Wedding dresses have been worn by brides in some form or fashion since weddings began.  But why is white the color most often chosen in western weddings? Why do others cultures use red for wedding dresses?  Both are interesting questions. To learn more about the color tradition of wedding dresses, we can start with our western culture and move around the globe.

Western Culture Prefers White Wedding Dresses

White wedding dress became fashionable when Queen Victoria wed in 1840.  White wedding dresses were reserved for the elite, as they couldn't be worn again or washed.  Less fortunate brides would wear white but then dye them another color or forgo a wedding dress — marrying in everyday clothes. As time went on, the white wedding dress became the symbol for virginity and/or purity.  Christian cultures have perpetuated the tradition.

Eastern Cultures Prefer Red Wedding Dresses

Red, Silver, White and Gold Play A Large Part in Asian Wedding Dresses.
Red or brightly colored shades of red are common in Asian (China, Japan, Vietnam, etc.) weddings dresses.  In China, wedding dresses are embroidered with dragon and phoenix symbols on red fabric with silver, white and gold threading. The phoenix and dragon are symbols of male and female. In Japan, the bride wears a traditional white Kimono, but then changes into a red one (symbolizing good luck) after the wedding ceremony.

Red, Gold and White Are Wedding Dress Color Choices For Indian Brides
With a heavy Hindu base, bridal attire in Indian is usually some shade of red. In fact, the prominent colors for Hindu brides are a combination of red, gold and white. However, bridal attire can vary by the region.

Gold Is The Delight Of Egyptian Brides
Egyptian bride wear gold or gold embellished wedding dresses. The dresses tend to be white linen with gold threading. On certain occasions, the dress is embellished with silver thread.

Every cultural has a rich and deep symbolism related to color. Wedding dress color takes it que from these long standing traditions. As the world's cultures met so do their customs and traditions. In our western culture, we are seeing brides mix color styles from other cultures into their wedding dress selections. It is truly a global world in which we live. Brides today have the flexibility to add color to their white wedding dress. So think outside of the traditional white wedding dress.

Wedding and Party Network, your number one wedding planning resource has a few examples of colorful wedding dresses below.

Yesterday, I received a lovely email from Thu Vu owner of My Little Work Shop.  She and Brynn were having a conversation on Facebook about Wedding and Party Network and how we discuss wedding traditions among other things on the Celebration Advisor.  The conversation turned to multi-cultural weddings of which Thu Vu knows quite a bit about, since she is planning one herself.  Here is what she shared with us about Vietnamese/Chinese Wedding Traditions.

I am here to talk about the Vietnamese and Chinese wedding tradition. I am pretty sure that in America and in Canada the wedding would have a ceremony and reception. Vietnamese/Chinese tradition is different from the American's and Canadian's ceremony, which takes place at the church or somewhere else but with a priest, friends and families when you exchange your vows.

In the Vietnamese/Chinese tradition is that we have the groom's side of the family members and friends to carry lacquered, round boxes; betrothal presents to the bride's house. Only the males on his side would stand behind/beside one another (depends on what you're carrying)to carry the presents to the bride's house. You have to be unmarried and the guys that the groom may pick could be his own brothers, ushers, best man etc…

These presents are to be in your choice of betel leaves, areca nuts, wines, jewelries, fruits, cake tea, tea set, whole pig etc…you are to carry about 10-12 of these presents to her house. You may have double of the same items if you wish. The gifts are to be covered by red cloths.

The bride's side of the family members and friends are suppose to be waiting by the door. Their jobs are to collect the presents. The groom then would ask for the bride's hand in marriage.

The groom then are to place the jewelries on her. Such as placing the earrings in her ear and the ring on her finger. The parents/gram parents are to be seated on chairs, you are to take the tea while you are in front of them on your knees. You basically bow and give them tea to have a sip.

This tea giving is a very respectful thing to do when joining two families in one. I thank you for taking the time to read this. I will soon put some pictures up of my engagement. I am doing the presents giving and not the tea ceremony. The tea ceremony is used at the wedding. I attached some pictures for you, so enjoy!

