A bride’s wedding dress is usually a focal point of the ceremony, so it typically receives great attention and extra carefulness from the bride and her designer. Weddings are also considered to be important ceremonies that bind different families into one.

In more powerful circles, sometimes, a wedding results in an alliance between two kingdoms or companies. Hence, the wedding dress receives great consideration as it depicts the status and manners of the people entering into a union.

Wedding dresses consisted mostly of white, long gowns with puffy sleeves and cathedral-length veils for a long time after Queen Victoria made them popular in 1840. However, in recent times, brides have been making changes to the monotonous design and color to reflect their tastes and preferences.

Rather than long and sometimes drab gowns, wedding gowns can now be short or mid-length dresses. They can also have straight, mermaid, sheath or fit and flare styles, among many others. Some brides even wear other colors besides white, which would have been considered inappropriate previously.

However, the recent tweaks to what was considered the norm have also raised another challenge about what is morally acceptable for wedding dresses. Here is where one bride’s choice offended many who felt her wedding dress crossed the limit. The bride, Ellie Gonsalves, a model and an influencer, wore three dresses which she posted on social media after her wedding.

However, some social media trolls felt the dress was indecent and didn’t hesitate to make their reservations known which gave rise to the woman’s clap backs. Continue reading to find out how the woman responded to her critics.

Gonsalves went viral after photos from her luxe wedding, and one dress in particular, rubbed some social media users the wrong way. While this may have been the first time for many to hear her name, Gonsalves has been an internet sensation for quite some time.

Born on Feb. 5, 1990, Gonsalves started out as a model in her teenage years after being spotted by a talent scout in her native Brisbane, Australia. The early exposure to the modeling world led her to continue pursuing it as a career after graduation, after which Gonsalves also branched out into social media. She garnered even more clout and recognition after appearing in the Australian version of the reality TV show “Big Brother” in 2021. Popular for her behind-the-scenes footage of the fashion and entertainment industry, Gonsalves also appeared on the cover of the magazine MAXIM Australia three times.

According to an in-depth portfolio by Gritty Pretty, Gonsalves is a “philanthropist, model, actor, hair care ambassador, entrepreneur and a face synonymous with drastic hair changes.” She also revealed to the outlet the famous Hollywood star that inspired her most.

“I pulled a lot of inspiration from many people growing up, but I think I really admired Angelina Jolie. I feel like she represents a strong woman and, to me, she seems very honest about a lot of things people generally weren’t honest about – such as her sexuality – which I was massively struggling with as a young kid,” Gonsalves said.

The L’Oréal Professionnel ambassador said with a “very supportive inner circle, especially in my fiancé Ross (Scutts) who has always loved and accepted me for who I am,” Gonsalves found the courage to come out publicly as bise xual.

After appearing in a Yellow Tail Super Bowl commercial in 2017, Gonsalves made her film debut in 2019’s “Fighting with My Family,” directed by Stephen Merchant and starring big Hollywood names such as Dwayne Johnson, Vince Vaughn and Florence Pugh. That same year, Gonsalves also appeared in the Spring campaign for Khloe Kardashian’s denim fashion label, Good American.

Gonsalves also supports charitable causes. She is a global ambassador for the Steve Irwin Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors charity. According to its website, Gonsalves was compelled to join the movement after visiting the zoo’s Wildlife Hospital, saying, “it’s heartbreaking but really does make you want to make a difference as well.”

Gonsalves has also become an advocate for self-acceptance and said she sees herself as “being a voice in the industry and using that platform to positively encourage and influence beauty standards as we are all responsible for contributing towards them.” She added her partnership with L’Oreal has only helped get her message across further.

“I love that such a huge international brand like L’Oréal Professionnel has gotten behind every daring transformation I’ve decided to make with my hair—but the pixie transformation has by far been the most impactful. Following the change, there were so many women all over the world empowering themselves by making their own hair transformations and a lot of women who were also going through chemotherapy were embracing the pixie because they saw more representation.

She added her efforts have been about “challenging people,” and especially “empowering women (as we have a lot of pressure to adhere to stereotypes and expectations in society) to do something they’ve always wanted to do without the fear of what others will think.”

It’s no doubt Gonsalves has made inroads into the social media world. She has over 11,000 subscribers to the YouTube channel, 144,400 followers on Twitter, 1.2 million followers on Instagram and three million followers on Facebook. So, it was no wonder Gonsalves’ wedding to her partner of 14 years, Scutts, was well publicized in her native Australia. The country’s edition of Vogue covered the preparations alongside gorgeous snaps from their big day.

In an article on the big day, Gonsalves revealed she and Scutts had initially wanted to elope overseas but changed their minds once they saw a floating beach club on the Gold Coast’s main strip called La Luna.

“It’s a beautiful Mediterranean-inspired venue with an incredible view of the marina,” Gonsalves told the outlet. “We wanted our ceremony to be really intimate — we’ve both lost our dads, so we always knew it would be an emotional day.”

