Katharina Buczek
With wedding season right around the corner, it’s probably a good time to issue a refresher about guest etiquette.
No, I’m not talking about simply showing up on time or refraining from taking iPhone pictures during the ceremony. Instead, we need to get to the bottom of why you must avoid wearing white to other people’s weddings.
The History Of The “No White” Rule
Queen Victoria has been credited with trailblazing the white wedding dress tradition. After she married Prince Albert in 1840 and picked out a gorgeous lace-embellished white satin gown, photographs of the ceremony spread like wildfire throughout England.
Then, once women, young and old, saw the images, brides everywhere began to copy the Queen’s style by donning luxurious white gowns to their own weddings.
At the same time, the solidification of white as a “bridal color” meant that a guest wearing white to witness nuptials was generally frowned upon.
And even though Millenials have revamped countless age-old wedding traditions in recent decades, the “no white” rule has persevered. Here’s why.
Stop Wearing White To Weddings
You may have a wedding approaching and a seemingly perfect gown already hanging in your closet. The only problem, though, is that the dress is ivory, cream, eggshell, or any other term for “white.”
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