Did You Know? "Traditional" Wedding Gown Colors

White and ivory are commonly understood to be the "traditional" colors for a young, virgin bride, while women getting married for the second time or later in life are "supposed to" wear something other than white.  In reality, any bride can choose any color for her special day.  Wearing white is really only a Western custom, and has only been popular for the last 170 years or so.  In colonial America, yellow was the most popular choice for wedding gowns.  In India, China, and Vietnam today, red is still considered traditional for brides, because it symbolizes good luck.

Red tulle bridal gown with silver metallic embroidery

White is actually a color of mourning in many parts of the world.  However, Queen Victoria wore a white bridal gown in 1840, and it has been the fad ever since.  White has also come to be associated with purity, although blue used to carry that meaning.  Of course, there are many folk sayings that have seeped into popular culture that have to do with weddings.  One such saying focused on color is the following:  

Married in White, you have chosen right, 

Married in Blue, your love will always be true, 

Married in Pearl, you will live in a whirl, 

Married in Brown, you’ll never live in town, 

Married in Red, you will wish yourself dead, 

Married in Yellow, ashamed of your fellow, 

Married in Green, ashamed to be seen, 

Married in Pink, your spirit will sink, 

Married in Grey, you will go far away, 

Married in Black, you will wish yourself back.

Café satin gown with ivory lace appliqués

Laura Ingalls Wilder was married in a black dress, as it happened to be her best dress at the time.  That's exactly what brides used to wear - their best dress.  Today the bridal gown has become its own entity, often the single most important purchase a woman will make for her wedding.  Modern brides don't always want to follow all of the "rules" of society's expectations, and search out new bridal colors such as silver, blush, champagne, gold, and blue, or go bold with red.  

Blush taffeta asymmetrical gown with beaded bodice

What you wear on your wedding should be up to you.  Your dress should make you feel comfortable, and most importantly, make you feel like you.  

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