Is an expensive wedding dress necessary?

Should you spend money on a white or ivory wedding gown in these financially challenging times?

Keep in mind that the concept of lavish wedding gowns developed not from tradition, but from a wedding industry that created the idea that every woman should look like a princess on her wedding day.  The actual tradition of wearing white originated in Great Britain when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840.  It was scandalous because until then, white was only for mourning.  Somewhere along the line, black became the color of mourning. The idea of white caught on for wedding dresses after Victoria and extends to this day.  Then came ivory (probably because some women felt disingenuous wearing white which stood for virginity when they were not virgins!).

In truth, there have been millions and millions of brides over time who have married in their best dress, regardless of color or length. When the United States was poised to enter the war in Europe in 1941, thousands of women in love married hastily in suits and dresses with padded shoulders and A-line skirts.

So, in these pandemic times, if your budget is limited, know that creating a wedding dress (or pants!) in your personal style is more important than adhering to either the tradition set by an English queen or the wedding industry.