Did you know that the decree of white for a wedding dress goes back to the 16th century in England, but that Queen Victoria actually bucked the trend by marrying in white? Apparently, the traditional colour for a royal wedding dress had been silver until Victoria married her Prince Albert in the mid-1800s. And if white was good enough for the queen, it was good enough for every British bride!

                                                                                                                                          

Nowadays, the wedding magazines are filled with a rainbow of fantastic bridal gowns in every colour - even racy red! White is no longer the only choice, and modern brides are increasingly going for bold and unusual colour choices - they want to be the star of their wedding, like the celebrities. If white is chosen, it will often be embellished with embroidery or beading in another colour - black and while is particularly chic and suits every colouring. Sarah Jessica Parker got married in classic black.

 

                                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                   Princess ballgown bridesmaid dress

 

Jordan famously wore shocking pink, a homage to her Cinderella/Disney themed wedding, but there are many other, less brash shades of pink around, from clover to coral, that don't have to suggest the nursery or the dressing-up box. Gwen Stefani chose pink to enhance her white-blonde hair.                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                   

Going for red? Whether it's crimson, scarlet, ruby or tomato, a red dress is going to turn heads. A far cry from the maidenly purity of white, red is for ladies who know their way around and like to take a risk. Jodie Marsh went for red when she married - unsurprisingly. It's a challenge, but if you really go for it, a red wedding dress could be the most memorable of all.

 

                                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                                       Victorian wedding boot 1015

 

How about blue? And not just that something borrowed. A pale blue gown would suit a fresh spring day or an outdoor ceremony, while ice blue satin would look stunning at a winter wedding. Fantastic on blondes, redheads and raven-haired beauties, blue needs to be carefully chosen to flatter. Burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese went for a super-dramatic midnight blue ball gown when she married king of the Goths, Marilyn Manson.

 

Green, superstition has it, should only be worn by Irish brides, but pure leaf green looks exquisite with fresh young looks, and revives the colouring of older brides too. Dark holly green is wonderfully dramatic, especially for a winter or Christmas wedding - imagine it trimmed with white faux fur for a dramatic look. Have I talked you into a ‘green' wedding?

 

To conclude, this ancient rhyme sums up the old prejudices against coloured wedding gowns - dismiss them as you like.  

Married in white, you've chosen right. Married in blue, your love will always be true. Married in pearl, you'll live in a whirl. Married in brown, you'll live in town. Married in red, you'll wish yourself dead. Married in yellow, ashamed of your fellow. Married in green, ashamed to be seen. Married in pink, your spirit will sink. Married in grey, you'll go far away. Married in black, you'll wish yourself back.

Elbow length satin bridal glove

 

To read our wedding style advice and wedding fashion tips, take a look at our wedding information pages. They're an indispensable source of advice on planning the perfect wedding and style tips that every bride to be should read before taking the plunge. And we are adding to them all the time, so don't forget to visit us again.

 

To browse Henry Kaye's complete range of of stunning wedding shoes (for brides, bridesmaids and pageboys alike), stylish pageboy outfits, gorgeous bridesmaid dresses, and exquisite wedding bags and beautiful wedding accessories, click here.