A Bride in a White Wedding dress

A white wedding is a term for a traditional formal or semi-formal wedding in British and American, as well as Commonwealth, traditions. Brides in many other countries are adopting this traditional white dress. This term refers to the white colour of the wedding dress, which became popular in the Victorian era and came to symbolize purity of heart and the innocence of childhood. Later attribution suggested that the colour white symbolized virginity. Download high resolution version (1152x1488, 129 KB)white wedding dress This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (1152x1488, 129 KB)white wedding dress This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... The Commonwealth of Nations, usually known as The Commonwealth, is an association of 53 independent sovereign states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire. ... A wedding dress seen at Thornbury Castle, England A wedding dress or wedding gown is clothing worn by a bride during a wedding ceremony. ... Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her Accession to the Throne, 20 June 1837) gave her name to the historic era The Victorian era of Great Britain is considered the height of the British industrial revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ... In Roman times, Vestal Virgins were strictly celibate or they were punished by death. ...

This article discusses the rise of the conventions of a "White wedding," their perceived symbolism, and their contemporary application.

History and traditions

The tradition of wearing white at weddings began due to the choice of colour of the wedding dress of Queen Victoria at her wedding to Prince Albert. Queen Victoria was not the first royal bride to wear a white wedding gown, but the first of the modern era. White had been a traditional colour of royal mourning, and although not often utilized as such, white was not considered a suitable choice for a royal wedding. Victoria's choice popularized the white gown as no other had before her. Previously, brides wore their best clothes or the most expensive new clothes they could afford. Gold or gold-threaded dresses became popular with royal brides; the rank-and-file wore dresses that reflected their station. White was one of many choices, pastel shades were also popular. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May, 1819 – 22 January, 1901) was the eminent Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June, 1837, and Empress of India from 1 January, 1877, until her death in 1901. ... Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (Francis Charles Augustus Albert Emmanuel, of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha branch of the House of Wettin) (26 August 1819 - 14 December 1861) was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ...

Until the mid-twentieth century, many brides in the United Kingdom did not wear a traditional wedding dress, merely a specially bought dress that could later be worn as an evening dress. This was also the case in pre-20th Century America where working and frontier brides often opted for a formal look that was practical and could be used again on special occasions. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with Commonwealth Prime Ministers, in the 1950s. ... Motto: E pluribus unum (1789 to 1956) (Latin: Out of Many, One) In God We Trust (1956 to present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at federal level; English de facto Government • President • Vice President Federal Republic George...

White weddings almost always take place in churches and people generally seek to be married in the most prestigious or picturesque church they can find. This often leads to the often bemoaned phenomenon of such churches attracting the unexpected attendance of unmarried couples who are in the early stages of planning their wedding and wish to be married there, but would not otherwise set foot in church. As a consequence, some churches require that the couple either be parishioners or pledge to join and participate in the parish. In the United States, such weddings may also be held at the family's residence or in a private club. Church in Villach, Austria. ... A parish is a type of administrative subdivision. ...

After World War I, as full-scale formal weddings began to be desired by the mothers of brides who did not have a permanent social secretary, the position of the "wedding planner" who could coordinate the printer, florist, caterer, seamstress, began to assume importance. Bride's Magazine began to be published in 1934 as a newspaper advertising insert called So You're Going to Get Married! in a column entitled To the Bride, and its rival Modern Bride began publishing in 1949. Now a whole industry surrounds the provision of such weddings. The groom may be a mere detail: the new editor of Modern Bride began her inaugural column, without irony: "I really did have the wedding of my dreams, the wedding that had been floating around my head for years before I met my husband."

Emily Post's Etiquette was first published in 1922, as a guide to the "new" people of the post-war boom, who meant to get the unfamiliar details right, and the conservatively evolving nature of a formal wedding can be traced in its various editions. A 4th edition of Peggy Post's Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette: Cherished Traditions and Contemporary Ideas for a Joyous Celebration is still in print, along with a wide range of wedding planners and guides to second weddings bearing the Post name. A subtle shift in the requirements for a wedding can be detected in the modern blurb for Emily Post's Weddings "creating a wedding experience that demonstrates the bride and groom's commitment and uniqueness." "Uniqueness" is a modern addition to a wedding's requirements. Judith Martin has published Miss Manners on Weddings. Emily Post (27 October 1873 – 25 September 1960) was a United States author who promoted proper etiquette. ... Judith Martin (born Judith Perlman on September 13, 1938), better known by the pen name Miss Manners, is an American writer and etiquette authority. ...

The full white wedding experience means that an organist, a choir, flower arrangements, flowers for lapels and commemorative wedding leaflets with the Order of Service need to be arranged and purchased. Also the hymns need to be selected and a reading from the Bible chosen. (Note: A less religious or non denominational form uses well known classical and popular music.) The Bible (Hebrew: תנ״ך tanakh, Greek: η Βίβλος hē biblos) (sometimes The Holy Bible, The Book, Word of God, The Word, The Good Book or Scripture), from Greek (τα) βίβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, is the name used by Jews and Christians for their differing (and sometimes overlapping) canons of sacred texts. ...

Attendees

An outdoor wedding. Bride and Groom both in white. Maid of Honour and two Bridesmaids, and Best man and two Groomsmen. Flowergirl.

Traditional weddings require, in addition to the bride and groom: Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1296 KB)wedding party Photo: G. Larson This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1296 KB)wedding party Photo: G. Larson This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Bride Bride in formal dress North America. ... See also: A groom is a type of officer-servant in the British royal household. ...

