
Distress bride
The wedding dress has changed in style and fashion throughout the ages. In the long past, wedding was a matter of politics. Brides had to dress in a way that would best reflect their families. The higher the social standing of the bride, the richer the colors and the more rich the fabrics used. Velvet, fur, and silk were often incorporated into the design. The styles and colors of the affluent brides were copied by the brides of lower social standing as best as they could.
It was not that long ago where a white wedding dress was a rare sight. In 1558, Mary Queen of Scots was one of the first women to wear white when she married Francois II of France. White was still not the traditional wedding color and was considered rather ill-boding. White was the official color of mourning in France at that time. It was not a subtle message. It was only in 1840 that white became popular, after Queen Victoria married Albert of Saxe-Coberg. In order to make use of some white lace that she owned, Victoria asserted on a white dress. After the wedding portrait was published publicly, many brides copied the dress in honor of the Queen.

Blue wedding dress - Symbolizes purity of the bride.
The tradition of the white wedding continues to this day. Along the line it picked up the association with purity and symbolising virginity. Originally blue was associated with purity and the white dress was not meant to symbolise the innocence of the bride at all. Today the white dress is usually a nod at tradition and has very little to do with virginity and purity.