Western culture

In modern tradition, the color of western-culture wedding dresses is white. Used in this sense, 'white' or 'wedding white' includes creamy shades such as eggshell, ecru and ivory. The popularity of this color can be traced back to 1840 and the marriage of Queen Victoria to Albert of Saxe-Coburg. The Queen chose to wear a white gown for the event. The official wedding portrait photograph was widely published and many brides opted for a similar dress in honor of that choice. The tradition continues today. (See white wedding.) Prior to the Victorian era a bride was married in any colour except black (the colour of mourning) or red (which was connected with prostitutes). The white dress came to symbolize purity of heart and the innocence of childhood. Later attribution suggested that the colour white symbolized virginity.

The term Bridal Gown originates from the word al which means party combined with bride is Bridal i.e. "Brides Party Gown". Originally in the Middle Ages wedding parties were simply called Bride-al's. A bridal train is the part of the wedding dress that trails behind the bride, the term is derived from similar train worn by Kings & Queens, which themselves are derived from seeing a Peacock, which were used as royal birds.

Many wedding dresses in China are colored red, the traditional colour of good luck. In modern Chinese weddings, particularly in Western countries, the bride usually opts for the white Western dress or changes from a red gown to a white gown later in the day.

Also in India the traditional colour of female wedding garments is red. With Indians in Western countries, the bride often wears the red sari at the wedding ceremony and changes into white for the reception after.