A white wedding is a traditional formal or somewhat formal wedding that began in Great Britain. The name comes from the white color of the wedding dress. This style became popular after Queen Victoria wore a white lace dress at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. The tradition gained more attention in 1981 when millions of people watched Diana Spencer’s wedding to Charles, Prince of Wales. Diana wore a detailed ivory taffeta dress with an 8-meter train.

Today, a full white wedding usually involves the family arranging or buying printed or engraved invitations, hiring musicians, and preparing decorations such as flowers or candles. They also prepare clothing and flowers for bridesmaids, groomsmen, a flower girl, and a ring bearer. Additional items may include a guest book or special wedding leaflets. After the ceremony, it is common to have a celebration with a large wedding cake covered in white icing. The term now includes the entire Western wedding tradition, especially in Christian religious ceremonies. These often include a church service where the marriage begins, followed by a reception.

"Color Wheel Pro" describes white as a symbol of light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity. "colormeaning.com" explains that in color psychology, white represents new beginnings and starting fresh. It is seen as a blank canvas ready for new experiences. In Western culture, white is most closely linked to beginnings. Religious ceremonies and the clothing used in them are important, and white is often chosen to show strong religious devotion and purity.

History of the white dress and traditions

Mary, Queen of Scots, wore a white wedding gown in 1559 when she married Francis Dauphin of France. However, the tradition of wearing a white wedding dress is often linked to Queen Victoria, who chose to wear a white court dress when she married Prince Albert in 1840. Before this, young women who attended court for the first time, called "debutantes," were required to wear white court dresses and long white gloves during their introduction to the queen at a "Drawing Room."

Before Queen Victoria, royal brides usually wore heavy, decorated gowns with white and silver thread, and red was a common color for weddings in Western Europe. At the same time, European and American brides wore many different colors, such as blue, yellow, black, brown, or gray. After Queen Victoria’s wedding, people across Europe and the United States began to follow her choice of wearing white.

The tradition of a white wedding was not only about the dress’s color. At the wedding of Queen Victoria’s daughter to Prince Frederick William of Prussia in 1858, choral music was played during the ceremony, which was a new practice. Earlier, music was only played during celebrations after the wedding.

Before the late 20th century, washing white dresses was difficult, so they became a way for wealthy families to show their status. A white dress could be ruined easily by spills or work, which made it a symbol of the bride’s family being part of the wealthy class.

Until the mid-20th century, many Christian churches required women to wear veils during weddings. Later, veils became a popular symbol of the bride, even when not required by her religion. This trend matched society’s focus on women being modest and well-behaved.

Etiquette books helped turn the white wedding dress into a tradition. The dress became a symbol of high social status and was also seen as a sign of innocence and purity. It was said that proper brides were too shy to show their faces in public until after marriage.

By the end of the 19th century, wealthy brides in Europe and America wore white dresses. Middle-class brides in Britain and the United States did not widely adopt this trend until after World War II. As people became wealthier in the 20th century, it became common to wear the dress only once. In the 19th century, it was normal for brides to reuse their white gowns. Queen Victoria even had her famous lace wedding dress altered for later use.

After World War I, more families wanted formal weddings, and wedding planners became important. These planners helped organize details like printing, flowers, food, and clothing. The first edition of Bride’s Magazine was published in 1934 as a newspaper insert called “So You’re Going to Get Married!” in a column titled “To the Bride.” A competing magazine, Modern Bride, started in 1949.

Movies made in Hollywood, especially after World War II, helped make the white wedding a standard and widely accepted tradition.

Participants

Traditional weddings require, in addition to the bride and groom, a marriage officiant. A marriage officiant is a person such as a minister, priest, pastor, vicar, rabbi, imam, or civil officer who is allowed to perform weddings. They may read from a Bible, Quran, or civil document during the ceremony.

