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Why Western brides wear white, why red is the bridal colour in India and China, and what brides wear in Japan, Korea, Nigeria and beyond.
It depends where you are. In the West, brides usually wear a white dress, a custom that took off after Queen Victoria wore white in 1840. In India and China, red is the traditional bridal colour, linked to luck and prosperity. In Japan, a bride may wear a white kimono for the ceremony and change into a colourful one for the reception. Many brides now wear more than one outfit, combining a family tradition with a white gown.
Traditional bridal wear by culture: Western (Europe, North America), Wedding gown, often with a veil, White or ivory; India, Sari or lehenga with gold embroidery, Red, though it varies by region; China, Red skirt or embroidered dress, Red; Japan (Shinto ceremony), Shiromuku kimono, then a coloured kimono, White, then colour; Korea, Wonsam, a ceremonial robe, Rich colours; Yoruba (Nigeria), Aso oke cloth with a gele head tie, Varies.
White was not always the rule. The V&A notes that before the 1840s it was quite usual for a bride to wear red, pink, blue, brown or even black, and many women chose coloured or patterned fabric because it was more practical and affordable.
India. Red is the classic bridal colour for many Hindu brides. The V&A notes that red is thought to signal future success and prosperity, and the Wikipedia article on wedding dresses describes brides wearing a red sari with gold brocade. In practice it varies by region and community: many brides wear a lehenga, and some regional traditions use white, gold or other colours. A bride may change outfits several times over a multi-day wedding. See Indian wedding traditions and what to expect at an Indian wedding.
In a traditional Japanese Shinto wedding, the V&A explains, the bride wears a white under-kimono and a heavy white outer kimono called a shiromuku. Before the reception she changes into an elaborate, brightly coloured outer kimono. The museum notes that some modern brides change into a Western gown instead. More in Japanese wedding traditions.
The traditional Korean bridal garment is the wonsam, a ceremonial robe once worn at court. The Wikipedia article on the wonsam notes it was also worn by commoners at their weddings, and today is worn mainly as a wedding garment. Many Korean couples now hold a Western-style ceremony and then change into traditional dress for a family ceremony afterwards. Korean wedding traditions has the detail.
For Yoruba weddings, aso oke, a hand-woven cloth, is worn for special occasions including weddings, and the women's outfit includes a gele head tie, according to the Wikipedia article on aso oke. Many Nigerian couples hold a traditional engagement in cultural dress and a church or civic wedding with a white gown, often on different days. Other Nigerian peoples have their own styles. See Nigerian wedding traditions and, for guests, what to wear to a Nigerian wedding.
Across many cultures, it's common for a bride to wear two or more outfits: one for a religious or traditional ceremony and another for the reception. In a multicultural wedding it's often a practical way to honour both families. How to plan a multicultural wedding and should you have two wedding ceremonies help with the planning, and how much to spend on a wedding dress covers budget.
The custom took off after Queen Victoria wore a white gown for her wedding in 1840. Before that, brides commonly wore coloured dresses, often their best one.
In both cultures, red is linked to luck, happiness and prosperity. Customs vary by region, and many modern brides wear red for some parts of the wedding and other colours for others.
In a traditional Shinto wedding, a white kimono called a shiromuku for the ceremony, then a colourful kimono or a Western gown for the reception.
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