
All About Vintage Wedding Gowns

Medieval Wedding Gowns
Women started wearing special gowns for weddings about the fifth century. Wealthy females usually wore dresses made of silk or velvet lavishly decorated with beadwork. These brides wore extremely long trains. Those with smaller bank accounts often sewed their own beads on more affordable fabric. The wedding dress was seen as a symbol of unity. Many brides chose to wear blue wedding dresses as it was seen as a symbol of chastity, although green, red and yellow were also popular choices.
Queen Victoria’s Wedding Gown
Queen Victoria drastically changed the trend in wedding gowns when she married Prince Albert. She chose a cream-colored satin gown for her special day decorated with handmade lace motifs made by William Dyce. While she was not the first royalty to be married in white, women instantly fell in love with the style choosing it for their own wedding day. Quickly people began to see white as a symbol of purity, innocence of girlhood and the surrendering of an unsullied heart.
The Roaring 1920s Wedding Gown
While the beginning of the decade saw women still opting for Queen Victoria-style wedding gowns, the style had definitely changed by the end of the decade as women opted for tunic-style goddess wedding attire often worn with flower headpieces.
Grace Kelly Wedding Dress
White remained the most popular color choice for a wedding gown until the start of the Great Depression when many women were forced to wear their best dress to their special occasion. During World War I and II, many women chose to wear their military uniforms. That all changed on April 18, 1956, when Grace Kelly married Prince Albert of Monaco in an ivory peau de soie fabric wedding gown with a fitted bodice and full skirt. The gown was elaborately decorated with Brussels lace.
The 1960s
The counter culture of the 1960s changed the look of wedding dresses again. Hem lines came up above the knee with many brides choosing miniskirts for their special day. Often brides chose to wear go-go boots with their wedding dresses. Many celebrities including Elvis Presley’s bride baby-doll style wedding gowns with large bouffant-style veils.
The 1980s

The 1990s
While many brides continued to wear Victorian-style wedding dresses in the 1990s, others chose to go with a more form-fitting dress for their wedding. Helping to establish this trend was Carolyn Bessette when she married John F. Kennedy Junior on September 21, 1996, wearing a Narciso Rodriguez white silk sheath without any embellishments.
Make sure to set the tone for your vintage wedding by choosing antique wedding invites after choosing perfect vintage wedding gowns. These wedding invites help guests to anticipate how great you and the groom will look on your wedding day.
Recent Posts
Archives
- November 2021
- May 2021
- October 2020
- May 2018
- October 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- September 2013
- June 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
Categories
- A peek into Ann's life
- Bridal/Rock the Dress Session
- Engagements
- Events
- Family Sessions
- Favorite blog posts from other bloggers
- Maternity
- Musicians
- Newborns
- Photography classes offered
- Press Release
- Promotions
- Published
- Santa's Magical Experience
- Senior High School Students
- Tips and Information
- Uncategorized
- Weddings
- Workshops through my affiliate Portrait Photography Group
Recent Comments