The wedding day was considered to the most important day in the life of a Victorian girl. The girls were from very beginning had been taught to marry and to take of the family. The marriage of a girl was something very special for the mother, the soon to be bride and her family.


The wedding and its related events were steep in ancient traditions that are still followed today. Among many things influencing a young girl were, the month and the day on which she would get married. June was the popular month for marriage as it resembles the Roman goddess, Juno.

It was believed that the goddess would bring prosperity and happiness to the couples marrying in June. One of the reasons to marry in June was that the bride was likely to birth her first child in spring, giving her plenty of time to relax before the fall harvest. The Victorian brides were superstitious about the wedding day.


In the 16th and 17th century, the teenage brides wore pale green (a sign of fertility). A bride in her twenties wore brown dress, while older women wore black. Since Queen Victorias marriage, white has been the traditional color. The early Victorian dress had fitted bodice, small waist, and full skirt and made of organdy, tulle, lace, gauze, silk, linen or cashmere.


The veil was a fine gauze, sheer cotton or linen. Veils were attached to a tiara of flowers, generally orange blossoms for the bride. The brides along with the dress also had accessories like short white kid gloves, hanky with maiden name initials, silk stockings embroidered, flat shoes ornate with bows and ribbons at the instep.

During the mid years of the Victorian era, emergence of middle-class wealth lead to the new riches, and the wedding gowns were seen as status symbol. In the later years, demi-train large sleeves were in vogue. In case the marriage was in the church, the bridal dress must have a train, with a veil of the same length.


The veil could be lace or silk tulle. From the mid years till 1890s, the veil covered the brides face and was not lifted until after church. The widows remarrying in the early and mid Victorian era, wore a pearl, lavender or satin gown trimmed with ostrich feathers, she had no bridesmaid, no veil and no orange blossoms.


Jewellery is an important element in the weddings. Diamonds have always been favorite jewellery for wedding ceremonies. When the white dress was in fashion, pearl and diamond combinations were generally used. The mid- Victorians wore a diamond diadem for the ceremony to flaunt their wealth. This jewellery was traditionally a gift given to a wife from her husband.


The grooms also were fashion conscious on their wedding day. In the early years, the groom wore a frock coat of blue, mulberry or claret and a flower favor in his collar. By 1865, the coats had a special flower-hole. The grooms waistcoat would be white and trousers of lavender doeskin. By mid years of the era, frock coats were rarely worn.


By 1886, men had started wearing pearl colored gloves having black embroidery. A black colored top hat was an obligation throughout the Victorian years.


By the end of the Victorian era, the weddings were allowed to be in the evening as it is today. The father of the bride dressed like the groom and the groomsmen and according to the time of the day for the marriage ceremony.


Bridesmaid gowns had to be beautiful as they became a part of the brides attire after the wedding. The bridesmaids covered their heads with short white veils falling from a tiara to just below the hip. If the wedding was at home, then no veil was required.


By the mid years of the era, white was out of fashion, but was worn in amalgamation with other colors. By 1898, the bridesmaid had to wear a dress in contrast to the brides dress, and this is still practiced. Children formed an integral part of the weddings. Little girls would be ring bearers and if older, would play the role of junior bridesmaid.


The girls dresses were white muslin tied with a ribbon sash matching their stockings and shoes. Boys would dress in velvet jackets, short trousers and round linen collars fastened by large bows of white crepe de chine. The suits would either be black, green, blue or red with a perfectly matching hat.


It was a social customs stated what mothers and female guests should wear. During a daytime wedding, guests wore walking or visiting costumes, while the mothers and other female family members wore reception toilettes.


It was necessary for all the women to wear bonnets in church, but not compulsory if the wedding was at home. Black was considered to be a perfect color for the mother of the bride in the later years.