Rhiannon Hendricks
Queen Victoria is commonly credited with the widespread popularity of the white wedding dress. On her wedding day in 1840, Queen Victoria wore a white satin court train bordered with orange blossom, a symbol of virtue and fertility, instead of the crimson velvet robe of state. Victoria's choice of a white dress was influenced by various factors, including the desire to support the British lace industry, showcase her lace flounce and veil, and be seen as Prince Albert's wife rather than a queen. As accounts of Victoria's wedding spread, white dresses gained popularity among brides, becoming a symbol of status, wealth, and purity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Queen Victoria |
| Wedding date | 10 February 1840 |
| Groom | Prince Albert |
| Dress description | White satin gown with a deep flounce of Honiton lace |
| Jewellery | Turkish diamond necklace and earrings, Albert's sapphire brooch |
| Symbolism | Innocence, purity, and romance |
| Influence | Popularised the white wedding dress among elites; the style was later democratised in the mid-20th century |
| Other notable facts | Wore her wedding lace to her children's weddings and her Diamond Jubilee portrait; was buried with her wedding veil |
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What You'll Learn
Queen Victoria's wedding dress
Although Queen Victoria is often credited with starting the trend of the white wedding dress, this is not entirely accurate. While she certainly contributed to its massive gain in popularity, white wedding dresses were not unheard of before Queen Victoria's wedding in 1840. In fact, white had been a popular colour choice for wedding gowns for centuries, and royal brides prior to Queen Victoria wore a variety of hues, with red being one of the most common colours.
Queen Victoria described her choice of dress in her journal:
> "I wore a white satin dress, with a deep flounce of Honiton lace, an imitation of an old design. My jewels were my Turkish diamond necklace and earrings and dear Albert's beautiful sapphire brooch."
The white dress was a deliberate choice by the fashion-loving Queen, who wanted to make a statement. The colour white came to symbolise purity, innocence, and romance. It also served as a show of wealth, as white formal garments were considered impractical and difficult to maintain.
Queen Victoria treasured her wedding lace, and she continued to wear it to special occasions throughout her life, including the weddings of her children and her Diamond Jubilee portrait sitting in 1893. It is rumoured that when the Queen passed away in 1901, she was buried with her wedding veil over her face.
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The influence of media
Queen Victoria is often credited with setting the trend for white wedding dresses when she married Prince Albert in 1840. While white dresses were not unheard of before this, they were not the norm, and royal brides often wore a variety of colours.
Victoria's choice of a white wedding dress was widely reported in newspapers and magazines, and soon became a trend among domestic and international brides. The widespread publication of her wedding portrait further popularised the style, as women sought to imitate her elegance. The image of a radiant bride in a white gown became deeply ingrained in popular culture and continues to influence bridal fashion today.
The association between white dresses and weddings was further reinforced by mass media, fashion magazines, and Hollywood films, which cemented the idea of the "storybook wedding". As Western cultures embraced the white wedding dress, its influence spread globally, with many cultures adopting the garment in different forms.
The portrayal of weddings in Hollywood, as well as the ease of access to images of celebrity weddings, has also played a role in cementing the notion that marriage demands a white dress. For example, in 1956, film footage and photographs of Grace Kelly in her wedding gown quickly circulated around the world. More recently, Meghan Markle's wedding dress inspired copies overnight.
Today, while brides have more options than ever, the expectation of the traditional white dress endures. The white wedding dress remains a timeless and iconic symbol of love and commitment, with many brides choosing to adhere to the tradition and symbolism associated with the colour white.
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Symbolism of the colour white
Queen Victoria is often credited with setting the trend for white wedding dresses when she wore a white gown to marry Prince Albert in 1840. Victoria described her dress as "a white satin dress, with a deep flounce of Honiton lace, an imitation of an old design".
White has long been associated with several symbolic meanings, some of which include:
Purity and Innocence
The colour white is often associated with purity and innocence, which is why it has become the standard colour for wedding dresses in Western cultures. This symbolism was certainly attached to the colour in Queen Victoria's time, as Agnes Strickland wrote in her 1840 biography of the Queen that Victoria was dressed "in spotless white, like a pure virgin, to meet her bridegroom".
