Wedding Dresses

Elizabethan Wedding Dresses

If you are interested to find out more things about the Elizabethan period and clothing you must definitely need to read the following. Concerning the Elizabethan wedding dresses we can tell you that tradition didn’t implied the usage of any white wedding dress for brides, but this idea was generated later in the years to come.




Brides from the Renaissance period were supposed to wear whatever they wanted to, a gown they had in their closets and liked very much or other dress they could buy for a low price and use it in other circumstances and events as well. There was no tradition to claim the white wedding dress yet, because the money were few and most brides had to dress in whatever they had at that time. The bridal wedding dress wasn’t a very special outfit for the Elizabethan brides, therefore many women married in different dresses, with colorful designs, simple and usual shapes.

These particular Elizabethan wedding dresses were very long and decent, the bride’s body being covered almost entirely by her wedding gown. Besides this, the bride wore as well a cloak over the dress for a more formal look. The Elizabethan wedding dress fabrics were very fashionable and expensive: satin, velvet, corduroy, but that for the royal brides or those belonging to a noble family. The only thing that was really sexy and attractive to these long dresses was a necklace of the dress, meant to ease the looks over the bride’s breast. The Elizabethan wedding dresses were beautifully decorated with linen ruffs and fine satin.

The symbolism of these dresses was a sign of purity, innocence and sobriety, and it could be seen mostly in bride’s hair-style: loosen and long. As for the other married women invited at Elizabethan wedding, their hair was hidden underneath a specific bonnet. Only single ladies were allowed to wear their hair loose.

The bride’s hair was often adorned with fresh flowers as a symbol for femininity and innocence as well. The gown could be decorated with flowers too, for a more beautiful, joyful and fresh appearance of the bride. The rich brides had their Elizabethan wedding dresses adorned with all kinds of jewels and silver or gold threads. For the brides belonging to a lower class in society the wedding dresses or garments were usually made from wool, flax or cotton fabrics. At least the colors were very rich, attractive, solid and bright.

The “ordinary” brides often used red Elizabethan wedding dresses, orange, green, tan, black, or grey gowns. Corsets were very popular, but without any other “extra” undergarment. Beneath the wedding dress, women usually wore chemises or shifts. The traditional wedding bouquet was an important piece of the wedding, and the bridesmaids were supposed to wear a similar bouquet as well.

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