Wedding dresses have long been an integral part of wedding celebrations.
Beyond symbolizing the love and commitment between the bride and groom, they also embody the styles,
cultural practices, and personal preferences of the time period.
Contrary to popular belief, the white wedding dress is not a timeless tradition. In fact,
the tradition of white wedding dresses was popularized in the 19th century by Queen Victoria.
Previously, brides wore their finest attire, which often served as their Sunday best,
and it could be any color, typically chosen for its cultural significance and symbolism.
Black or non-white wedding dresses, however, remained popular among many Victorians for some
time during the 19th century. Class consciousness was highly valued, and wearing a black dress
was perhaps seen as a way to showcase wealth and status. There's no doubt, some brides chose black
to signify a marriage based on reasons other than love, such as a spouse's death or family pressure.
For this video, we have gathered a collection of
19th-century photographs showing what wedding couples looked like in the Victorian era.
It's worth noting that most photos show the couples sporting very stern expressions
as they pose for the camera, with little or no physical touching between them. Let's take a look!