Here’s a bit of wedding trivia for you:
Ancient Roman brides dressed in white to please the mythological god Hymen who reigned, back in the day, as the god of marriage and fertility. ‘Twas said he favored white.
Interesting, no?
In Eastern cultures, the traditional wedding color is red. Modern eastern brides often give a nod to tradition while remaining planted firmly in today by switching between two dresses – one traditional and one modern.
Back in the day, when only royal families could afford the luxury of elaborate wedding dresses, they would bedeck their brides in many-colored wedding gowns elaborately ornamented with silver and gold thread embroderies. Thusly, elaborate weddings broadcast status and wealth, while the lower classes wore simple white.
Who knew?
The fabulous designer, Coco Chanel, introduced the first knee-length wedding gown in the 1920’s. (This one’s by Romona Keveza – lovely!)
In the 1960’s, the elegant actress Grace Kelly’s ascension to Princess with her wedding to Prince Ranier of Monaco sparked the imagination of brides world-wide. As a result, wedding gowns turned toward elegance and simplcity.
The marriage of Lady Diana Spencer to Prince Charles in the 1980’s marked the resurgence of the big, fluffy princess-style gown. The gown is now part of a traveling exhibition honoring the memory of the lovely Diana. If you get a chance to see it, do go. The exhibit is currently here in Atlanta, and we all made a field trip to see it. Poignant, but absolutely amazing!
Here’s an interesting video of the uncrating of the dress as it arrived at an exhibition venue:
Influenced by era, culture, and celebrity, wedding traditions continue to adapt to the times, giving all you sassy brides a wealth of possibilities when planning your special day!
Our favorite tradition?
Something old, something new,
Something borrowed, something blue,
And a silver sixpence in her shoe.
