White dress for virgins only?

Trishiam · October 2010

Is it still required that the bride be a virgin if she's wearing white? Found the cutest dress but it's white and I don't want to come off as if I think I'm fooling everyone. Is that tradition over?

JustKate · October 2010

I have a child and I'm still wearing whiite because it's my first (and last) wedding.

Beachy730 · October 2010

Hahahahaha

It's definitely over.

SuMmErKuTiE · October 2010

Haha.. wow then no one that I've witnessed get married the past several years should have been wearing white... but they all did and so did I.

That's a very old and silly tradition, and I honestly don't think it's been held to in decades. If you fell in love with a white gown then get it! No one else should be dictating what you wear on your wedding day but you.

trix1223 · October 2010

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

::stops to catch breath::

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

I think the expectation that every bride in white was a virgin disappeared a long, long, long time ago.

alainn15 · October 2010

Im' a mom and second time bride and I'm wearing white.

sytom · October 2010

So over ! : )

aerinpegadrak · October 2010

I don't believe white ever actually symbolized virginity. The color most associated with virginity is blue, in honor of the Virgin Mary. Brides starting wearing white in emulation of Queen Victoria, and as a symbol of wealth, as only a very rich woman could afford such an impractical garment. Everyone else just got married in her very nicest dress, regardless of color.

In short, wear whatever color you want.

tldh · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_white-dress?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:15Discussion:2b567ca0-2bdd-419e-89a7-f8310c9badacPost:fbcfb7be-8f64-4724-b12d-819e1eeff232">Re: White dress for virgins only?</a>:
[QUOTE]I don't believe white ever actually symbolized virginity. The color most associated with virginity is blue, in honor of the Virgin Mary. Brides starting wearing white in emulation of Queen Victoria, and as a symbol of wealth, as only a very rich woman could afford such an impractical garment. Everyone else just got married in her very nicest dress, regardless of color. In short, wear whatever color you want.
Posted by aerinpegadrak[/QUOTE]

honey, it's been over for decades.....

@Aerin - you knew the answer to my trivia quesiton that wasn't about South Park or Hell's Kitchen :) I guess Emily just beat you to it.

[Deleted User] · October 2010

Definitely over. Wear what you want to.

aerinpegadrak · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_white-dress?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:15Discussion:2b567ca0-2bdd-419e-89a7-f8310c9badacPost:5f197ee5-cad0-442f-a281-d3678768ad9a">Re: White dress for virgins only?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: White dress for virgins only? : honey, it's been over for decades..... @Aerin - you knew the answer to my trivia quesiton that wasn't about South Park or Hell's Kitchen :) I guess Emily just beat you to it.
Posted by tldh[/QUOTE]
Oh yeah, I'm pretty good with trivia. It was just all the TV stuff that threw me. :P

baboox · October 2010

And same with the veil

megjm.614 · October 2010

Not saying there's anything wrong with it but I don't even think I know anyone that is unmarried and still a virgin (past a certain age) and I've definitely never been to a wedding where the bride, while wearing white, was a virgin.

hanson2B · October 2010

From what I've seen, you definitely don't have to be a virgin to wear a white dress, but people usually do not wear a white dress if it is their second (or third or fourth) marriage... it's usually a first marriage thing.

Trishiam · October 2010

Thanks for all the input! I didn't think it was an issue anymore till I showed my coworker my dress and she fell out of her seat laughing when she realized it was white. I felt like such an idiot but I'm glad to know her opinion was a bit outdated. Thanks everyone!

alaea · October 2010

if this were a current trend...I'd be wearing midnight black...lol

Ashes_3 · October 2010

This is so over!!!

cqbride · October 2010

It was never a tradition, that's a myth. PP is correct, it began with Queen Victoria. Besides which, bright white in fabric other than cotton is pretty much as old as the advent of synthetic fiber. There are certain connotations of white as meaning "purity" that have mistakenly been interpreted to equate virginity with wedding gowns. However, this isn't where the tradition stems from. Tell your coworker that it comes of as ignorant to criticize someone when you don't even know what you're talking about.

dizzinea · October 2010

no one cares anymore wear what you want, if that was true white dresses would be very very rare!

marissa_claire · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_white-dress?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:15Discussion:2b567ca0-2bdd-419e-89a7-f8310c9badacPost:9f3cba70-dfe0-4fec-a377-9f03736e3367">Re: White dress for virgins only?</a>:
[QUOTE]no one cares anymore wear what you want, if that was true white dresses would be very very rare!
Posted by dizzinea[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>I second that motion!

</div>

tlbattaglia · October 2010

I'm saying it's definitely over. I'm wearing white.

golden1215 · October 2010

DH and I had our 2 year old daughter at our wedding... and I wore a white dress :-)

futurepivko · October 2010

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

sorry.

yeah i would say thats over

direy25 · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_white-dress?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:15Discussion:2b567ca0-2bdd-419e-89a7-f8310c9badacPost:3bc0540e-362a-4162-9d14-959b6a62883f">Re: White dress for virgins only?</a>:
[QUOTE]if this were a current trend...I'd be wearing midnight black...lol
Posted by alaea[/QUOTE]
LOL!!!

aerinpegadrak · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_white-dress?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:15Discussion:2b567ca0-2bdd-419e-89a7-f8310c9badacPost:10b01bd9-659b-4a7e-99b5-b443013170e2">Re: White dress for virgins only?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: White dress for virgins only? : Ahem. Actually it's older than that. It started in ancient Greece, when EVERYONE wore white to a wedding because white was a color of celebration and peace, so wearing it showed that you were happy to be there and willing to set aside any squabbles or differences with family or neighbors for that day. But, yeah, still never had anything to do with virginity.
Posted by StageManager14[/QUOTE]
Very true. However, I think the strict association of the color with "bride," as opposed to being just a general wedding color, is mainly traced to Victoria.

aerinpegadrak · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_white-dress?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:15Discussion:2b567ca0-2bdd-419e-89a7-f8310c9badacPost:1361edc2-0269-4675-9e81-8c42e8af1540">Re: White dress for virgins only?</a>:
[QUOTE]Very true aerin. <strong>I just don't get a whole lot of chance to show off my super nerdiness, lol, so I tend to pounce when I do.</strong> But the "bride being the only one in white and wearing a big floofy gown" was definitely from the Queen's court and example.
Posted by StageManager14[/QUOTE]
You and me both, sister. Why do you think I posted in this thread in the first place?

jess9802 · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_white-dress?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:15Discussion:2b567ca0-2bdd-419e-89a7-f8310c9badacPost:cb20efcd-e6e3-4f36-9b0b-56b64c76d67f">Re: White dress for virgins only?</a>:
[QUOTE]Not saying there's anything wrong with it but I don't even think I know anyone that is unmarried and still a virgin (past a certain age) and I've definitely never been to a wedding where the bride, while wearing white, was a virgin.
Posted by megjm.614[/QUOTE]

LOL. I've been to a couple such weddings myself...including one where the 35 year old groom was a virgin, too. He didn't wear white, though. :P

mcaples · November 2010

I am a virgin and so is my fiance and we are getting married in about a year. So now you know someone who is a virgin and not married. I am wearing white, but I dont necessarily think it is wrong for someone who is not a virgin to wear white. I am just excited I get to wear white while still being a virgin!

White dress for virgins only?

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