Wedding dresses – the history bit

Be inspired by what brides of the past wore on their big day

Virginal white, or a shade thereof, is associated in our minds as the traditional colour of wedding dresses in the UK. Brides in ancient Egypt, Rome and Greece all wore dresses in various shades of white for their weddings but actually for most of the last 2000 years, brides have worn all kinds of colours on their wedding day. In fact, they just wore their best, or sometimes a new dress, to get married. And that meant, of course, they could wear it afterwards.

However, the rather depressing moral message in this old nursery rhyme shows that white has long been the preferred colour for a bridal gown:

Married in white,
You have chosen alright.

Married in green,
Ashamed to be seen.

Married in grey,
You'll go far away.

Married in red,
You'll wish yourself dead.

Married in blue,
Love ever true.

Married in yellow,
Ashamed of your fellow.

Married in black,
You'll wish yourself back,

Married in pink,
Your spirits will sink.