Wedding Dresses Around the World
Traditional Bridal Attire From Different Cultures
At home, the white dress is standard wedding attire, but brides from different cultures around the world choose to don various distinct looks for their special day.
We may be used to the white wedding dress in North America and women in many other parts of the world have adopted the virginal look for their ceremonies, but traditional wedding attire ranges in style, colour, fabric and decoration from country to country.
Korean
During the Korean wedding ceremony called Pae Baek, customary Korean clothes are worn with additional robes and headdresses. Bright colours are important in Korean wedding attire to inspire the brightness of spirit that is required at such a special event. The bride’s outfit or hanbok is based around a long, high-waisted skirt that wraps around the body. She also wears a long-sleeved short jacket with two ribbons tied in a bow.
Hispanic
The Hispanic bride wears a slim dress and may choose to wear a bolero jacket over it. Alternatively, she may wear a flamenco style dress. A mantilla veil is a remnant of Spanish influence that has become standard for Mexican and Latin American brides. A Hispanic bride often pays homage to her ancestors by wearing a dress passed down from her mother and grandmother, representing the pride she has in her family. She sews ribbons of yellow, blue and red into the lingerie she wears under her wedding dress, which symbolize the food, money and passion that she hopes to attract to her marriage. Pearls are never part of a Hispanic bride’s outfit since they are thought to bring future tears and grief to the marriage.
Chinese
The most essential element for Chinese wedding attire and decorations is the colour red. The colour means good luck in Chinese culture so everything from the dress to the lanterns is red. Traditionally, a one-piece dress called Qi Pao featuring intricate designs in gold and silver is worn in northern China. In southern China, the bride usually wears either a Qun Gua, Kwa or Cheongsam, which are two-piece outfits decorated with a golden phoenix or dragon. When arranged marriages were still the norm in China, the bride would wear a red veil during the ceremony and her face wouldn’t be revealed until the wedding night.
American Indian
For a traditional American Indian wedding ceremony, the bride wears a long dress covered in beading and finished with fringes. Colours representing north, south, east and west are included in the garment.
Japanese
In Japan, a bride will wear a colourful kimono with a hood to her ceremony. The hood, called a tsuno kakushi, shows that she is obedient to her new husband. She will change into another kimono once the ceremony is finished. Both garments will be made into bedding after the wedding, which will be passed down to future generations.
African
A traditional African bridal outfit consists of items made from matching fabric in bright, cheerful colours including a headpiece called a gele, a wrap skirt called an iro, a shawl called an iborum and a blouse called a buba.
Scottish
A traditional Scottish wedding dress prominently features tartan, in ribbons trimming a white dress, in a shawl around the shoulders or in a sash around the waist. The dress may also have embroidered Celtic knotwork symbolizing eternal love. The groom may pin a piece of his tartan to the bride’s outfit representing her joining his clan.
Irish
In Ireland, blue is a lucky colour so the bride often wears a dress in this colour. She avoids wearing green, however, as this colour is thought to attract the attention of the meddlesome fairy folk. While many a bride would have a fit if her dress were torn on her wedding day, the Irish bride would consider it a sign of good luck.
Indian
The traditional wedding attire of Hindu brides usually consists of saris in red and white, colours symbolizing fertility, wealth and purity. In the days leading up to the ceremony, the bride’s hands and feet are painted with henna in elaborate patterns by female family members. This decoration is called mehendi.
