Why White?

In the late-1830’s, most brides wore colored wedding dresses but Queen Victoria had another idea in mind.

Queen Victoria had chosen some very beautiful lace to adorn her wedding dress.  Her choice was no doubt because the lace “took her fancy” but it was also because she wanted to boost the lace industry in England at the time.

Because white satin was what was going to show the lace off well, she chose that particular fabric for this very important dress.  She worn a train of 18 feet and the train was attached to a wreath of myrtle and orange blossoms (a symbol of fertility).  She wore white satin shoes, and Turkish diamond earrings, as well as a sapphire brooch that belonged to Prince Albert.

Although her twelve bridesmaids wore white dresses which the Queen had designed herself, her guests were told, in no uncertain terms, that they were not allowed to wear white.   She had the pattern for her dress destroyed so that no-one could copy it.

So, the birth of white wedding dresses occurred and society has followed, for the most part, this unspoken rule since then.  It really is amazing how things come into being and then stick!

Joy!  Such joy!