Are you curious about the history and meaning of the blue wedding dress? What cultures usually wear blue wedding dresses?
Furthermore, how does a bride picks the most flattering blue wedding gown for her? We’ll answer all these curious questions about blue wedding gowns, including selecting the best accessories and jewelry for this unique dress color.
And speaking of blue, you might also be familiar with the tradition of wearing something blue. Here’s why do you wear something blue on your wedding day as well.
Everything To Know About The Blue Wedding Dress
History Of Blue Wedding Dresses
According to JSTOR Daily, brides used to wear blue wedding dresses, and other colors like gold before white became the default wedding gown color. White only became the traditional wedding gown color when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840 in a white wedding dress, and it became the trend among brides.
Blue was a popular wedding dress color back in the day because it is associated with the Virgin Mary. In addition, blue symbolizes purity, which is why it is a befitting color for brides.
The Ultimate History Project also mentioned that blue was among the popular wedding dress colors for American and British brides during the 18th century. Among blue were other colors like red and green as wedding dress choice colors, which are, interestingly, now considered non-traditional wedding dresses.
What Does A Blue Wedding Dress Mean?
Blue symbolizes purity, which makes it a popular wedding gown color choice for brides back in the day. Some even mentioned that blue was more popular than white for wedding dresses, which became more common today after Queen Victoria’s wedding.
Besides purity and innocence, wearing blue can also be attributed to wealth. Wealthy medieval brides were known to have their wedding gowns in deep tones of blue or red in velvet, satin, or silk, which were copied in cheaper fabrics by the lower class.
Furthermore, it’s not justified for working-class brides to marry in a white wedding dress because it was difficult to clean and might not even be worn again anyway. The lower-class brides’ wedding dresses were made from fabrics like cotton or flax and in shades of blue, green, or red.
You can read what does a blue wedding dress mean to know more about the symbolism behind this color.
What Cultures Wear A Blue Wedding Dress?
Western and Eastern cultures wear blue wedding dresses because of the color’s meaning. For example, Western cultures attribute wearing blue to peace and loyalty.
On the other hand, Eastern cultures view blue as the symbol of harmony and longevity, which are essential for a happy marriage. All these meanings make blue the perfect wedding dress color for good luck and the long unity of the couple.
According to East Meets Dress, an Asian-American blog, modern Chinese brides can also wear a blue cheongsam to honor their Chinese roots. You can pick from different wedding gown styles in royal blue or even sea blue.
How To Accessorize A Blue Wedding Dress?
If you decide to wear a blue wedding dress, make sure to highlight it with the best shoes and accessories. In addition, you want colors and materials that will complement the blue wedding gown, whether dark or light blue.
Neutral or metallic shoes
Neutral shoes are something that will always look good with blue wedding gowns. Shades like white, black, or tan also complement brides without the risk of looking tacky or having a mismatched style.
If you want statement bridal shoes, especially with short wedding dress styles where your legs will be seen, you can pair the blue wedding dress with metallic shoes. Consider silver or gold shoes inspired by details seen on your wedding attire for inspiration.
Gold or silver jewelry and accessories
Silver or gold is the best and most flattering jewelry and accessories to pair with blue wedding dresses. Picking between the two will depend on your skin tone, as brides with cool undertones look better with silver jewelry, while gold looks gorgeous on warm undertones.
Don’t forget to pick cohesive jewelry with the details on your wedding dress. You also want accessories that complement the attire to know if you need statement jewelry.
For example, a high neckline is better with a dainty necklace than a wedding gown with a plunging neckline. You might also be wearing your hair down, so there’s no need for chunky bridal earrings.
Here’s how to pick wedding jewelry for more tips on choosing flattering bridal accessories.
Can The Bride Wear A Blue Dress?
It’s perfectly acceptable for the bride to pick blue as her wedding gown color. It’s also tradition to wear something blue on your wedding day to represent purity and fidelity, so why not wear a blue gown?
Another reason why blue might be a fitting wedding dress color is if it’s a beach or destination wedding. These weddings often have a bright and tropical theme, including blue.
Nowadays, brides are no longer limited to wearing a traditional white wedding gown. Blue might be a sentimental color choice, or you simply want to stand out with your bridal fashion choice.
How To Pick A Blue Wedding Dress
It can be overwhelming for the bride to pick among different wedding dresses from different designers. Therefore, you should consider these factors to find the best blue wedding gown that is guaranteed to boost your confidence:
Shade of blue
Blue wedding dresses come in different shades ranging from dark to light blue. It’s crucial to pick a blue dress that complements your skin tone and is practical with the wedding theme, venue, and season.
For example, dark shades of blue would not be flattering on dark skin tones, and light and pale blues might wash out light skin tones. Dark blue wedding dresses like navy would also be considered formal and fitting to winter weddings, while bright or light blue wedding dresses fit laidback and summer weddings.
Dress style or silhouette
Familiarize yourself with the wedding dress silhouette that highlights your best features. For example, a blue mermaid wedding dress will look stunning for an hourglass body shape, while a blue A-line wedding dress can help you camouflage the stomach region.
The materials and overall style of the dress should also help you decide if the blue gown is for you. For example, would you prefer a sexy blue satin body-hugging dress or the princess look of a ball gown with blue tulle?
Read what are the different types of wedding dresses to further familiarize yourself with the styles and silhouettes.
Where Can I Buy A Blue Wedding Dress?
David’s Bridal has a collection of blue wedding dresses in different sizes, styles, and materials. The price range from $299 to $500 and up.
You can check wedding gowns that come in different colors in any store, as most are typically available in blue. But of course, like in any bridal shop, you’ll have more options for white wedding dresses.
Other popular fashion designers also offer blue wedding dresses. For example, check styles from Oscar de la Renta, Peter Langner, Andrew Kwon, Nadia Manjarrez, or Claire Pettibone.
It’s worth mentioning that because blue is not as common as white for bridal attire, you might need to get a custom dress. Also, remember that it can take at least six months to finish wedding gowns made from scratch.
How Do You Coordinate Bridesmaid Dresses With The Bride’s Blue Wedding Dress?
It’s all a matter of the bride’s preference when choosing the color for her bridesmaids’ dresses. After that, it’s up to her if she wants them also to wear blue wedding dresses, use the same color for their dress, or use different shades with the wedding theme as inspiration.
But to give you some ideas, here are some bridesmaid color ideas to complement the bride’s blue wedding dress:
- Gray bridesmaid dresses
- Darker or lighter shade of blue than the bride’s blue gown
- Green bridesmaid dresses
- Same color as the groomsmen’s suits
- Alternating pastel blue and pink bridesmaid dresses
- Different shades of blue for the bridesmaid dresses
Does The Groom Have To Match The Blue Wedding Dress Of The Bride?
While the bride and groom don’t need to wear matching attire, they should still coordinate their wedding outfits. It will look better in photos and symbolizes harmony for their unity.
If you want to retain a sense of individuality with your fashion choices, the bride can wear a blue wedding dress while the groom picks a suit color of his choice with blue details or accessories.
The bride might also wear a light blue gown while the groom wears a navy suit. Patterns are also trendy for groom suits, so he can pick a style that represents his personality best.
Conclusion
And that’s it! We hope we have covered everything you want to know about the blue wedding dress.
It was a popular wedding dress color because it symbolized purity, but it was also an indication of wealth as lower-class brides often wore it. Nowadays, brides might choose blue for their wedding gowns to symbolize fidelity, similar to the tradition of wearing something blue on your wedding day.
Overall, remember to pick a blue shade and dress style that will complement you best and make you feel comfortable and confident. Of course, you can always leave a comment below if you have any questions!