Will I Feel Like a Bride? Colored Dress Edition

Ashlie chose to wear a beautiful red dress that looked absolutely stunning with her complexion and dark hair.

Among the bridal traditions that it’s ok to ignore is perhaps one of the most modern-day ingrained of all: the white dress.

Do you worry that you won’t look or feel like a bride if you wear a dress that isn’t white, but secretly in your heart of hearts want to wear a dress that reflects YOU and your personal style? Here are some pointers to help you make the decision on whether or not to go sans white dress on your wedding day.

1. Understand where the tradition came from and decide if it has any meaning to you.

Most people think that Queen Victoria started the white wedding trend, and while she most certainly had a key role in solidifying the trend, wearing white went back in history farther than her beautiful hand-made lace dress. White was worn as a status symbol by the wealthy. Both jewelry and fabrics were used to display wealth, and white was a coveted, expensive and rare textile color before modern bleaching techniques. Powerful and wealthy people flaunted their power and wealth through rich metallic and white clothing, and having a huge, white dress made specifically to be worn for only one day.

2. Some people just don’t look good in white.

It’s true! Some people just do not have the complexion to pull off a white dress. Some people look gorgeous in teal, some look ravishing in coral, some look elegant in plum, some look beautiful in emerald, and some look washed out or jaundiced in white (I am one of those people). Why would you want to go through one of the best days of your life knowing that you look less than your best, because of a tradition that has little to no meaning to you?

3.  White doesn’t suit your style.

Are you having a carnival or under-the-sea themed wedding soiree? Maybe a multi-colored dress or a seafoam confection would better suit the party that you’ve painstakingly planned out. Are you a rockabilly or goth bride? Maybe a red or black dress would better suit your personality. Do you simply love color and share a home with your partner full of bold color? Maybe a white dress would feel devoid of any emotional connection to you. It’s ok to choose a dress that (figuratively) has your name written all over it.

Marissa's black lace-accented dress was stunning, and Claire's navy blue dress was gorgeous in the snow and brought out her dark blue eyes.

4.  You can wear something close to white, but not quite.

If you think it will really bother you to not be in white, but you don’t want to wear it (for whatever reason), you have options that are similar to white but not quite. Many wedding dresses are made in a variety of colors nowadays to suit different skin tones and personal tastes. Find out if your dress of choice comes in champagne, blush or even platinum. Or choose a partly white dress with colored elements, like colored tulle or lace, or a colored skirt with a white bodice.

Terah looked gorgeous in platinum with her flawless, dark skin, and it looked perfect with her pink and purple wedding colors.

Shannon looked beautiful in her champagne dress (and her two little men looked so handsome, too!)

5. You can invest in a dress that you can wear again and again.

Wedding dresses don’t have to be a wear-once garment. You can choose a dress that you look and feel amazing in, don’t have to pay to get preserved, stash in storage, or sell to pay off the debt it put you in. Any dress can be a “wedding” dress – you just have to wear it in your wedding ceremony.

The truth is, we don’t have to get sold on any wedding tradition that doesn’t suit us. You will look like a bride in any color, because everyone will expect to see you as a bride. You can choose a dress that you love, that looks fabulous on you and suits your style and unique wedding. If wearing white doesn’t really feel like “you”, try a colored dress!