Were Wedding Dresses Always White?

From Biblical times to the early 19th century, brides did not traditionally wear white dresses. White was seen as impractical and not financially wise for brides to purchase a dress to wear only once. Most brides simply wore their fanciest dress on their wedding day. The origin of the white wedding dress is believed to have originated with Anne of Brittany on the occasion of her marriage to Louis XII of France in 1499.

Pristine, white, fairy-tale wedding dresses were not the standard until relatively recently. Before this time, European brides were known to wear dresses in a variety of colors and embroidered with elaborate patterns. The white wedding dress was quickly adopted in the 18th century, and by 2018, about 83% of brides wore white dresses on their big day.

The origin of brides wearing white reaches back over 2,000 years, with white tunics worn during the Roman Republic as a symbol of purity and Vesta, the virgin goddess of hearth, home, and family. The white wedding gown worn by many brides today didn’t become popular until the Victorian Era, with Queen Victoria herself contributing to its popularity.

Before 1840, brides had a wide array of color choices for their wedding dresses, including red, pink, blue, brown, and even black. White wedding dresses were not limited to the traditional white color, but they were chosen for their symbolic power and cultural significance.

Was the wedding dress always white?

In many societies, white symbolizes purity and virtue. This is one reason why some brides wear white, especially in the West. People often say brides wear white because it’s tradition. But white wasn’t the only color for wedding dresses. Other colors were chosen more often than white. In Western societies, wedding dresses were of all colors for many centuries. This was for practical reasons. Brides bought dresses they could wear again or wore their best dress. White is not practical because it’s hard to clean and not ideal for many situations or for repeat wear. Many brides wore dresses of other colors for their wedding and beyond. Why do so many brides wear white today? This trend started with Queen Victoria’s 1840 wedding to Prince Albert.

Like today, royal weddings in the past got a lot of coverage and set trends. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s wedding was no exception. When Victoria wore a white gown, it was reported in newspapers and magazines. This influenced wedding trends. At first, only rich brides wore white wedding dresses. But the trend spread to all economic levels. By the 20th century, it was a tradition.

What was the original wedding dress color?

Before 1840, brides wore many colors, not just white, when they said their vows. Many women, especially those with less money, chose colored or patterned fabrics in the mid-19th century because they were more practical and affordable than white. Sarah Maria Wright wore a patterned dress for her wedding to Daniel Neal in 1841. Sarah’s dress is modern, but it follows the style of the 1830s, showing that fashion changed slowly in rural areas. By the late 1800s, most brides wore white wedding gowns. In 1889, Harriett Joyce wore a purple dress for her marriage to Percy Raven Sams at Earlsfield, Middlesex. At 35, Harriet thought a white dress was too old-fashioned. She made the dress herself. In 1938, Monica Maurice wore a red silk gauze wedding dress. Monica worked as an engineer. In 1938, she became the first female member of the Association of Mining Electrical Engineers. She traveled to Germany often in the 1930s and ran the Wolf Safety Lamp Company from 1951 to 1979, while raising three children. Monica received an OBE in 1975.

What does wearing red to a wedding mean?

If you want to avoid stares from older guests at a Western wedding, it’s best to avoid wearing red in churches, country clubs, and other traditional settings. Red is a bold color that can take attention away from the happy couple. In a photo, the color stands out, especially if it’s next to neutrals like white, black, gray, or beige. Additional wedding guest style tips. If you’re planning to wear red to a wedding, there are a few style tips to know to dress appropriately. For a fall or winter wedding, look for darker reds like cranberry, crimson, ruby, or wine. Velvet and jacquard will make your look more luxurious, especially for a formal wedding. For spring and summer weddings, think about brighter, happier shades of red like cherry, tomato, or orange-red. Floral and abstract patterns will bring a hint of whimsy to garden and vineyard settings, while flowy, lightweight fabrics will feel romantic no matter the venue.

Was Meghan Markle’s wedding dress white?

Dress. The bride’s white dress and its maker were revealed only when she entered St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle for the wedding service. The dress was made of silk with three-quarter-length sleeves, an open boat neckline, and a train with a built-in silk organza underskirt. Waight Keller helped develop a double-bonded silk cady for the dress, which had only six seams. The dress was without lace or embellishments. The dress is decorated with a long 5-meter (16-ft) veil embroidered with flowers and wheat. It was 3 meters wide. The veil took longer to make than the dress, and the embroiderers spent 500 hours on it. A piece of the blue dress from Markle’s first date with Prince Harry was added to the bridal veil. Markle chose two favorite flowers: wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), which grows outside Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace, where she and Harry lived, and the California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), from where she was born. She also chose flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth. The countries and flowers are: England – rose Northern Ireland – flax Scotland – thistle Wales – daffodil.

