We all love seeing the bride on their wedding day, especially their wedding gown, but have we really given a look at how they came to be and how this tradition started?

The tradition of white wedding dress has only started in the 19th century, during the beginning of 1920’s the white wedding fashion represents the church moral and the bourgeois, the white color is thought of as an equivalent of the virginity and purity of the bride.  The lifting of the veil symbolizes the groom’s way of taking possession of the bride or the parents’ way of revealing their daughter to the groom. Originally, the idea was to wrap the bride like a precious patient.

A wedding gown is a type of clothing worn by a bride as a part of the wedding ceremony. The design, color and make of the gown may also depend on the religion and culture of the wedding guests. Most women choose the color of white to symbolize the purity of their soul.

In the middle ages, wedding were thought of as a political union rather than the joining of two people in love. They could be a union between two rich families, businesses, and in some cases even countries. It was more of politics and economics than love. Brides during these times are expected to wear clothes that would showcase their family’s wealth and glory, they are expected to wear wedding gowns that are full of color and made from only the richest and exclusive fabrics, that is why back then, it was usual for you to see brides wearing layers of furs and silk. As the years go by, brides continue to wear wedding gowns which is beneficial for their social status, it’s always fashionable and made only from the most expensive materials that money could buy. The poor brides weren’t able to wear such rich clothing, they are only allowed to wear a simple Sunday dress. The bride’s wedding gown was more of status symbol which is a reflection of the bride’s social status or class. Today, wedding gowns are available almost anywhere. Regardless of their social status they are able to buy the most beautiful dress. They can even have the dress custom made or have a family heirloom included on the wedding gown. The choices for wedding gowns have truly expanded since then.

Western Culture: Wedding gowns in the western culture has reflected the fashion that is proper for the era. For instance, in 1920’s the wedding gowns were typically short in front has a long train at the back. This trend followed through until the late 1940’s wherein the wedding gowns has reverted back to its more traditional style which is long and full skirted which resembles the Victorian Era. The color white has now become different shades of white, which includes ivory, ecru and eggshell.

Eastern Culture: In the eastern part of the world, wedding gowns are more specific to the region. For instance, in China and India, their gowns are called wedding sari and in Vietnam the gowns are colored red, which is the color that represents good luck. Today, the option and colors for wedding gowns has expanded and brides are free to choose if they want to wear a traditional dress or something more modern.