by Karen Vander

Western brides have traditionally choose a white wedding dress as a symbol of their purity, virginity and innocence. This tradition is so wide spread in the whole Western world, that other colors were considered simply taboo. However, in the last decades, we could see that many brides are turning to different color. First, brides started to choose pastel wedding dresses and in the last years they have turn to the more vibrant red wedding dresses.

An amazing red wedding dress - Bridal Fair at Mid Valley Megamall - February 2009.

Red dresses are not only elegant, but have been traditional in many cultures. In both Hindy and Buddhist tradition, red is a symbol of good luck. In the Western world, the tradition of wearing a white wedding dress is relatively recent. It was made popular in the year 1840 by the marriage of Queen Victoria. Since it was a royal wedding, many people took it as a model in elegance. And this tradition survived until the present day. However, truth be told, there is no obligation of wearing a white dress. Christian tradition doesn’t prescribe any color.

A confident modern model- Bridal Fair at Mid Valley Megamall - February 2009.

Traditional, that is in the last centuries, woman wear the best dress that they had in their wedding. There were no special dress for weddings. The color here was of a lessen importance. Most brides didn’t wear white normally, so most wedding dresses weren’t white. White, however, was considered a symbol of higher social standing, since lower classes couldn’t afford to have a white dress that was, by its color, unsuitable for working or other daily activities.

So, since many modern woman generally disdain all old-fashions and repeated, and the symbolism of white has lost mostly its appeal, why do even unconventional woman, who dress unconventionally the most part of the year would choose a plain, white dress?

A beautiful purple dress. Other colors are beautiful also. Think outside the box. Bridal Fair at Mid Valley Megamall - February 2009.

The answer to this rhetoric question is simply that there is no reason for that. There are plenty of red wedding dresses that are a middle point between audacious and elegant. The dress projects the image of what we are and above everything of how we feel like. Nowadays, woman are not simply fulfilling a social imposition in their wedding, they are expressing their needs and fulfilling a dream.

Red, also in wedding dresses, is normally associated with passion in the whole Western world. Nowadays, there is no reason why an unconventional, modern woman could not express her feeling of passion wearing a red wedding dress.

by Karen Vander

Tomy Mariage - Red, White, or Gold Wedding Dress Color

Red is definitely a hot color. For weddings it is relatively unusual but not so much that no bride wears red in her wedding. Red roses are associated with passion, love and intensity. And so many brides wear a color that match their feelings. Many people also associate Christmas and Valentines’ Day with red, so many brides marrying on these days choose red. White is the traditional color because many people associated it with purity along the centuries, and purity was a must for many brides. Nowadays, it is perfectly acceptable that a woman expresses her feelings, including passion. Therefore are red wedding dresses coming into fashion.

An important point is to match the dress itself with all the decoration. There is no point in wearing a modern dress in a traditionally decorated church. So if you are dead-set in wearing a red dress remember that this will reduce your choices regarding churches somehow.
The decoration could include aqua flowers,red roses or other flowers with intense colors. Red wedding dresses are exceptional for a rose theme, where the whole decoration is rose, including favors, cake, bouquet.

The logical question following the choice of a red wedding dress is what will the groom wear? Of course, a red suit is NOT appropriate, unless he is clearly unconventional and dresses unconventionally in his day-to-day. The choice here is much more a white tuxedo with a note of color, a flower normally. The flower can be aqua, rose or red to match the bride’s dress.

Tomy Mariage Gold Wedding Dress

Important is not to overkill. Making everything red is seldom a good choice. Normally people set some accents in a different color, both for the dress and for the decoration. This gives a more welcoming touch to the ceremony.

