Why did it change from one to the other?

Question

Wasn't it that a bride would wear white as a symbol of virginity and being pure. Now it doesn't matter, now it's just seen as a tradition instead of what it really was meant. Why did it change, was it changed from symbolism to tradition to keep up with the times, knowing that nowadays most women aren't virgins when they marry? So are we free to change any other aspect to fit our sinful lifes and call it tradition?

Answer 1

it is just an old tradition, man are nor required to do the same!

Answer 2

Well I have noticed that a lot of brides are going with different colors today. I have seen pink, green off-white, white with a touch of color. So I think that fashion and not tradition is getting involved. I wanted a white wedding dress because of tradition, but after a while I wanted to be different and change my color to a very light pink or something or maybe a white dress with color trimmings. But I see other women doing it so, now I don't know what I want my dress to look like.

Answer 3

Actually, the traditoin of the white bridal bress started (in the UK at least) after Queen Victoria's wedding to Prince Albert.

In the 16th and 17th centuries wearing outfits varying between the different shades of green, brown, blue, yellow and even black; according to their age, those colours would symbolise fertility or maturity. Often brides would only wear their best dress and continue to do so on special occasions. Only if they were from a wealthier background they would wear something more dazzling. Brides from more deprived backgrounds would wear a white dress to display publicly their lack of wealth.

Queen Victoria, disregarding beliefs and customs from the past, chose to wear white as a symbol of purity and maidenhood, instead of the traditional silver royal wedding gown, when she married Prince Albert. Although we find examples of white dresses before that period, it was never as dominant as it became then.

Answer 4

Although the tradition of the bride wearing white had long been accepted, it really gained prominance in the Victorian era, when Queen Victoria wore a white dress to her wedding in 1840.

Here's some interesting info for you:
http://www.fromtimespast.com/wedding.htm

Check out this painting by Jan van Eyck, entitled the Arnolfini Wedding Portrait (1434):

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/v/van_eyck/eyck_arnolfini.jpg

Many folks who look at the painting say two things:

1) She isn't getting married because she isn't wearing white and

2) Is she pregnant ?!!??! (Which would have been highly unlikely given the prohibitions against premarital sex.)

Of course they put these two incorrect asumptions together and the conclusion is that she isn't wearing white because she isn't a virgin.

Lots of brides wear white, regardless of whether they are virgins or not.

Answer 5

as i've heard it, "men are interested in dating an experianced woman, and marrying a virgin." it's very contradictory, as most men won't go near an alter without tasting the goods, so to speak. very few men will commit to that without sex; heck, i have a hard enough time making it to the third date before my date presses for oral.
also remember, the "White for virgins" tradition was started back when girls were married off as young as 12 and were having children by 14. times have changed. no one marries that young anymore, and divorce is rampart. there is no longer a guilt induced need to be loyal to one partner anymore. plus, i doubt many today remember white was suppsoed to be reserved for virgins; the tradition has spread out from it's roots so far, msot know white is standard, but not why.

Answer 6

I don't think that's a new thing. Queen Victoria popularized the white dress by wearing one to her wedding; it was spectators who commented on how the purity of the white gown matched the purity of the bride. But many, many brides have met their grooms not being "pure", whatever they're wearing. My grandma was one of them. The popularity of the big white dress endures because it blatantly identifies the bride as such.

Incidentally, I married in lavender.

Answer 7

Actually the white gown was a very recent Tradition, less than two hundred years old at this point in time.
http://hec.osu.edu/people/ebradshaw/wedding/wedding_traditions.htm

Answer 8

EXACTLY! people "fit" things to their likings instead of observing God's law and tradition> society (sadly) is distancing itself more from God every day and instead doing what makes them "feel good"> we must return to god's way or else we are in for hard times in the after life>peace.

Answer 9

I vow to be a virgin until I marry. I am traditional. I shall wear white at my wedding. Wanna be my maid of honour?

Answer 10

Its tradition. Cause i'll be wearing white and i am not a virgin, so its traditional.

Answer 11

you see that's the difference between God and man Man have these laws that they come up with it never stated any where in the bible that a bride must wear white that's a man made law.Man comes up with these things and we like the little puppets we are abide by them