Is getting married in a colour ok? Although the vast majority of brides choose to wear white, wearing a colour is becoming more and more popular.

Check three reasons why getting married in an alternative wedding dress might be for you!

1) THE WEDDING DRESS WASN’T ALWAYS WHITE

In the 18th century and before that, brides would simply wear their "best" dress, whatever colour that would be. At the highest level of society, silver, patterned silks and white and silver, were the most prestigious and fashionable bridal colours. Weddings were usually more about political alliances and transfers of wealth than they were about romance, and so the wedding dress was just another excuse to show the wealth and culture of the brides family. Wealth could be demonstrated with jewelry or with elaborate textile, and the richer the fibres and the rarer the colour, the better the demonstration of wealth. Metallic fabric were also very common among the nobility, as nothing says wealth more than cloth woven with gold or silver.

*Examples of 18th century wedding dresses*

White become the colour of choice in the early 19th century when Queen Victoria popularised the white wedding dress when she chose to wed in white over the traditional royal silver.

2) COLOURS AS VEHICLE OF A MESSAGE

As the dominant religion in Britain and France, Christianity association of white with innocence and purity was an important factor. White garments were associated with spiritual rites of passage long before they become conventional for bridal wear. But before the invention of effective bleaching techniques, white was a valued colour: it was both difficult to achieve, and hard to maintain. Wealthy brides, then, often wore white to demonstrate their money, not their purity.

In the case of Victoria’s dress, white symbolised practicality and patriotism, rather than purity. Victoria chose a dress that made a political statement. One of the main concerns in late 1830s England was the effect the Industrial Revolution was having on traditional textile industries. In particular, the invention of machine laces was decimating handmade lace industries across England, and causing unemployment among the skilled artisans. In order to stimulate and support the lace industry, Victoria chose for her wedding dress a large piece of handmade Honiton lace. The rest of the dress then became a vehicle to showcase the lace, and white was chosen as the most suitable colour to do this.

*Victoria chose a white handmade Honiton lace for her dress to support local artisan skills and maka e a political statement.*

In the second world period fabric shortages and the rising cost of clothing prompted the government to introduce rationing and regulations that controlled the manufacture of textile and clothing at all levels from couture to ready-made. Brides had to be imaginative and pratical. Some managed to marry in white by altering outfits worn by relatives, borrowing from friends, hiring a dress or making something new from unrationed materials like net curtaining and upholstery fabric.

*Examples of Second World War wedding dresses*

When Elizabeth King married ion 1941, she chose a traditional long dress in a colourful fabric. Having insufficient clothing coupons to purchase a ready-made dress, she bought light weight upholstery fabric and had it made by a London designer. Elizabeth’s choice of a fabric patterned with buttercups reflects her occupation as a florist and perhaps her enjoyment of simple country flowers and memories of more carefree times. She later removed the sleeves to make the dress more suitable for evening wear.

3) BY WEARING A COLOURED WEDDING DRESS YOU ARE STILL A BRIDE

In the decades that followed the Second World War, couture dominance, of the high -fashion market was successfully challenged by high-quality, innovative ready-to-wear designed for young affluent consumers and from the 1960’s a wave of young British designers established London as a cutting edge center for alternative wedding dresses.

During the 1970’s , the political, economic and social upheavals of the decade were reflected in a proliferation of sub-cultural styles and widely varying approaches to fashion.

As travel became easier, the world opened up to other cultures traditions.

In Chinese culture red symbolises good luck and prosperity, and is central to their weddings. Indian brides also wear red and even pink on their wedding day, while Muslim brides' wedding dresses can be any number of colours as long as the shade is not too bright. Even the dreaded black wedding dress is becoming more popular amongst the alternative crowd and some celebrities.

In the last decades the white dress still remains a popular choice but increasingly a wedding dress is becoming a personal creation and individual statement.

For all the above reasons and to celebrate diversity, creativity and imagination, I always include a coloured wedding dress in my collection. This year the winner was a pink dress which I named The Eden Dress, part of La Vie En Rose collection, a dreamy free-spirited bridal range inspired by the Antonia Fraser “Marie Antoinette” biography.

The Eden dress is specifically designed thinking of the Jardins du Château de Versailles. Made of a beautiful hand embroidered 3D flowers fabric, it echoes the spring blossoms. Cherry blossoms are a symbol of life as they can only be seen for a short period of time every year reminding us that each and every moment must be cherished fully, thus becoming a powerful symbol to enjoy life and all its beauty. Finished with a sand washed silk lining for a second skin feel, and layered with nude tulle, this dress offers a perfect combination of style and comfort.

Youthful yet elegant it’s recommended for a bride looking for a bohemian wedding dress style with couture touches and mesmerising romance!

TAKE AWAYS:

White is a tradition / Colours convey Your message / Today, anything goes!

Thanks to this amazing team for this beautiful editorial as published on @cwm_wedding

Photography and planning: @katantoslewis
Cakes, planning and concept: @sugarlily_cakery
Stationary: @papeugenie
Flowers: @bluebellsofhenley
Props and styling: @planstylehire
Dress: @cristinadamidesign
Veil: @sashandveil
Accessories: @hbweddinguk
Shoes: @elizabethroselondon
Suit: @anthonyblaymenswear
MUA: @adelecolbymua
Hair: @mako_smith
Models: @freya.maire
@kristianeustace
@lydiabernardes
@krissyhiu
Wine: @fairmilevineyard
Confetti: @theecobride
Venue: @weddingsatbadgemorepark

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