The bridal gown needs to look grand and make the bride appear like a princess – or a queen – on her special day.

The Elegance of White Bridal Gown

White has always been associated with purity and innocence, virtues that brides are supposed to possess. While brides in the olden days did wear white, it was a matter of preference rather than custom. Brides wore the best dress they own or could afford to buy on their wedding day, regardless of the color. The only colors shunned by brides are black, the color of mourning; and red, the color of the prostitute or fallen woman.

The custom of brides wearing white was established by Queen Victoria of Great Britain, when she wore a rich white gown on her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. It then became the fashion among brides of the Victorian era, and the fashion persisted until our modern age.

Choosing a Bridal Gown

Today, the bridal dress is more of an expression of the bride’s sense of style rather than any other underlying meanings. Most brides still choose to wear white, but many opt to wear other shades that are close to white, such as eggshell, beige and ecru. There are even brides who would rather wear a different color of bridal dress for their wedding.

There are no set rules on what brides ought to wear on their wedding. What is important is that the dress is something they can move comfortably in and is something that flatters the shape of the body. Also, the bridal dress has to be in theme with the wedding itself. A sweeping train would be out of place in a beach wedding, while a short cocktail dress would be unsuitable for a formal church wedding.