The traditional white wedding dress is a custom that has remained a cherished symbol for brides for centuries, but how did it all begin? Costume expert Shelley Tobin looks at the development of the wedding dress from its roots in grandeur and ceremony among royals and aristocrats to the demure expressions of humble country weddings to modern day expressions of luxurious gowns and high style. The book examines how bridal fashion tastes changed, comparing Queen Victoria’s simple white wedding dress of 1840 to the fanciful crinoline revival a century later in the 1950s and will explain the all-important significance of the color white and explore why brides might choose another color out of preference…or necessity. Customs and traditions associated with wedding gowns are also explored such as handing down wedding dresses through generations and the social and economic circumstances which influenced the number of bridesmaids, the wedding feast, and all the arrangements and accoutrements. Beautifully illustrated with magnificent photographs, this book lifts the veil on wedding dresses and the many other traditions and symbols of nuptials though the ages.