04 March 2010

The History of the White Wedding Dress


My Great Grandparents
Frank H. and Hattie (Fenn) Glover on their wedding day, 12 May 1882

Seeing this picture made me wonder when white became the traditional color of wedding dresses. The history of the white wedding dress can be traced to Queen Victoria in 1840. She was married in a white wedding dress. During the industrial revolution department stores started opening. A white wedding dress was available to more brides. By the 1890's it began gaining in popularity.



I chose white when I got married in 1981. Now brides are seeking individuality
and not all brides choose white.
What color was your wedding dress?

3 comments:

  1. My dress in 1981 was absolutely white. We are in the process of planning my son's wedding in October to a lovely girl from Taiwan. Traditionally, they marry in red, but she is choosing a white American wedding dress for their vows here and she will wear red when they have another ceremony for her family in Taiwan someday. I still prefer white or ivory gowns. There is just something special about it.
    By the way, your gown was beautiful! :)

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  2. Thank you for sharing and for the compliment, Lori. Brenda

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  3. There is something special about white and ivory! I write a blog for a wedding shop and it's interesting to see that 98% of brides, like me, choose white or ivory. They did have one girl that was doing a Southern Tradition though. She was wearing a blue dress and asking all the guests to wear white to the wedding. I think that would be gorgeous in photos, but I always wondered if all the guests would actually comply. And I always wondered how that tradition got started...

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