The fashion industry produces plenty of choices in the field of red wedding dresses. A short search will provide you many models to choose from. From the most classical cuts like traditional white dresses, but in red color to dresses that are in color and cut non-conventional. Normally it is recommended not to overkill. If you choose a non-traditional color go for a traditional cut and equally if you choose a traditional color go for a non-traditional cut. It is everything a question of balance. Don’t let yourself be ‘fitted’ into a dress that you don’t like. The memory of this day, and the resulting pictures, will last a life long.

by Karen Vander

Last week I posted auctions on Ebay for red wedding dresses and I received a lot of compliments from many brides for helping them find their beautiful dresses at bargain prices. Here’s this week’s live auctions pulled directly. Good luck bidding ladies.

by Karen Vander

Do wedding dresses have to be white? Tomy Mariage Paris does not think so.

Tomy Mariage Paris Collection 2009

For many brides-to-be, choosing a wedding dress is an easy choice. They go for the traditional white wedding dress. However, an increasing number of woman ask themselves, if a wedding dress has to be white.

Tomy Mariage Paris Collection 2009

Many woman, specially those who dress daily in a non-conventional way, tend to choose other colors for their wedding dress. The wedding is clearly the day of the bride. She might dress the way she feels like. Traditionally brides wear a white dress because it was a symbol of purity, and society expected that a bride came ‘pure’ to her wedding day. However, times have changed and nowadays many brides wear white only because others have done it before. It has lost its original meaning.

Tomy Mariage Paris Collection 2009

Mary Queen’s wedding in 1840 is considered by many to be the beginning of this tradition. There is nothing Christian or obligatory in that. The bible prescribes no color for wedding dresses and the choice of color is only the product of societal pressures and conventions.
Good bridal boutiques will help any bride find an appropriate dress in her color or choice. A huge number chooses pastel colors. Pastel wedding dresses are so common that people won’t even comment that a bride chose one.

More daring brides could go with red. Red wedding dresses are, by the way, traditional in Chinese weddings. Red symbolizes luck and it is considered a good start for a wedding. A red colored dress is therefore a symbol of good luck for the marriage. In northern India the color has the same meaning and it also the traditional color for weddings. A colored sash, beads, bow, jewels and sophisticatedly embroidery will allow a bride to add some personal color touch to her wedding dress. Most brides in the US choose a color like red, blue or green because this color symbolizes something for them.

Tomy Mariage Paris Collection 2009

If you want to buy a non-traditional wedding dress just remember to do it with enough time. Red colored dresses are not produced en mass and you probably will also have to make some adjustments to the dress. Consider principally matching the dress to the occasion. A summer wedding requires more vibrant colors like yellow or red. For a wedding in Autumn a dark blue dress is perhaps more appropriate. Alternatively, a bride could choose only a gown of different color or some color accents in the gown and wear a more traditional dress.

Tomy Mariage Paris Collection 2009

Which color do you prefer?

(For more photos of Tomy Mariage, visit the gallery.

by Jessica Lang

Married in a cave. Weddings are full of symbolisms.

When people talk about wedding dresses, they probably don’t think about red wedding dresses. At least not in the Western world. However, red wedding dresses are much more common than many people think and even in the US they are becoming more and more common.

Weddings are full of symbolisms. People who don’t place a huge amount of symbolisms on their wedding normally don’t marry formally. And for most people, even nowadays, it is a unique day. A day to commit and to remember. Therefore many brides choose a color that reflects her personality and their feelings. Since red is the color or passion and wearing red is considered modern and daring, many brides go for a red wedding dress.

A red wedding dress implies that you are innovative considering fashion. However, don’t be afraid of not finding a red wedding dress, since many fashion outlets produce them and many shops, consequently, sell them. They are just not common as white wedding dresses.

Traditionally a white dress was a symbol for purity and acceptance of the new condition by the bride. Bride’s didn’t actually chose the color, but it was imposed upon them. Presently, brides are free to choose and free to express whatever feeling they want to. So many brides go for other colors: pastel, red, blue, green. Pastel is so common that people will even consider it as traditional, although it has not a long tradition.

The Wedding Cave - Uniquely different and daring!

