So will you choose a coloured wedding dress?
When Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840 she started the trend for white or ivory wedding dresses.
At that time most brides wore coloured dresses partly because white fabric was very costly.
Victoria’s dress originally featured an over-skirt of handmade Honiton lace and her choice boosted the lace industry and inspired lots of copycats in the same way as Kate Middleton did when she wore an Alexander McQueen dress for her marriage to Prince William.
In other cultures colour is embraced: at Indian weddings brides usually wear red saris decorated with gold embroidery as red is regarded as an auspicious colour; and in Ghana families each have their own brightly coloured cloth patterns and these often feature in the bride and groom’s outfits.
But here wedding boutiques and bridal magazines are packed with white or ivory dresses.
It takes a strong personality to go against this tradition and choose a bold colour for a classic gown.
A few years ago at The National Wedding Show, I met bride-to-be Carla who describes herself as a white witch and unusually was having a pagan wedding.
I was very excited to be given the task of designing and making her a deep red wedding gown for her special day.
All her guests were going to be wearing black or white so she would certainly have made an impact.
However, in context with her beliefs a red dress is connected to the rising sun – and according to astrology, the planet Mars oversees marriages and its colour is red.
And she is not alone – a surprising number of brides are now opting for a red wedding dress and while it is true it is the colour of love there is no doubt it also makes a statement!
A traditional white wedding dress is a lovely choice but it can be a no no for some skin tones.
Ivory will often look better but blush or soft pink are a dream for almost all complexions – and will work with any colour you choose for your bridesmaids’ dresses.
These shades also add a fairytale touch to a gown and work well at rustic and vintage-themed wedding as well as at more traditional ceremonies.
Last year I made a beautiful hand-embellished gown with a removable over-skirt for Amy when she married her beau in the Barcelona sunshine – she looked radiant and the soft blush colour of her dress added wow factor.
Black is not an obvious choice for a wedding dress but looks sophisticated and elegant at an evening or black tie ceremony.
These gowns will often be embellished with lace, pearls or crystals or layers of tulle and make a bold statement.
Ivory wedding dresses with black detail such as bows and sashes at the waist can look exquisite too.
The most important thing is to remember that whatever colour dress you choose it is YOUR DAY – YOUR WAY, wear a dress that makes you feel fabulous.
And If you did choose to get married in a coloured wedding dress I would love to hear all about it – what response did you get?
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