The History of Wedding Dresses

Weddings are an iconic symbol of love and commitment.  The bridal dress or gown is simply a piece of clothing the bride chooses to wear on her wedding day.  Ceremonial gowns were first worn by Chinese princesses.  These colorful Phoenix dresses symbolized good luck.

The first white wedding dress made its big debut in 1406 by Philipa who was made Queen of England during her royal ceremony to Eric of Pomerania.  Over 100 years later Mary, Queen of Scots, wore a white dress because it was her favorite color.

White dresses didn’t originally represent a virgin.  Blue was always the color for purity. 

Philippa, Queen of England

White dresses were made popular by Queen Victoria who raised the standards in the 19th century with her honiton lace gown and exaggerated sleeves.  White gowns of all styles became the trend for western cultures.  Rich, bold colors, exclusive fabrics, velvet layers and silk represented wealthier families.  

The earlier 1900’s were notorious for their variety of lace and trims down the lining of white dresses.  Brides in the 1920’s and 1930’s gloated about the length of their ridiculously long trains.  

The Victorian style made a come back in the 1960’s whose long, full skirted designs stole the show!  America today still promotes  most wedding dresses in tones of white including eggshell and ivory.      

Mary, Queen of Scots

Brides having a separate or modified dress for the reception, such as the convertible dress pictured below, has become a popular trend for many brides.  North American cultures prefer Royal family trends such as Meghan Markle's breathtaking simple, yet perfectly elegant gown with off-the-shoulder neckline.     

A Wedding Dress is Both an Intimate and Personal for a Woman- It Must Reflect the Personality and Style of the Bride.

Carolina Herrera