Why is it taboo to wear white to a wedding?

The bride can wear white, ivory, or champagne, but it’s her color for the day. Brandi Hamerstone, owner and wedding planner at All Events Planned, says you don’t want to be mistaken for the bride in a white or lace gown. You don’t want to look like you’re trying to look bridal on someone else’s day. Even if you didn’t mean to, people will think you’re trying to look bridal, and who wants that?

Other Colors That Are Off-Limits. If you’re a stickler for etiquette, don’t wear colors similar to white, says bridal stylist Gabrielle Hurwitz. Ivory and cream are off-limits, as are silver, champagne, blush, and pale blue. These colors can look white in photos. If you’re unsure of a color, take photos of the garment in different lighting to see how it looks on camera. Dresses that look darker in photos than in real life can help you skirt the no-white rule, especially in knee-length cocktail dresses. If the dress code allows, you can wear a knee-length pale blush or ice blue dress for cocktail attire. Avoid fabrics like lace and tulle that can look more traditional bridal. She offers one simple guideline: If you’re unsure, it probably is.

What color did brides wear in 1920s?

White was a safer option for wedding dresses in the 1920s. In The Great Gatsby, most dresses are white, with a few exceptions. Many wedding dresses are imitations of the same shades. That won’t make your dress stand out. It’s the fabric. Most women chose loose, draped, and straight silhouettes, so they wore fabrics like silk, satin, velvet, tulle, and lace. The colors and fabrics are also common today.

Why did brides wear black dresses?

The black gown symbolized her loyalty to her husband. Black wedding gowns are popular because they look unusual and intense. They are seen as fashionable and symbolize elegance, power, sensuality, mystery, and intellect. In the past, black was seen as a bad color and was linked to bad luck. Today, such superstitions are less common, and black is one of the most popular colors. Before the mid-19th century, it was impractical to wear white dresses and buying a dress to wear only once was wasteful. Fast fashion has made single-use clothes more socially acceptable.

When did not wearing white to a wedding start?

The History of White Weddings. The tradition of a white wedding dress started when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840. Queen Victoria wore a white satin gown with lace embellishments. Brides started wearing white to weddings after seeing photos of Queen Victoria. Since then, it’s usually not good to wear white to a wedding as a guest.

The Case for Yes. If you’re not sure if your dress is too similar to the bride’s, ask her. If the dress has white in it, like a lace or sheer overlay on a colorful cocktail-length dress, that would be appropriate wedding guest attire. Don’t wear a white floor-length or full-skirted dress! Another way to wear white to a wedding as a guest is if it’s part of the theme. Some brides have their wedding party and guests wear white. Some brides don’t care and let guests wear whatever they want!

Did Victorian brides wear white?

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on their return from their wedding at St. James’s Palace, London, 10 February 1840. Engraved by S. Reynolds after F. Lock. On February 10, 1840, Queen Victoria married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. She wore a white wedding dress made from silk satin, making her one of the first women to wear white for their wedding. The lace used for her wedding dress boosted lace-making in Devon. Queen Victoria is credited with starting the tradition of white weddings and white bridal gowns. She wasn’t the first royal to be married in white. William Dyce, head of the Government School of Design (later the Royal College of Art), designed the lace, which was mounted on a white dress made by Mary Bettans.

When did wedding dresses change from black to white?

Mary, Queen of Scots, wore a white wedding gown in 1559. The tradition of a white wedding dress is commonly credited to Queen Victoria’s choice to wear a white court dress at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. Debutantes had long been required to wear white court dresses and long white gloves for their first presentation at court. Before Victoria, royal brides didn’t wear white. They wore heavy brocaded gowns embroidered with white and silver thread, with red being popular in Western Europe. During this time, European and American brides wore many colors, including blue, yellow, and black, brown, or gray. As people heard about Victoria’s wedding, they copied her style.

Before the 20th century, white dresses were a way to show off wealth. They were a way to show the world that the bride’s family was wealthy and part of the leisure class. The bride would choose an elaborate dress that could be ruined.

What does the Bible say about white wedding dresses?

Isaiah 1:18: “Your sins are like scarlet, but they will be white as snow.” The white wedding gown isn’t a symbol of purity. It symbolizes Jesus’s work on the cross. It is a sign of the Holy Spirit’s work, changing hearts, breathing life, and making his people new.