The Power Of Images;The History of The Wedding Dress In America

743 Words3 Pages
“The American Wedding”, when these words are spoken many images rush though the heads of the average person. These images include the wedding chapel, the flowers, the decorations, the reception, the cake, the bride and groom but most importantly the dress. One can agree that the wedding dress plays a vital role in the event. The wedding dress has transformed through out American history. Weddings have evolved from simplicity to extravagance. Before the contemporary wedding many weddings were held in very small and plain ways. Weddings were held in a farmhouse parlor with very few guests such as family members and close neighbors. The bride and groom would stand in front the minister and he would lead them through a brief exchange of their vows. Weddings were also held in houses. These weddings were the smallest, they usually only consisted of family members. At these weddings the minister would come to the house and administer the vows in front of the family. Being that these weddings were so small and simple the wedding dress went right along with the simplicity theme. White had been used as the color for wedding dresses in the eighteenth century and early nineteenth because white linen homespun dresses produced the best dresses. Women of those days made these white linen dresses for the weddings because it could be worn after for other occasions. Wealthy people who lived a lavish lifestyle got to experience grand weddings. The women bought the finest material such as velvet and silk. Their dresses were layered. The amount of material a wedding dress contained was a reflection of the bride’s social standing. The more material used, the more sleeves flowed, the longer the train, the richer the bride’s family was apt to be. In the second quarter of the nineteenth century a new trend developed. Wedding dresses began to change color and material. Wedding

More about The Power Of Images;The History of The Wedding Dress In America

Open Document