What Color Were Wedding Dresses Before Queen Victoria?

Before Queen Victoria’s iconic white wedding dress in 1840, brides wore red, pink, blue, brown, or even black. The choice of color for brides’ attire varied widely across different cultures and regions. In some cultures, yellow was a favored color, signifying wealth. Before her wedding, brides had a wide array of color choices for their wedding dresses, each carrying its own symbolism and cultural significance.

Before Queen Victoria’s influential white dress in 1840, it was quite usual for a bride to wear red, pink, blue, brown, or even black while saying her vows. The term “white dress” now also includes the term “white lace dress.” Before her, royal brides wore wedding dresses in a variety of hues, with red being one of the most popular.

The trend of wearing white on a wedding day began in Britain in 1559 when Mary Queen of Scotts said “I do” to her beloved first husband Francis Dauphin of France. It wasn’t until 1840 (180 years ago) that Queen Victoria chose to marry Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who chose a white dress made from heavy silk satin. The Honiton lace used for her wedding dress proved an important boost to Devon lace-making.

White wedding dresses were not originally a sign of purity and childhood innocence. Before 1840, brides wore red, pink, blue, brown, or even black while saying their vows. White dresses only became popular in 1840 after Queen Victoria’s marriage to Prince Albert.

When did white become the color for wedding dresses?

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. Because washing was difficult 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.

When did brides start wearing white in England?

The color white came from Anne of Brittany’s wedding dress in 1499. The white dress became popular with the rich after Queen Victoria wore a white lace dress at her 1840 wedding to Prince Albert. The term now also means the whole Western wedding routine, especially in the Christian religion. This usually includes a church service where the marriage begins, followed by a reception. The white wedding style got a big boost in 1981 when 750 million people watched Diana Spencer marry Charles, Prince of Wales. She wore an elaborate white taffeta dress with an 8-meter train. Mary, Queen of Scots, wore a white wedding gown in 1559 when she married her first husband. 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 started wearing white too.

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, although she was not 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.

What Colour was the first wedding dress?

Wedding dress colors. The first princess to wear a white wedding dress was Philippa of England in 1406. She wore a white silk tunic with a white squirrel and ermine cloak. Mary, Queen of Scots, wore a white wedding dress in 1559. She married her first husband, Francis, the Dauphin of France. White was her favorite color, but it was the color of mourning for French queens. Prior to the Victorian era, brides wore any color, but white became popular after Queen Victoria married Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Many brides wore white, like Queen Victoria.

Was Queen Victoria the first person to wear a white wedding dress?

Victoria wasn’t the first to wear white on her wedding day. She wasn’t even the first royal woman to do so. But she was the most influential. White wedding dresses became the norm after Victoria’s wedding. Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country. She covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and more. Before T&C, she was deputy managing editor at Hey Alma. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

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 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 color were Elizabethan wedding dresses?

The bride wears her best dress and kirtle (petticoat) on her wedding day. Colors were usually red, blue, green, yellow, gray, black, orange, or tan. A wedding ring symbolized commitment.

Did brides wear white in Regency England?

Were Regency wedding dresses white? Regency wedding dresses weren’t often white. Queen Victoria wore white for her wedding in 1840, making it popular. Yellow was a popular color for wedding dresses in the Regency era. Where can you wear a Regency wedding dress? A Regency wedding dress would fit in at a country house wedding, but they also work well in other settings. Katya says we can wear a Regency-inspired dress to a hotel, city wedding, cathedral ceremony, or manor house.

Add more opulence to your wedding with these ideas inspired by The Bridgerton Chronicles.

Why did wedding dresses used to be black?

Before 1840, most Western European women wore black wedding dresses. Black wedding dresses were the mainstream because they were expensive for ordinary women, except for a few wealthy people. Black was the most popular color because it was the least likely to get dirty. In Spain, a black wedding dress symbolized a bride’s vow to love her groom until death.

The white wedding dress is born. At Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s wedding in 1840, Queen Victoria wore a white dress with Honiton lace. Royal weddings were often in the news and fashionable. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s wedding was no exception. Queen Victoria’s white dress (made with Honiton lace from a struggling British lace industry) was in the news and influenced wedding trends. White wedding dresses were first worn by wealthy brides. They soon became popular with all classes and were a 20th-century tradition.

Wedding Dresses Change. 1930s fashion changes. Women wore dresses that made them look good. Ruffled sleeves were a 1930s symbol. Wedding dresses in the past had long sleeves and high necks. In the 1960s, dresses changed a lot. Women wore dresses with tighter sleeves and shorter veils, and their hair was combed back. In the late 1960s, wedding dresses had narrower skirts and higher waists. In the 1980s, Princess Diana’s wedding dress set the fashion trend with its billowing skirt and sleeves. Diana’s wedding dress by Emmanuelle Salon still influences brides today.

What color should the bride’s dress be in the 1500s?

In the 1500s, blue dresses symbolized purity. In the 1600s, red dresses were popular. In the 1700s, purple and pink dresses were worn. Mary Queen of Scots wore white to her wedding in 1559. White symbolized her social status because it was hard to bleach and clean. The dress would only be worn once. White was the color of mourning, but she wanted her gown to be white because it was her favorite color. Queen Victoria wore a white wedding dress in 1840. She’s not the first bride to wear white. Nobility wore white gowns woven with gold and silver. She made white wedding dresses popular because photos of her wedding dress were the first to be widely circulated. Who wouldn’t want to dress like the Queen? Queen Victoria chose to make her whole outfit British-made. The lace on her wedding dress was used again for the christening gown of royal babies until 2008. Isn’t that amazing? Queen Victoria was an economist. She knew that lace took a lot of work to make, so she reused it.

Were wedding dresses always white if not what color were they?

White wasn’t always seen as pure. Before white wedding dresses, blue symbolized purity and was worn by brides. Queen Victoria wore a white wedding dress in the 19th century when she married Prince Albert. Brides wanted to follow her example, so white became the traditional color for brides on their wedding days. A white wedding dress is a wedding fashion staple. But over the years, white wedding dresses are less popular. We’ve seen more colors that go with any color palette and skin tone! Ivory is one of the most popular wedding dress colors today. There are different shades of ivory. Some are more golden than others. It’s a great alternative to white without straying too far from tradition! Modern off-white colors include champagne, moscato, cream, nude, and blush. But brides are wearing different colors on their big day!

Did wedding dresses used to be black?

Believe it or not, black wedding dresses are nothing new. In fact, theres evidence that black wedding dresses extend back more than 200 years. In ye olde days, brides could pick any color dress they wanted. This was more of a practical decision than anything else. People usually didnt have the money for a dress they could only wear once, so picking a color other than white made sense for some couples. While these black dresses arent exactly a tradition in itself, its still pretty cool to think about the history of wedding fashion.

Black wedding dresses are undoubtedly enjoyed by couples who prefer a gothic aesthetic. But thats not to say these dresses are exclusive to Halloween fans. Lots of people enjoy black wedding dresses including (but not limited to): non-traditional couples, artists, secular couples, avant-garde fashionistas, and just people who “never felt like a white-dress kind of person.”

Yes, white wedding dresses are beautiful—I got married in a white wedding dress myself—but so are black wedding dresses. Or really any color wedding dress for that matter: bold red, splendid purple, pale blue, champagne, gentle pink. In short, choosing a different-colored wedding dress isnt anything to shy away from.