How is it different?
I place the differences into 4 categories, Visuals, Gameplay, Difficulty, Game modes.

Visuals
Visually, it is VERY different. The core of Auriel's Dream is a visual overhaul of Skyrim to be a warmer and more vibrant place. Better looking or upscaled textures, and lots of 2D objects are converted to 3D objects. This is most noticable on plants and trees. A new Auriel's Dream vs Vanilla SkyrimVR Video will be made once I get my headset back.

Difficulty
Auriel's Dream, out of the box, is very near Vanilla SkyrimVR in difficulty. If no optional mods are selected, then crafting, leveling, enchanting, spells and such are not overhauled. So you get the Vanilla Skyrim Experience, with a visual overhaul, but including all the essential VR mods. Activate optional mods to change things up.

Gameplay
There are a few Quality of Life mods added. Check the noteworth mods below for more details on this. But in general, Auriel's Dream include all the essential VR mods out there. This makes SkyrimVR a much more playable and enjoyable game. And like mentioned above, out of the box, not much is changed, but is offered via optional mods and game modes. Auriel's Dream also comes with an optional Class mode, "Kvite's Classic RPG Classes" where you won't be able to master all skills.

Game Modes
Auriel's Dream currently (as of writing this) 3 different optional game modes. They are compatible together and significantly changes how you play the game.

Survival Mode
Adds a survival aspect to the game. Eat food or suffer, get sleep or suffer, build camps anywhere and wear clothes that keep you warm!
This mode contains Campfire, Forstfall, iNeed and patches for these.
Read more about classes here

Hard Mode
Significantly makes the game harder by reducing loot, making enemies more dangerous and in larger numbers.
Read more about hard mode here

Classes
If you are tired of the easy game play wher you can master everything, then choose a class, and limit what you can learn and master. Works very well with the alternate start of this modlist as well, where you can pick additional perks and boons to enhance roleplay.
Read more about classes here

Optional mods to choose from, before starting a new game
In the page, I cover most of the optional mods you can choose from before starting a new character. It's adviced to not activate new mods during a playthrough.

Noteworthy Mods
Here you will find some of the mods (not all)  that changes up the gameplay.

General mods 
Completionist - Quest Tracker 
This mod is visible only in the Mod Configuration window, and it helps you keep track of all quests done and not done, as well as all unique items you have and are missing.

Dead NPC Body Cleaner Remover
You can now burn dead bodies with fire magic or even torches. Useful to clean up the streets or to counter necromancers.

Destructible Display Cases
You can now destroy the glass of display cases with blunt weapons and destruction magic. If you are caught, you will get a bounty on you.

VR Mods
Spell Wheel VR
Really nice system for equiping stuff without opening a menu.

Weapon Throw VR
Throw weapons and shields, and have them return. Out of the box, this mod is OP and can stunlock any enemy. This can be tuned in the MCM.

Be Seated
This mod lets you sit down in taverns, and order food and drinks while sitting down. Immersive, but can be buggy.

VR Menu Mouse Fix
This mod lets you use the controllers as a mouse pointer to navigate menus.

Realistic Mining for VR
Since mining is a little buggy in SkyrimVR, its safer to mine by holding a pickaxe and swinging your controller towards the ore. The mined ore will then fall on the ground next to you.

Simple Realistic Archery VR 
With this mod active you will need to pull arrows from your back instead of getting arrows automagically appear in your hands.

Fixes
GIST - Genuinely Intelligent Soul Trap SE
A new and improved solution to the underfilled soul gem problem.

Gameplay changes
Best Version of Quest Rewards
You will always get the best version of a reward, so you do not need to wait to be a certain level to get the “perfect” weapon or armor. I find it that if you wait for that, your smithing and enchanting will already surpass the reward’s usefulness. 

Order my items
You can now order ingredients from alchemy shops and ores from blacksmiths. Say you need 10 giant toes. You go to an alchemist shop, order the item (15% fee) and wait a day, then you can pick them up.

Well stocked Alchemists
Alchemist shops now have WAY MORE ingredients for sale, both in variety and quantity.

Pick up books simple
You will no longer read a book before picking it up. This way you can pick up skill books and read them later.

Perk Points and More Gold for Bounty Quests
If you do quests from the tavern keepers (I’m looking for work) you now get both gold and perk points.

Upgrade Your Potion
In cooking pots you can take basic health, mana or stamina potions, combine two of the same quality to get a new potion of a higher quality.

Reading Is Good (Legacy)
Reading a skill book now permanently increases your skill leaning speed by 5% per book.

Optional Gameplay changes 

This page covers the optional mods in Auriel's Dream.

New Player Homes
Auriel's Dream gomes with a few selected player homes. Most are small and light, one of them are for those who want a neat place to display most of all the unique items found in Skyrim. There are no major castles or similar added.

Halla
Location: Whiterun (near Honningbrew Meadary)
Price: Free
Aquasition: Get key from burnt corpse at Helgen
Enchanting Table: Yes
Smithing station: Yes
Alchemy bench: Yes
Size: Small
Comment: Kvitekvits's Favorite player home. Small and practical location

Ruska

Tirashan

Rayek's End

Phantom Rock

New gear
Redguard Noble Armor SSE
Redguard armor was sadly missing for Redguard players. This solves that.

Armor and Clothing Extension
Adds a lot of lore friendly armors and clothing

DX Weapons

• DX Staff of Necromancy (See Secretly placed items below)
• DX Celes Mercy Outfit - UNP (Bow only)
• DX Faction Crossbows SE
• DX Witcher Crossbow  (Crossbow, bolts, and swords only) crafing book needed in inventory, found Morthal - Moorside Inn 
• DX Demon Armor - UNP  (Shield and axe only. crafting book needed in inventory. Found in Septimus Signus's Outpost.