Aug 19 2010
Wedding Traditions: Wearing White
When we picture a wedding, we generally think of the color white; long flowing white dress, white veil, Billy Idol. But has that always been the custom? And where did it come from? We continue our investigation into wedding traditions with the hunt for the origins of the white wedding!
While white is the color of purity and virginity in the Western world, it wasn’t always the preferred color during a wedding. In fact, it was seen as controversial!
Clergymen saw wearing white as flaunting sexuality in the faces of wedding guests, especially considering that virginity was seen as a marital prerequisite for the young lady. For centuries, you were more likely to see a black or yellow wedding.
The first mention of white in a wedding is during the sixteenth century, and for almost the next two hundred years the controversy raged in newspapers and wedding professional circles.
Around 1813, the fashion choice had gained enough attention to be featured in the influential French Journal des Dames. When Queen Victoria wore white during her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840, wearing white had officially become the norm.
While the color had to do with the symbolism of purity, it also symbolized something else: affluence. Because of the usually massive dress and specific color, the dress was only really worn once. Obviously only wealthy people are able to buy a dress that they wear one time and then toss away or save for the next generation, so it makes the wedding dress something only for the elite. Even today, 99% of brides wearing a white dress only wear it once.
After World War 1 and the Depression had encased the world, women everywhere had to make do with whatever dress they could afford. As the fashion tradition of the time was already firmed settled into a white dress, the designs were often very short and informal. After the ceremony, the dress was dyed into a different color to be used for everyday use.
It remains to be seen how long this tradition will stick around, considering the amount of off-beat brides out there that are keener on having a fun rather than a traditional wedding (something we specialize here at Viva Las Vegas wedding chapel). With the number of women still insisting on wearing white during their big day, however, it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere anytime soon!





