, you can almost always expect it to be anything but smooth sailing. From “Game of Thrones’” disastrously bloody “The “Red Wedding” to the recent on-screen craziness between Robert Pattinson and Zendaya in “The Drama,” “Euphoria’s” much-anticipated wedding between Cassie Howard (Sydney Sweeney) and Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi) is no exception.
After seasons of toxic push-and-pull between Cassie and Nate, episode 3 of “Euphoria” season 3 finally delivers the nuptials the internet has been both dreading and waiting for. Earlier episodes show Cassie obsessing over a perfect, extravagant wedding day and doing anything to fund it, including filming a dog-themed OnlyFans video. The couple ultimately pulls it off with an undeniably gaudy, maximalist, retro-styled affair, complete with a James Brown impersonator and the $50,000 floral budget Cassie insisted on.
Early parts of the ceremony were civil by “Euphoria” standards, with Maddy (Alexa Demie) showing up, serving looks, and leaving. Yet things eventually spiral. Nate, it turns out, owes $600,000 to a loan shark who comes to collect. The evening ends with Nate beaten, bloodied, and missing a pinky toe, with Cassie’s bridal bodice flecked with blood.
The wedding is not entirely front and center either, as it runs alongside two other storylines involving the show’s core characters. Rue (Zendaya) is caught in an escalating gang conflict between Alamo (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) and Laurie (Martha Kelly). Meanwhile, more is revealed about Jules, who has dropped out of art school to become a full-time escort for a single client.
But let’s face it. Since its beginnings two seasons ago, “Euphoria’s” plots have largely been focused on shock value, with character-driven moments over a strict linear plot. Since their early days in high schools wearing micro-minis, skintight midriff tops, and glittered eyes, their outfits have matured to show where they are now. But still, you know a wedding wasn’t going to suddenly make the “Euphoria” gang dress conservatively.
Cassie: The bride
For her big day, Cassie wore a strapless white satin corset top with boned construction and lace-up detailing by New York-based designer Jackson Wiederhoeft (whose work Sweeney has worn on the red carpet in real life).
During the ceremony, she donned a voluminous skirt featuring a thigh-high slit. This thigh-high slit and dangerously low cut of her bustier show that “Euphoria” touch that keeps it from tipping too far into conventional bridal wear. Later on, you can see her throwing her Jimmy Choo heels onto the table.
At the reception, Cassie transitions into a shimmering miniskirt. After a disastrous fight with Nate about money, she spins, utterly distraught during her wedding dance. During the dance, her corset dips so low that her nipple pasties show—which actually seems to reflect the frazzled, slowly descending state of mind that she’s in.
Maddy: The revenge dress
If Cassie’s look is the fantasy, Maddy’s is the reality check. In last week’s episode, Maddy seemed to suggest to Cassie that she has no taste, she’s desperate, and she tries too much. All of which seems to ring true in the wedding’s gaudy tastes, despite being so expensive.
We see Maddy saunter into her former best friend and ex-boyfriend’s wedding, donning a custom green gown. Despite how revealing it was, seemingly hanging by a thread, her revenge dress still gave off an aura of elegance and class. Complemented by a green fur boa and dark, soulful makeup, we get a glimpse of the dress’s beadwork, with a crucifix chain draping dramatically down her bare back to near-dangerous territory.
You could say Maddy wore the color of envy like armor, dressing for the person she is rather than the situation she’s in. Still, Maddy did get emotional—and left before the chaos that followed.
Jules: Wrapped like a gift
Jules (Hunter Schafer) arrived head high, and she had every reason to. Both Nate Jacobs and his father, Cal (Eric Dane), wronged her in earlier seasons. Still, she walked into that room looking absolutely ethereal in a pale blue satin and mesh Acne Studios gown.
The transparent tulle creates an almost-naked effect that’s deliberately sheer and delicate. We see how Jules can afford the finer things now, and how she wants everyone to know it.
Lexi: The bridesmaid
A casualty of Cassie’s love of saccharine pink is her sister Lexi (Maude Apatow). Dressed by her sister in a pink, off-the-shoulder, bow-adorned mermaid gown from Nana Jacqueline, the multi-bow design could have been a disaster, but Lexi somehow pulls it off with her signature prim-and-proper elegance.
Rue: Menswear and Chuck Taylors
Rue isn’t really here to compete, fashion-wise. Since finding her passions as a drug mule, she’s now got somewhere else to be. Dressed in her signature menswear and those iconic Chuck Taylors, she has to leave the wedding early, drops in on a tense meetup with drug dealers, and ends up getting pulled over by the DEA.
The internet seems to be quite disapproving of her choice of Chucks, but that’s Rue for you.
Nate: The groom
From solely wearing athleisure in earlier seasons, Nate seems to want to communicate that he’s a grown-up now. Throughout this season, we see how he is increasingly obsessed with money and wears luxury clothes to help build that facade of wealth.
Costume designer Natasha Newman-Thomas confirmed that Nate has exclusively worn Bottega Veneta for this season, which includes his wedding tuxedo. Elordi is also an ambassador for the brand, but his use of head-to-toe Bottega is more for his character arc than his ambassadorship.
While elegant, Bottega is also very expensive, and it’s ironic given that the entire wedding was funded on borrowed money Nate doesn’t have. His boutonnière also nods to Cassie’s dream florals that run them into debt.
Cal: Nate’s father
Cal (Eric Dane) was branded in earlier seasons as a sex offender and quite a despicable character. For his son’s wedding, he dons a khaki suit and a matching button-down. He actually looks and acts quite appropriately. Nothing to see here, but that’s fine.
Sue: Mother of the bride
Sue (Cassie’s mom) has never been the warmest presence throughout “Euphoria.” During her walk with Cassie down the aisle, her vicious pep talk about divorce left something to be desired. But Sue looked genuinely great, prancing around in a sleek, scarlet sequin dress with a slit, even if she had a little too much to drink.
The kids are all grown up
The “Euphoria” kids are all grown up. And while they’re not in high school hallways anymore, they haven’t exactly mellowed. The kids have just taken their chaos to a new place, with fancy floral arrangements and budgets for dress designers.
And the wedding of Cassie and Nate was very “Euphoria” in its way—beautiful on the surface, devastating underneath, but still dressed to the nines every minute.
