Women Haven't Always Been Marrying in White
In fact, in the grand scheme of things, the tradition isn't even all that old. The white wedding dress of today is deep-seated tradition, and for many is worn to signify virtue as well as uphold tradition. Millions -- in fact billions -- of women all over the world start thinking about the perfect white wedding gown before they have even found the perfect partner.
Britain is a place that is rife with traditions and legends, so it is little wonder that the tradition of the white wedding dress was started by the English Monarchy. It was the wedding of Queen Victoria that spawned the interest and popularity of white wedding dresses as we know them today.
Queen Victoria married Albert of Saxe in 1840, and wore what would then have been considered a flamboyant white gown. Of course, this did not start the tradition immediately; however, many women saw this as a statement of class and style, and copied the Queen by also getting married in white.
The white wedding dress in those days had nothing to do with being virtuous -- it was all about wealth. Getting married in a white, extravagant gown was a sign that you could afford to buy a dress that you would never be able to wear again because of its style and colour (whites were not easy to clean in those days as they are today!).
Of course, women still continued to be married in various colours and styles of dress -- it was only the vain and the wealthy that insisted on white to follow in the footsteps of the wealthy Monarch. However, during Edwardian times, the white wedding dress once more soared to new heights of popularity, as Coco Chanel unveiled its new knee-length white wedding dress, complete with extravagant train.
Even so, with the depression that followed World War I and the approach of World War II, many women continued to make do with whatever type of dress they could afford, and this went on for decades. Some women would marry in a short white informal wedding dress, which could then be dyed and used as an everyday dress. Again, it was only the fabulously wealthy that could really afford to splurge on an elaborate gown.
However, from the 1950s onwards, as the world watched Hollywood stars, royalty and members of high society get wed in stunning white gowns, the tradition of white became signed and sealed.
Wedding Dresses of Different Colours: A bit of folklore
As with many other things in life, there is much folklore and legend surrounding the various other colours that brides have been known to wed in. One old rhyme seems to sum up these notions:
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Married in white, you have chosen all right.
Married in green, ashamed to be seen.
Married in red, you will wish yourself dead.
Married in blue, you will always be true.
Married in yellow, ashamed of your fellow.
Married in black, you will wish yourself back.
Married in pink, your spirits will sink
Of course, most people will think nothing of this poem, apart from the fact that each colour has been coupled with a meaning that just happened to rhyme very well. We all know that there are plenty of people that have married in pinks, blues and every other colour, and have enjoyed a long and happy marriage. And we certainly know that there are plenty of people that have married in white, who have not prospered quite so well.
Ordering Your Wedding Dress Online
Luckily, legend and folklore has given way to individuality in recent years, and brides now enjoy getting married in the colour of their choice. Both celebrities and everyday women have injected their wedding dresses with their own sense of style and personality, and we have seen women marrying in colours ranging from delicate ivory to deepest red and even black.
Royalty and high society still tend to favour the tradition of marrying in white. However, since simply wearing a white wedding gown can no longer mark their stature due to the availability of the white wedding dress, they now do this by infusing the dress with the most expensive silks, pearls and material possible, making it worth a king's ransom by the time it is finished.
Luckily, we don't all have to pay a fortune to look stunning for our wedding day, and there is now so much choice in colour, style, material and design that we can get married looking just the way we want -- and without having to sell all of our worldly possessions to do so!
The Internet is a great source for wedding dresses. You can enjoy excellent value for your money and unrivalled choice, enabling you to achieve just the look and theme that you want for your special day. Whether you want a full-on white gown with all the trimmings, a simple and elegant ivory dress, an informal yet classy wedding dress or something totally unique in a rich, vibrant colour, the Internet will provide you with access to the perfect choice.
You will enjoy access to a wide range of dress styles online, including:
- Traditional wedding gowns
- Informal wedding dresses
- Designer wedding dresses
- Coloured wedding gowns
- Gothic or medieval style wedding gowns
- Short wedding dresses
- Long wedding dresses
You can also select from a wide choice of material, so you can feel and look as stunning as you dare, and with the great quality available online you can cherish your special dress for years to come -- perhaps even pass it down to future generations.
About The Author:
Reno Charlton is an award-winning author and freelance writer from the West
Midlands, England. She has written many articles providing consumer
information on such topics as
designer wedding dresses, and
designer wedding gowns.
The History of the White Wedding Dress
White
has long been accepted as the traditional color of the wedding dress, but
wedding gowns were not always white. The marriage of Queen Victoria to her
cousin Albert of Saxe- Coburg in 1840 has had more influence on weddings than
any other. Queen Victoria put the wheels in motion by marrying in white. Though
brides continued to wed in gowns of different colors, white was now set as the
color of choice for weddings and has continued ever since. In Godey’s Lady’s
Book, 1849, this statement was printed: “ Custom has decided, from the earliest
ages, that white is the most fitting hue, whatever may be the material. It is an
emblem of the purity and innocence of girlhood, and the unsullied heart she now
yields to the chosen one.”
There is an old poem about how the color of your wedding dress will influence your future: “Married in white, you will have chosen all right. Married in grey , you will go far away. Married in black, you will wish yourself back. Married in red, you’ll wish yourself dead. Married in blue, you will always be true. Married in pearl, you’ll live in a whirl. Married in green, ashamed to be seen, Married in yellow, ashamed of the fellow. Married in brown, you’ll live out of town. Married in pink, your spirits will sink.”
The Industrial Revolution also brought about change. By the 1890’s and the arrival of the department store, almost every woman could realize her dream of being married in a “new” wedding dress. The white dress was gaining popularity and in 1890, Ladies Home Journal wrote: “That from times immemorial the bride’s gown has been white”. Although this statement was not true, it shows how deeply accepted it was that a wedding gown be white. Although white was popular, some brides, especially the frontier brides, wore dresses that were more practical and could be worn after the wedding. As wedding dresses closely resembled the fashions of the time, only a little alteration was needed for the dress to be perfect to wear again.
Edwardian
brides took the traditions of their Victorian ancestors to new extremes.
Fashions became more extravagant as the decade progressed, but came to a
screeching halt with the outbreak of WWI. Styles became simpler, and also
reflected the changing role of women in society with hems getting shorter and
the disposing of tightly laced corsets. Coco Chanel was a powerful force behind
the change in women's’ fashions, and was the one who officially introduced the
short wedding dress in the 1920’s. It was a white knee length dress worn with a
long train. This cemented white as the universal color of the wedding dress.
When the Depression hit, brides made do with their “best” dress for the wedding. My great grandmother, who was married in 1928 had a new white wedding dress, but after the wedding she dyed it navy, keeping only the collar and cuffs white—a common practice at that time. During WWII, women considered it their duty to give up the traditional wedding , although most brides might be engaged only for a few weeks or even days before the wedding took place. This did not leave enough time to find a wedding dress so the best suit had to do. If the bride was set on having a white dress, one could be borrowed or rented for the ceremony. If both the bride and groom were in the military they were married in their respective uniforms.
After the war, prosperity made it possible for the large dream weddings inspired by the Victorian era to become a reality. Grace Kelly’s marriage to Prince Monaco garnered much publicity because of its grand fairy tale wedding. She wore a white silk and lace gown. The focus of wedding dresses has shifted since the 1950”s. The emphasis now is on the individuality of the bride. So whatever color you choose to be married in, you now know a bit more behind the tradition of the white wedding dress.
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