A red wedding dress expresses flare and confidence. It is appropriate for brides who are comfortable being the center of attention or even enjoy being in the focus. Wearing a red dress you are expressing a clear message: your are different and daring. Red also symbolizes romantic passionate love. Your are expressing your commitment under this message.

Wearing a red wedding dress implies breaking conventions and definitely not for shy or conservative woman. Just remember that a wedding is for many people unique and it is actually the day of the bride. If you as bride feels more comfortable wearing red you should definitely wear it. There is no rule saying that you should wear white. Not even within Christians is it obligatory. The color white was just imposed from society upon woman in the Victorian era. We just kept this tradition even after the meaning was lost. Wearing a color that you choose, red in this case, is a way of recuperating a lost meaning and making your wedding a meaningful occasion.

by Karen Vander

Fairy tale princess red wedding dress

Red wedding dresses are also an option. Many other colors make a great option as well.

Obviously, most woman choose a white wedding dress. However, wedding dresses in a different color are not that usual. Specially considering that red wedding dresses are not a modern time invention.

Red was a popular choice in the middle ages. This fashion was disseminated by Queen Victoria as she married in the year 1840. Before red was common in wedding dresses. And equally blue wedding dresses were also popular since they symbolized purity and were associated with the Virgin Mary. Red in a wedding dress symbolizes the joy of the bride. Only in the XIX century, white became the almost unique color of choice for a wedding dress. However, it has not displaced completely other colors.

Fashion magazines specialized in bride’s dresses are leaving every time more pages for red wedding dresses. More common than completely red dresses are wedding gowns with some splashes for red or blue. If you take a look at a couple of pictures, you will see how a good idea it is to have some other color on your wedding dress. It doesn’t look extravagant or vamp or anything similar. It just look like a serious dress in a modern form.

Young brides who value the lastest trend in fashion, a red wedding dress is an option. It is also the choice for modern woman who could never see themselves into a conventional white dress. More than a choice of style, remember that a red dress is a matter of mindset. Many, many woman want a unique dress, and they feel overwhelmed with the amount of choice of white dresses that they find. However, for the fashion daring woman, a red dress or at least a gown with red splashes is the way to go.

Furthermore, brides who marry at Valentine’s day or at night are more probable to wear a red wedding gown or dress than brides who marry in the Summer by day. It is important that the dress matches the place where the wedding is taking place.

It is also advisable to match the decoration of the church to your dress. So white with a red lace match perfectly with a bride wearing a white dress with some a gown full of splashes of red. Or white and red flowers matching a white dress with a red gown.

by Karen Vander

Ladies! There is a guarantee method of receiving a large quantity of flowers on Valentine’s Day it is this – get married!

It would also be very romantic to get marry on this day. A marriage with the person you love, on a day that is all about love, is very sweet. What’s more you and all your guests will be left with the ultimate everlasting romantic memory.

In tribute to Valentine’s day, we salute to a wedding designer that shares the same name with the holiday.

Designer: Ian Stuart Valentine

Designer: Ian Stuart, Style Number: Valentine

Silhouette: Ball Gown, Neckline: Off-the-shoulder

“gorgeous Scarlett Red colour….made from tons of beautiful silk…covered in embroidered hearts with Swarozsky crystals…the train is amazing” – A beautiful bride in red

by Karen Vander

Designed by costume designer Jenny Miles

Crafted at Caleche Bridal Centre in Norwood South, Australia

A stunning wedding dress. The same gown with red instead of the purple trim would look spectacular as well!

The beauty of the dress is only half of the big picture—the other half is looking beautiful, happy and elegant in it. One mistake that a lot of brides tend to make when choosing a wedding dress is not trying other colors on even just for fun. Go try on a colorful wedding dress.

Whichever style, color or price range you decide on when choosing your wedding dress, remember its not the dress that describes you. It is who your fiancé fell in love with, not your dress.