What do different wedding dress colours mean? | Wedding Guide (2024)

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What do different dress colors mean at weddings? ›

Natural tones such as nude and sand are symbolic of order, standing and patience. Brown hues like caramel and coffee represent a steady conservative nature that will always be reliable. Gothic influences of the colour black demonstrate power, sophistication and wealth mixed with an air of mystery.

The current etiquette is that the bride is the only woman to wear white as her principal color. That means solid white, off white, and mostly white is off-limits if you're a woman at a wedding but not the bride. It would be okay to wear a pattern that contains white if it is not the dominant color.

Choosing the color of your wedding dress largely depends on what makes you feel your best. Keeping your skin tone in mind can help you decide which color is the most flattering. Pure white often looks best on medium or darker skin tones, as the bright nature of this shade of white can wash out fairer brides.

Several cultures also consider yellow a symbol of adventure, laughter, intelligence, and optimism. It suits brides with an outgoing personality who definitely don't mind having even more eyes on them during the big day.

Blue, with its cool and calming effect, had been considered since ancient times to symbolise purity, fidelity and devotion – and so, by wearing blue, it was believed that brides would not only pledge their love to their partner but also promise a faithful, enduring marriage.

Neutral shades are timeless options that won't detract from the wedding's formal atmosphere. For a more colorful look, consider wearing shades of blue, lavender, or pink to show that you're in the celebratory spirit. If the wedding is in a tropical destination, opt for colors like yellow, orange, and green.

The tradition of wearing a white wedding dress dates back to Queen Victoria's wedding in 1840, and it has since become a symbol of purity and innocence. As a guest, wearing white to a wedding is considered a major faux pas because it can be seen as an attempt to upstage or overshadow the bride.

The colour scheme, when it comes to what to wear, is designed for the bridal party i.e. the groom, groomsmen, bridesmaids, pageboys etc. Unless you're in that bridal party, you'd be best to steer clear of trying to match them.

"Etiquette says that the mother of the bride picks their dress and color first," says Sabatino. "You don't want to match, but you do want to coordinate so that you're not totally out of scope."

While many brides prefer white, her closest company favors black, green and pink, among other shades.

What does a purple wedding dress mean? ›

Although darker shades of purple still signify luxury and power, lighter shades of purple can provoke a sense of elegance, whimsy and magic. Its many associations make it one of the more popular wedding colour choices for modern brides.

They represent the unapologetic embrace of individuality and personal style. Wearing black on your wedding day doesn't signify darkness or pessimism; instead, it symbolizes strength, sophistication, and a flair for the dramatic.

This shade is a ceremony-appropriate option with many positive associations, like joy, gratitude, and optimism. Yet another reason brides love the color orange is because of how well it balances shades of blue, a color synonymous with peace, tranquility, loyalty, sincerity, wisdom, and stability.

Brides often select their favourite colours to base their theme around, however one thing to also think about is what mood that colour creates, and what it means about you. White: Symbolic of purity, innocence and cleanliness. White is also a symbol of a fresh beginning or to clear clutter away.

The dress was a 2015 online viral phenomenon centred on a photograph of a dress. Viewers disagreed on whether the dress was blue and black, or white and gold. The phenomenon revealed differences in human colour perception and became the subject of scientific investigations into neuroscience and vision science.

Yellow, orange, or other vibrant warm shades are good if you want to feel happier. Blue and blue-greens are smart for fighting stress. Red "is the obvious choice, but pink is more subtle" if you're heading out on a date or have seduction on the brain. A red-purple works too.

Meaning: Green is most commonly associated with wealth and money. However, it's also the colour of nature, representing life and growth. Although there are some negative connotations associated with the colour green, like envy and jealousy, it's often used by brides to signify their love of nature and the outdoors.

What does red symbolize in a wedding? There's an old wives' tale that wearing red to a wedding means you've slept with the groom or at least wanted to. It's a wedding myth that shouldn't prevent you from wearing whatever you want. However, people perceive the red colour as naughty or alluring.