• Best man - a close male friend or relative of the groom, given a place of honour.
• Maid of honour - a close female friend or relative of the bride, given a place of honour. If she is married, she is instead called the "matron of honour."
• Groomsmen - one or more male attendants who support the groom.
• Bridesmaids - one or more female attendants who support the bride.
• Flower girl - a young girl who scatters flowers in front of the bridal party.
• Ringbearer - an attendant, often a young boy, who carries the wedding rings.
• Ushers - helpers, usually men, who assist with the organization.
• Junior Bridesmaids - young girl typically between the ages of 8 and 16 who is too old to be a flowergirl, but the bride wants to be a part of the wedding.

Typically, these positions are filled by close friends of the bride and groom; being asked to serve in these capacities is seen as a great honour. The best man is the name given to the male assistant to the bridegroom at a wedding. ... The Maid of Honor (British English: bridesmaid) attends the bride at a wedding or marriage ceremony. ... The groomsman is one of the (usually) male attendants to the bridegroom in a wedding ceremony. ... Bridesmaid and junior bridesmaid. ... Wiktionary has a definition of: Flower girl A flowergirl is a participant in a wedding procession. ... In The Lord of the Rings, by J. R. R. Tolkien, Frodo Baggins is appointed to be the Ring-bearer by the Council of Elrond in Rivendell. ... The groomsman is one of the (usually) male attendants to the bridegroom in a wedding ceremony. ...

Wedding guests are generally sent invitations to which they are expected to reply. The guests are generally invited to both the wedding and the wedding reception afterwards, although sometimes reception places are limited. Often certain people are invited due to perceived family obligations, as to not receive an invitation can be considered an insult. A wedding reception is a party held after the completion of a marriage ceremony. ...

The ceremony

When the guests arrive for a wedding the ushers' duty is to hand out the correct mix of books, flowers and leaflets and ensure the guests are seated in the correct places. Traditionally, the side on which people sit depends on whether they are friends or family of the bride or of the groom. The front rows are generally reserved for close family or friends, with the very first seats reserved for the bridal party. However, in many ceremonies the bridal party will remain standing at the altar during the ceremony along with the bride and groom.

The groom and his best man wait inside the church for the arrival of the bride and her "entourage".

This entourage generally arrives in elegant cars or in horse-drawn coaches, specially hired for the occasion. The bride's entourage normally consists of the bride, the bride's father and all the various bridesmaids, maids of honour, flower girls and page boys that are intended to attend her.

Flowergirl prepares to enter pulling wagon. Ringbearer being held.

The following is a typical processional order: Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1367 KB)Flower girl and Ringbearer Photo: G. Larson This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 1367 KB)Flower girl and Ringbearer Photo: G. Larson This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ...

1. The ushers and/or groomsmen escort the grandparents of the bride and groom to their seats.
2. The ushers and/or groomsmen escort the mother of the groom and mother of the bride to their seats.
3. The bridesmaids enter, escorted by the groomsmen.
4. The maid or matron of honor enters, either by herself or escorted by the best man.
5. The ringbearer enters.
6. The flower girl enters. (In some ceremonies, the ringbearer will accompany the flower girl.)

The bride then proceeds down the aisle, escorted by her father, to the accompaniment of music, and the ceremony starts.

After the wedding ceremony itself ends, the bride, groom, officiate, and two witnesses generally go off to a side room to sign the wedding register in the United Kingdom or the state-issued marriage license in the United States. Without the signing of the register or the marriage license no legally valid marriage exists. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Afterward, guests file out to throw flower petals, confetti, birdseed, or rice over the newly-married couple for good luck. Species Oryza glaberrima Oryza sativa Rice refers to two species (Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima) of grass, native to tropical and subtropical southeastern Asia and to Africa, which together provide more than one fifth of the calories consumed by humans[1]. Rice is an annual plant, growing to 1-1. ...

Finally, a photographic session ensues of the couple leaving the church.

The reception

After this the events shift to a reception at which the married couple, the couple's parents, the best man and the wedding entourage greet each of the guests. At such events it is traditional to eat and drink. The cutting of the wedding cake would also take place at the reception.

During the reception a number of wedding speeches are made and numerous toasts are drunk. This article is about the honor; for other uses, see Toast (disambiguation). ...

Any dancing is commonly started by the bride and groom, usually termed the "Bridal Waltz", but dancing an actual waltz is comparatively rare - often the couple chooses their favourite love ballad. The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in 3/4 time, done primarily in closed position. ...

An arranged dance between the bride and her father is also traditional. Sometimes the groom will cut in halfway through the dance, symbolizing the bride leaving her father and joining her new husband. Though not traditional, dances between the groom and his mother are also becoming popular in America.

At some point the married couple will become the object of a shivaree, a good-natured hazing of the newly-married couple. While this is most familiar in the form of tying tin cans to the bumper of the couple's car, or spraying shaving cream on the windows, some of the pranks can be far more malicious.

The final tradition is the newly married couple to set off for their honeymoon. Italic textItalic textA honeymoon is the traditional trip taken by newlyweds to celebrate their marriage, and presumably, consummate it. ...

External links

• Neil Shister, "Queen for a Day... a skeptical look at the modern wedding ritual" from Boston Review, October/November 1998
• A short history of the white wedding gown
• A History of the white wedding cake
• Wedding cake advice and picture gallery