Wedding Traditions: White Dress

White dresses are more of a a new idea as it turns out, most often credited to Queen Victoria when she wed Prince Albert in February, 1840. Choosing white was a rather unusual choice for the times, and many elite Victorian era brides followed suit. A white dress was not an economical choice, for it was to only be worn once, and only the wealthy could afford this choice. Before Queen Victoria chose to wear white (and we all followed along like we do with most fabulous celebrities of our time), brides wore whatever was their nicest outfit--generally their Sunday best--and any color would work just fine.

I love the crisp classic look of a white wedding dress, but I'm not adverse to mixing it up a bit. I've been to quite a few weddings where brides chose to highlight an accent color either with a sash or beading or underskirt. I like the look, though I'll admit if I see another red-accented dress I'm gonna go nuts. I find this combo too harsh!

I've amassed a few examples of the colored wedding dress fad from simple to extreme. I'll most likely choose white for my own day, but I do enjoy how color can enhance a dress and a look.

Not too far from the classic "original" white dress. I love the blue one on the end!!

A playful petticoat adds color but can be covered

Florals have picked up steam lately. I love these dresses. The ruffles and flowers are lovely

Two that are slightly more extreme, but still beautiful. The one on the right looks almost too casual

What about a colored dress for the bride and white for the bridesmaids?!

I recently went to a wedding where the dress was accented with a lot of gold. I love gold on a gown!

Wedding Shoes

To say that I adore shoes is the century's greatest understatement. Or maybe that's a bit of an overstatement...either way, I love beautiful shoes and collect them like candy. From my other blog, here is an idea of  my collection:

Bright and bold are my favorite style. Jewel tones always catch my eye and I think they play well off of wedding dress white too! Having adorable shoes that reflect the personality of the bride, is now a common trend. I've seen many wedding photos with a little bit of fuschia satin, or blue lace peaking out by their toes. I think unique shoes are a great way to keep a wedding outfit fun and personal.

I'm also a fan of the unique bridesmaid or groomsmen shoe trend! That great pop of color or silly style keeps everyone smiling at the ceremony.

This just screams "fun!" I'd love to attend this type of wedding. What fun couples they must be!

Of course, the wedding party can go a bit formal too which is nice:

These have a classy old fashioned 20s feel. Beautiful!

You'll certainly find me, on my future wedding day, with an amazing pair of shoes on. I've considered a tea length dress specifically for the chance to showcase a pair. My friends and family will not be surprised to see me in heels and pointed toes walking down the aisle.

As for heels, flats are good too! And ballet flats come with so many pretty embelishments and in so many colors they can be just as fancy as heels. Not to mention your feet won't want to kill you at the end of the day, and you won't be taller than your groom!

What kind of shoes did you wear at your wedding?