Right after the medieval times when a couple were married it was not simply a union between two people. It often encompassed the marriage of two families and even two businesses. The wedding gowns often worn by the bride were a status symbol to depict the status and position of the bride’s family. The type of material and colors of the wedding gowns, especially among nobility, were meant to show the importance of the families.

Throughout the years brides continued to be adorned in silk, satin and furs along with many bold colors in their wedding gowns as a depiction of the social status and those of lesser stature continued to wear gowns of similar design made of materials of lesser value. The length of the train often determined the wealth of the bride’s family, as well as the amount of material used in wedding gowns.

Brides continued the trend of wearing wedding gowns designed after those of popular culture, even in the western world after the turn of the 20th century. For example, during the 1920’s a bride would wear a short gown, resembling the dresses of the so-called “Roaring 20’s” with a long train in the back.

Queen Crosses Boundary With White Gown

It wasn’t until about 1940 that wedding gowns reverted back to the designs of the Victorian age, with the trend continuing today. The color of wedding gowns prior to the wedding of Mary, Queen of Scots would have been bold colors of purple and reds. When she married Francois II of France she became the first to wear white. It was almost considered a slap at the French at that time as white was the official national color of mourning in France.

However, white wedding gowns did not catch on until the wedding of Queen Victoria and Albert of Saxe-Coburg. Her official wedding picture wearing a white gown was widely publicized and prompting many brides to opt for the color of their own gown. The amount of material used in the gown remained a symbol of the bride’s status in life with many of the poorer families proffering simple church dresses in white.

Through history white wedding gowns were considered a sign of innocence and purity and somewhere along the line was thought to symbolize virginity. This notion has slowly faded and most brides choose white wedding gowns regardless of the circumstance of the couple. It is not unusual for white to be worn during second and even third weddings to allow the bride to experience a white-themed wedding.

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