Typical white weddings also include a wedding party, which includes some or all of the following roles:

• Groomsmen or ushers: One or more friends or family members who help the groom, usually men. The main groomsman is called the best man and is given a special place of honor. A woman, such as the groom’s sister, is called an honor attendant (or matron of honor in the UK). A boy who is too young to be a groomsman but too old to be a ring bearer is called a junior groomsman.
• Bridesmaids: One or more friends or family members who support the bride, usually women. The main bridesmaid may be called a maid of honor or matron of honor. A girl who is too young to be a bridesmaid but too old to be a flower girl is called a junior bridesmaid.
• Flower girl: A young girl who scatters flowers in front of the bridal party.
• Ring bearer: An attendant, often a young boy, who carries the wedding rings.

These roles are usually filled by close friends or family members of the bride and groom. Being asked to serve in these roles is considered a special honor and often involves some cost.

The ceremony

When guests arrive for a wedding, ushers help them find their seats. In a typical white wedding, which comes from the Christian tradition (including Lutheranism and Anglicanism, for example), the bride and groom stand side by side at the front of the church near the altar during most of the ceremony. Because of this, some guests choose to sit on the side closest to the person they know best. Usually, the bride’s family sits on the left side and the groom’s family on the right side. The front rows are often reserved for close family or friends.

Some couples have their grandparents, step-parents, and parents seated before the wedding procession begins. In other cases, these relatives join the wedding procession.

Depending on the country, the bride’s age, and her personal choices, the bride may walk alone or be escorted by her father, both parents, a relative she respects, or the groom. In Swedish white weddings, the bride and groom usually walk down the aisle together. Similarly, some couples have the groom escorted to the altar by his family.

Whether the bride walks first or last in the wedding party depends on the country. In the United States, the bride usually walks last, after the rest of the wedding party. In the United Kingdom, the bride walks first, followed by bridesmaids, flower girls, and page boys. Sometimes the groom is already in the church; other times, he and the groomsmen join the procession. The music played during this time is often called a wedding march, regardless of the specific songs.

If the wedding is part of a religious service, the service typically begins after all guests and participants arrive, often with a prayer, blessing, or greeting. During the ceremony, each partner makes vows to the other in front of the officiant. The ceremony may include music, hymns, Bible readings, and Holy Communion, following the traditions of the church where the wedding takes place (such as Lutheran, Catholic, Presbyterian, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Mormon, Calvinist, Unitarian, Protestant, or Orthodox).

After the ceremony ends, the bride, groom, officiant, and two witnesses usually go to a side room to sign the wedding register in the United Kingdom or a state-issued marriage license in the United States. Without signing these documents, the marriage is not legally official.

After the ceremony, guests may celebrate the couple’s departure by throwing flower petals, confetti, birdseed, or rice. Sometimes, guests are given small bubble containers to blow at the couple instead of throwing items.

The reception

After the ceremony, the celebration moves to a reception where the newly married couple, along with the hosts and possibly other wedding guests, greet visitors in a receiving line. While this event is now commonly called a reception regardless of its style, wedding celebrations can vary greatly. They may be simple gatherings, formal dinner parties, or large wedding balls.

Food is served at the reception, including a wedding cake. These cakes are often layered and decorated with white icing. Cutting the cake is a special moment, often involving the couple sharing a symbolic bite. This tradition has roots in ancient Roman weddings, where a similar ceremony took place.

During the reception, short speeches or toasts may be given to honor the newlyweds.

If dancing occurs, the bride and groom are expected to begin the first dance. This is typically called the bridal waltz, even if the couple chooses a different type of music. Some families may arrange dances between the newlyweds and their parents or other wedding guests, with attendees watching these performances.

At some point, the couple may be the subject of a charivari, a friendly form of teasing. This can include attaching tin cans or signs that say "Just Married" to the couple’s car if they leave in their own vehicle.

As the guests of honor, the newlyweds are the first to leave the reception. In ancient Rome and during the Middle Ages in Europe, wheat was thrown at the bride as a symbol of prosperity. Today, it is common to throw rice, representing fertility, as the couple departs.

Gallery

Photographs from the late 1800s, early 1900s, and mid-1900s show weddings. The first two pictures show the bride wearing a dark-colored dress. Over time, the way weddings are photographed changed from showing people standing still with serious faces to capturing happy and emotional moments.

• A wedding group from the 1870s or 1880s
• Late 1800s
• A wedding in 1929
• A wedding in 1942