From the time you were a little girl, you probably envisioned wearing a white wedding dress much like your mother’s while you perused her wedding album for the hundred and fifteenth time. Many years later, it is time to decide which white dress is perfect for your special day. You visit one bridal boutique after another and look through a sea of white, eggshell, ivory and ecru wedding dresses. To your dismay they all begin to look alike while to your amazement you dare contemplate other colors! Do you betray your childhood dreams of the perfect white dress? Do you abandon a lifetime of fantasizing about the pure and wholesome image that your white dress represents on your long awaited wedding day? Would a different color wedding dress portray you in a less than appealing light?

It actually is surprising that the use of the white wedding dress comes more from misconception rather than tradition. In 1840 Queen Victoria of England wore a white wedding dress when she married Prince Albert. This is where the popularity of the white wedding dress largely stems from. It was quite uncommon for brides to wear white prior to this time. Before the Victorian era, brides were often married in many colors such as blue which was the original color connected to purity.

Today, there are many reasons that brides may look to alternative colors for their wedding dress. With greater variety in dress designs, the melding of multiple cultures and progressive attitudes toward marriage, brides are venturing out in unprecedented directions. Here are some factors to consider when deciding on the perfect color for your wedding dress.

Culture

White is rarely selected in the East as it is often symbolic of death. In China red is considered good luck and in India red embodies purity. In some Islamic countries, the color green represents the Muslim religion and is often used in the religious wedding ceremony. For bicultural brides, it is often a fusion of traditional and non-traditional colors that gives the perfect balance to their wedding day.

Location

Where you marry can have an impact on the color you choose. A daytime destination wedding versus an indoor evening wedding can have an impact on the color you choose. Destination weddings tend to have variations of light colors and accents especially when outdoors. Indoor and nighttime weddings tend to use bolder colors.

Time of Year

A spring wedding may call for colors in the pastel range whereas a winter wedding may make better use of darker colors.

Wedding Bouquet

The color of your bouquet should complement the color of your dress. Try to maintain a balance of color and contrast between the two.

Wedding Theme

It is much easier to choose colors when establishing a theme for your wedding. A theme does not necessarily have to be something extreme like a beach or Las Vegas wedding. Rather, it can hold a feeling or idea which may consist of pastels, forest-like, whimsical or mystical colors. This does not preclude more extreme themes nor is there anything wrong with wanting one. Gothic weddings are gaining popularity where blacks and reds are often highlighted.

The Bride Herself

An important consideration is you the bride. Complexion, height and weight are important factors. A fair skin bride should steer away from colors in the yellow range. Darker complected brides should avoid darker colors. Tall brides should try to break up their height by using accessories like sashes with colored ribbon while heavier ones should try monochromatic looks.

Bridesmaid Dresses

Some brides like to stand out from their bridesmaids and others prefer them to match. In some cases the only people with color are the bridesmaids while the bride is in white. It is feasible to imagine that today’s bride could choose to do the opposite. Imagine yourself in a light pastel blue dress with your bridesmaids in white dresses with light blue sashes!

First Time Wedding vs Non

Many first time brides are steadfast in wearing some shade of white which is perfectly fine. If it is not your first wedding, then you probably feel that you have been there and done that. Why not experiment with something different?

Bridal Accessories

Bridal accessories have become quite popular lately. Both Chelsea Clinton and Khloe Kardashian elegantly used sashes as focal points of their dresses. The sash can bring opulence and sparkle to a modest or simple dress. It also practically gives unlimited choices in color and trim without the need to be sized. Silk flower bridal headpieces and headbands can also give a splash of color and are unlimited in color and trim.

Color Trends

The color trend we see bridal dresses moving toward is within the pastel pallet. This is not be mistaken with bold color pastels but rather very subtle ones. Some colors to consider are light pink, sage green, light blue and blushes.

The choices are unlimited and the search for the perfect look is challenging but do not fret about differentiating yourself! Just because your dress may be a different color does not have any bearing on how wholesome or pure you may be perceived. What ultimately matters is which color makes you happiest on the day you have dreamed of for so long. So get out there, venture to be different and try something new! You never know, your own future daughter may end up dreaming of wearing light blue after looking at your wedding pictures for the hundred and fifteenth time!

About the author

Hooman Moayyed works with Ossai Bridal Accessories. Ossai manufactures bridal accessories sold worldwide. Since 2008, they have consulted with brides in color selection, theme formulation and bridal design. For more information on their products, please visit http://www.ossaibridalaccessories.com.

Bridal Collars

Take a look at these images. Now look closely at the embellishments. Did you think it was part of the wedding gown? If you did, you would be wrong! This is but one of the newest innovations|creations by Ossai Bridal Accessories!

Ossai Bridal Collar Accessory SS11-CLR-01

Introducing the changeable bridal collar! You take a simple wedding gown and turn it into anything you can imagine! The front of the bridal collar has a hook as well as the ends of the straps on the back. All you need to do is pick the bridal collar you like and have your seamstress add a few eyes for the hooks to go into.
The collar can be used to embellish a wedding gown or to create a new look when transitioning from the wedding ceremony to the reception. This can be a much more economical way to look as if you had a fabulous outfit change!

All collars have matching sashes to elevate your look even further to the next level! View the full 2011 Spring/Summer Sash collection here.

Ossai Bridal Collar Accessory SS11-CLR-01. Retail $900.00.
Matching Ossai Bridal Sash Accessory SS11-SH-01. Retail $702.00.

For more information, contact us at sales@ossai.com or visit our website.

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