Symbolism of White for Traditional Wedding Gowns

Symbolism of White for Traditional Wedding Gowns

Weddings have always been considered traditional affairs especially since the last few centuries; the rituals and ceremonies accompanying them vary from religion to religion and within communities but some traditions have just simply been followed.

The typical 'white wedding' which is the western form of wedding has its origins in Great Britain from the days of rule of kings and queens. The term white wedding refers to the color of the wedding dress; here it means the extravagant white wedding gown popularized by Queen Victoria when she had a white dressy gown layered with lace specially made for her wedding to Prince Albert. In course of time, the 'white wedding' became associated with a traditional Christian wedding, with the ceremony being conducted in a church or a place of worship following which the families of the wedded couple hosted a reception for family and friends.

White as the choice

Before Queen Victoria's wedding in 1840, not all brides wore whites at their weddings; in fact, dark colored dresses and gowns were usually preferred.

Royal brides of that time and earlier chose heavy gowns of brocade that were embroidered with silver and white thread for their wedding attire; the color did not matter although red was a particular favorite in most of western Europe. American brides chose a range of colors for their wedding gowns from light shades such as pink and mauve to dark colors such as blue, black, brown, gray and yellow. In some customs and societies, however, the color black was considered a color of mourning and was therefore avoided. The colors were chosen as a matter of practicality because the wedding gown otherwise could not have been worn for any other occasion and it seemed a wasteful expenditure.

Following the wedding of 1840, the color white became a predominant choice of brides more to symbolize that the bride's family was so rich that they could afford to choose a dress that could be ruined or stained with spill etc., which indicated that it required expensive laundering. Soon, this became a rule than an exception with more and more brides around the world opting for white gowns; soon the white dress became a traditional symbol of innocence and sexual purity. Apart from the bride though, no one else in the wedding party wore white.

The tradition of wearing a white wedding dress began as a fashion choice and lends a feel of spirituality that is associated with the color. In strictly traditional societies, wearing white indicated that the bride was a virgin; wearing white when a girl was not a virgin was seen as an affront. Such brides often wore cream or beige gowns, a color close to white.

It's a bit ironical that the traditional Catholic teachings advocated blue as the color that denoted purity and virginity. Somewhere along the way, white simply took over.

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