What a beautiful tradition, both in color and in sentiment.  Thank you for sharing such a wonderful wedding tradition with us. The photos are amazing.

Ask The Celebration Advisor: Hi: Regarding Party Favors at a reception only event.

I have a cousin, who just told the bride, that there is a new trend in party favors.  In lieu of giving out party favors, the couple "donate to their favorite charity"

I am questioning this, because, first and foremost, this relative is NOT a wedding planner, nor does she have any background in weddings other then being a "guest."

I desperately need your advice, because the bride is from another country and has selected this "relative" to be her "wedding planner"

HELP  Helen from Los Angeles Ca

Many many thanks.

PS:  We are a American-Japanese family.  And I know that most of the relatives will be expecting a "token" favor.

The Celebration Advisor:

Donating to a charity is a very admirable thing to do.  Many couples are choosing to forgo the wedding party favors in lieu of a charitable donation.  While wedding favors are not a requirement, many couples give favors as a way to thank guests for participating in their day.  Many cultures believe the bride and groom must give guests a token of their appreciation.  Therefore the culture of the families involved dictates the proper etiquette concerning wedding favors.  For example, in Mediterranean countries the wedding favors are Jordon almonds which represent the bitter and sweet sides of marriage.

In the Japanese culture wedding guests are thought to bring luck with them for the bride and groom and thus should be given a gift (favor) in return.  I doubt that a charitable donation as a wedding favor would be deemed an appropriate gift in the Japanese culture.

Although it is nice to have family help plan your wedding, knowing the etiquette that governs all parts of the wedding is crucial.  It is essential that you follow proper etiquette so as not to offend any of your guests. That is why professional Los Angeles wedding planners are well versed in several cultures and their wedding traditions and etiquette.  This gives them the ability to incorporate contemporary fads with cultural wedding traditions.

I would highly recommend that your cousin consult a local Los Angeles wedding planner that can work with your family "wedding planner" to combine cultural wedding favors and etiquette with contemporary ideas.

If your cousin really likes the idea of a charitable donation party favor, I would combine it with a bag of candied almonds or chocolates.  This way the bride gets what she wants without offending her guests.

India has many beautiful wedding customs. The majority religion of India is Hinduism. The wedding customs and traditions in India stem from their religious and culture back grounds.  In Hindu weddings the bride wears a sari (a wrap style dress) with her hair up usually in a bun style and a veil called a ghunghat.  In India the covering of the bride's head is mark of respect to the gods as well as the elders.  The groom wears dhoti, which is an un-stitched fabric about seven yards and wraps around his waste where it is tied in knot, along with a shirt.

One of the most commonly known Hindu wedding traditions is mehandi (henna tattoo).  Mehandi is an exotic non-permanent tattooing of intricate patterns that decorate the bride's hands Continue reading "Indian Wedding Customs -Traditions" »

The tradition of wearing pearls on your wedding day is a controversial wedding tradition. To some, it is a time-honored tradition – where a strand of pearls is passed from one generation to the next and worn by the bride on her wedding day. The pearls are worn to "take away the bride's tears"; to ensure a happy marriage without tears. Greeks believe the pearl would promote marital harmony; pearls symbolize love, success, happiness, modesty, chastity and purity. The height of this wedding tradition occurred during the Victorian Era. This tradition does not require that the strand of pearls be passed from one generation to the Continue reading "Wearing Pearls on Wedding Day" »

Wedding Favor Trends of 2008
The word is in about wedding favor trends in 2008 and this handy guide is full of tips for finding wedding favors as unique and beautiful as the bride. Whether staying ahead of the game with candy apples and strawberries decorated as tuxedos and gowns, rocking the reception by using personalized concert tickets as place cards, or going traditional with a sachet of rice, wedding favors are a clever and fun way to thank guests for attending by leaving behind a small piece of memorabilia to commemorate the exciting day.

Look for these excellent trendy qualities when selecting wedding favors Continue reading "Wedding Favor Trends Tips For 2008" »