Wealth
In the 19th century, white clothing was difficult to maintain as it was hard to keep clean. For this reason, wearing white became a symbol of wealth, as only the wealthy could afford to keep their garments pristine.
Sterility and Cleanliness
White is often used in medical contexts, such as hospitals, to indicate sterility and cleanliness. This association is also present in the fashion world, where white is used to evoke a sense of freshness and cleanliness.
Peace and Calm
White is often described as a cold and isolating colour, but it can also evoke a sense of peace and calm. It can be seen as a blank slate, symbolising a new beginning or fresh start.
Fairness and Neutrality
As white reflects an equal balance of all the colours of the spectrum, it is often associated with fairness, impartiality, neutrality, and independence.
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White wedding dresses before Queen Victoria
While Queen Victoria is commonly credited with starting the tradition of wearing white wedding dresses, she was not the first royal to do so. In fact, there are several instances in history where royal brides wore white long before Queen Victoria. For instance, in 1406, English Princess Philippa wore a white dress when she married King Eric. Mary, Queen of Scots, wore white when she married Francis II of France in 1558.
In the 17th century, black and white clothing were formal wear in the American colonies, while bright colours were for everyday wear. During the Regency era, white was a youthful colour, worn for presentations at court, balls, and weddings. In the early 19th century, before Queen Victoria's wedding, white dresses were fashionable. However, white was always an option for wedding dresses, and as a wedding dress was often a woman's best dress, white was desirable. White was also a symbol of wealth, as it was fragile and difficult to keep clean.
In 1840, Queen Victoria wore a white wedding dress made from heavy silk satin, with a deep flounce of Honiton lace, an imitation of an old design. She chose to wear white to support and stimulate Britain's lace industry, as skilled artisans were facing poverty due to the invention of machine textiles. Victoria's choice of white also captured the public imagination as a symbol of her innocence and adoration as a bride, rather than a monarch.
Following Queen Victoria's wedding, white wedding dresses became the norm for brides who could afford them, as they were a symbol of purity and female virtue. However, for non-royals, the choice to wear a white wedding dress was also a show of wealth, as white formal garments were impractical and difficult to keep clean.
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White wedding dresses in popular culture
The white wedding dress is a widely accepted form of wedding attire in Western culture. The tradition is often credited to Queen Victoria, who wore a white gown when she married Prince Albert in 1840. Victoria's choice of a non-traditional dress set a precedent, and white wedding dresses quickly became popular among European elites. However, it took several decades for white wedding dresses to become common among middle-class brides in Europe and the US.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, wedding gowns were often worn multiple times, and they were typically reused by subsequent generations. It was not until after World War II that the average woman began to wear a white dress, influenced by the increased prosperity of the time and the desire for a full-scale formal wedding. The white, single-use wedding dress became a distinctive part of wedding culture, with Hollywood portrayals of weddings and widespread media coverage of celebrity nuptials further cementing the notion that marriage demanded a white dress.
One notable example of the influence of popular culture on white wedding dresses is the gown worn by Grace Kelly in 1956. Photographs and film footage of her wedding quickly spread around the globe, inspiring brides worldwide. Similarly, the wedding of Diana Spencer and Charles, Prince of Wales, in 1981, was watched by 750 million people, and Diana's ivory silk taffeta gown with its 25-foot train became a sought-after style. More recently, the wedding dresses of Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle have inspired overnight copies.
The white wedding dress has evolved to become a symbol of purity and innocence, in addition to wealth and status. In Western culture, the colour white is often associated with beginnings and high religious commitment. For many brides, the concept of a white wedding gown is a given, and it remains a classic and traditional choice.
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Frequently asked questions
Queen Victoria is commonly credited with starting the tradition of the white wedding dress when she wore a white gown to marry Prince Albert in 1840.
There are several theories as to why Queen Victoria chose to wear white. One theory suggests that she wanted to be seen as Albert's wife, rather than the Queen, and so chose not to wear the traditional red ermine robe of state. Another theory suggests that she chose white because it was the perfect colour to highlight the delicate lace on her dress, which she wanted to show off to support lace makers in England.
Mary, Queen of Scots wore a white wedding dress in 1559 when she married her first husband, Francis Dauphin of France.
