Wedding Dresses in Ancient Times and Medieval Times

Wedding dresses have changed much throughout the years, the colors and styles of modern times are different from ancient times and medieval times. However, there is one thing that never changed is that all brides will dress in their best for the occasion.

Ancient Times
In ancient times, many weddings were economic unions rather than the joining of two people in love. However, ancient brides still chose to symbolize their happiness by wearing brightly colored wedding garments. The wedding kiss was considered legally binding and represented acceptance of the contract of marriage by the bride and groom.
Medieval Times
During Medieval times, the wedding was still more than just a union between two people. It often represented a union between two families, two businesses and even two countries. Weddings were often arranged and more a matter of politics than love. A bride had to dress in a manner which cast her family in the most favorable light, since she wasn’t only representing herself.
Medieval brides of an elevated social standing wore rich colors, expensive fabrics and often had gems sewn into the bridal wedding dresses. It was common to see well-to-do brides wearing boldly colored layers of furs, velvet and silk. Those of a lower social standing wore fabrics that weren’t as rich, though they copied the elegant styles as best they could. They sometimes chose simple wedding dresses which were cheaper.