A bride is the most beautiful part of a wedding. Although the venue, the flowers, and the bridesmaids all contribute for a gorgeous event, the bride most definitely takes center stage. Nothing compares to the glow of a bride walking down the aisle in an array of smiling white radiance.
So…why does she wear white? We’ve been wondering that question, and the answer may be a bit different than you expected.
A common supposed answer to this question is that brides wear white to signify purity. Well, that’s partly true.
Historically, blue was the color that women adorned themselves in to represent purity, love, and fidelity. Think back to the old English rhyme “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.”
White dresses were impractical for the common folk, since they couldn’t be worn again without the possibility of getting smudged and dirty. Some women fixed this by dying their white gowns another color—like grey or blue—after the special day. A fancy dress just wasn’t on the budget for women of the 1800’s. It was the only wealthy families and royalty that could afford to spend a fortune on luxurious wedding attire.
But all that changed when, in 1840, Queen Victoria awed the world with a stunning white dress on her big day. And dress designers quickly caught on to her fashion trends as Victoria and Prince Albert found themselves constantly in the public eye. Soon, enthusiastic brides-to-be were requesting white dresses like hers. Well, as it turns out, the young Queen simply enjoyed the color white and was excited to show off her new Honiton-stitched lace! How’s that for establishing a Western tradition for future generations?
Interested in learning more? We found a hilarious video that describes five countries where brides don’t wear white, just click here . Stay tuned for more insight on wedding traditions! And of course, we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to “ooh” and “awe” over some stunning brides dressed in white!
Resources
- 10 Surprising Facts About Wedding Traditions
- Why Do Brides Wear White?
- Why Do Brides Wear Veils and White Dresses?
- Why Do Brides Wear White?
- Rook Lane Weddings