Gonsalves and Scutts walked down the aisle in a private ceremony that was attended by only a handful of their nearest and dearest. The role of ringbearer went to a very special love of their lives – their dog, Daisy.

“I felt like I was walking on water. … We got married the way we started, just him and me. Celebrating our love in the most special way we could think of,” Gonsalves said.

Photos of the nuptials showed the happy couple trading “I do’s” in the most gorgeous beachfront setting in the fading sunlight. Gonsalves looked picture-perfect in an illusion long-sleeved gown covered in lace appliques

Gonsalves enlisted the aid of designer Sam Oglialoro and stylist Paul Versace for three dresses for the reception and after-party. However, after photos from her after-party revealed her last dress, social media users went into overdrive tearing her apart for her choice.

When Gonsalves wore three dresses for her wedding, she had no idea that she would go viral. The controversy arose because of the 33-year-old’s third dress, which many felt was indecent for a wedding.

Gonsalves’ third dress was a see-through dress with a plunging neckline and a bottom-high slit. Consequently, several people criticized her in a video she shared from the wedding on April 11, 2023. “What you’re sharing with everyone is supposed to be only for your husband,” one person commented. Another person remarked, “When the attention from your husband isn’t enough🥴.” A third user said, “Absolutely terrible display of a wife. Have to look into the deeper meaning. This female wants to be viewed sexually instead of pure.”

“I just think that showing this much is not right for such an occasion. She is undoubtedly beautiful, but I would not be so happy if I was her husband to be as something this personal should be between the 2 of them only! Just a man’s perspective!” another user stated.

Thereafter, the model responded to the trolls in the comment section of the post, hitting back at those who slammed her. When a critic claimed he would have walked away if he was her husband, Gonsalves hit back, saying, “mate I can’t with these dummie comments. They loved it, he loved it. We had the best time at our wedding. Don’t be jealous.”

She also slammed another troll, writing, “When commenting rubbish on people’s pages makes u feel better about ur boring life.” The model also shared a video of herself dancing to Katy Perry’s “Firework” on May 31, 2023, which she captioned, “my response to people getting mad all over the world about my ‘naked wedding dress’ 😂 I’m a firework darl, get over it.”

In the wake of the controversy, Gonsalves also wrote an editorial for 9Honey in response to the negativity and criticism. In the excoriating piece, the model defended herself and said she was “not ashamed” of her choice.

“The recent controversy surrounding my wedding dress choice has shed light on the ongoing societal expectations imposed on women. In an era where women are encouraged to exercise agency over their bodies, it is disheartening to witness the barrage of hate and derogatory comments I received for what some have described as my ‘daring’ dress,” she started off by saying.

The newlywed then delved into the “broader issue of women’s autonomy” as well as the need to “challenge the restrictive narratives” surrounding women’s choices.

“The derogatory comments I received highlight a fundamental misunderstanding of women’s agency over their bodies,” she wrote, adding that “Society often expects women to conform to predetermined standards, limiting their freedom to make choices that reflect their own desires.”

She asserted that “Every individual, regardless of gender, should possess the autonomy to decide what they wear, how they present themselves, and what they share with the world,” and that by denying women this autonomy, “we perpetuate a harmful culture of control that infringes upon their fundamental rights.”

She added that women would feel “greater fulfillment and self-determination” once they are “allowed to make decisions that shape their lives and bodies without judgment or interference.”

Gonsalves wrote that allowing women to be unapologetically who they are would also help “dismantle harmful gender stereotypes” and foster “a culture that values individual choices and diversity.”

Gonsalves continued to slam her critics and wrote it was “liberating to wear what I want, express myself freely, and reject the notion that my body is meant to be controlled or owned by anyone but myself.”

She declared her “worth is not defined by others’ opinions or expectations, but rather by my ability to honour my own truth and live in alignment with my values.”

The model said because everyone’s life experiences are different, this informs their sense of normality.

“It’s important to acknowledge that this differs greatly from the life of someone like ‘Susan,’ who grew up in a Christian community in Midwest, America. However, it’s crucial to understand that these differences are perfectly acceptable and should be embraced as well,” she explained.

She urged the public to “work together to inspire and motivate more push back against negative stereotypes to ensure that women receive the support and resources they need to nurture their individual personalities.”

Lastly, she said it was “time we challenge restrictive narratives and celebrate individual choices that empower women.”

As Gonsalves called for a more accepting society, her fans rallied to support her.

“People are actually mad over it?😂 What a life to live where someone gets mad over what a stranger chooses to wear on their own wedding day😂 You looked amazing girl. Keep slaying 🔥” one comment read, while another user remarked, “Icon, your wedding, your day, your choice. People are just jealous that they can’t wear something different than the norm and that they have to conform to what their idea of a wedding dress should be! 💖”

A third user said:

“What anyone wears on their wedding day is (or should be) THEIR OWN choice. If you feel fabulous in it, that is all that matters.”

What do you think of Ellie Gonsalves’ third wedding dress and her responses? Do you think women should wear whatever they want on their wedding day, or try to fit into society’s expectations? Would you object if you knew someone who wore the same? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends and family members!