Picture if you will (yes, I just referenced The Twilight Zone): Your guests wearing “white or light” (as requested on the invitation). You in your favorite bold, dark color glorious wedding gown and bridesmaids in beautiful white dresses. Same thing for the guys – groom in dark attire, groomsman in white. For me, it would be a gorgeous, heavy satin cranberry gown. I’m picturing a very simple dress – not much beading or embroidery, but bold and beautiful. Not only that, I would have my decor all match my gown color. Cranberry worked into the ceremony and reception, but against white. Very simple accents with lots of candles. Red roses around pillar candle centerpieces. White candles in hurricane vases and red roses around them. Simple rose bouquets placed throughout – at the bar, the guestbook table, in the bathrooms, etc. AND, a red velvet cake like this. Perfect scene for a Christmastime or Winter Wedding. Too bad I have all these unique ideas 15 years after my wedding. I so would have done this had a I thought of it then. Last visual: a beautiful white bouquet that would stand out in front of a red dress. I would have so much fun designing this bouquet that wouldn’t get lost in front of a white dress.
Just think of how much fun the bridesmaids would have picking out a white dress – so many options!!!
Photo by Prapoth Panchuea on Unsplash
Let’s talk about why brides wear white. Queen Victoria in 1840 wore an ivory lace gown to start the trend. Prior to that, red was actually the trend. Perhaps I was an 1800’s stunning bride my previous life since I clearly would have worn a red dress. The symbolic reason behind the all white look though is to portray purity and innocence. A women’s magazine, Godey’s Lady’s Book proclaimed shortly after the royal wedding, “Custom has decided, from the earliest ages, that white is the most fitting hue, whatever may be the material. It is an emblem of the purity and innocence of girlhood, and the unsullied heart she now yields to the chosen one”. Geesh, I’d probably be deemed a witch with my improper thoughts written down on paper.
Fast forward to 2019. Of course, the majority of brides still wear white. However, I’m hoping to see more and more “unconventional” brides. I love seeing uniqueness and creativity that brings out YOU.
Photo by Mircea Iancu from Pexels
