When it comes to picking the colour of your wedding dress, you’re often driven by three main factors – personal preference, theme and the time of year. However, there is actually a fourth factor you may like to take notice of – the meaning behind the colour.

Colours and the meaning behind them, was an important part of the Victorian woman’s knowledgebase. She would refer to it when selecting everything, from clothing to flowers, as it was an important part of the overall message they were portraying to others.

However, it’s a knowledge that has severely declined over the years. However, as you’re picking the most important dress you’ll ever wear, we thought it might be useful to share some of that knowledge, regarding the most common colours with you now.

White

White is the colour of purity, peace and comfort. It’s about showcasing how excited you are about this new beginning and the purity of the union between you and your partner. It indicates that you’re an impartial and independent woman who likes everything to be perfect – including your wedding day. White can often be seen as stark, aloof and unflattering – which moves us onto our next colour.

Ivory

Although this was seen as tainted white in Victorian times, thankfully today, it isn’t! Ivory is one of the most popular choices of wedding dress colour, primarily because it suits most skin tones. Ivory is so much softer than white, and it therefore signifies warmth, elegance, sophistication, sensuality and calmness. Ivory indicates that you’re an honest, warm and friendly woman who is gentle, thoughtful and loving, self-confident and you want a wedding that is a stress-free as possible.

Red

Red is the colour of passion and love. A red wedding dress can be worn as a statement of the bride’s excitement, strength, energy and optimism. It’s often a confident bride that opts for red, someone who is happy in the limelight. It shows your desire for a vibrant and enthusiastic wedding – and for life generally.

Black

Seen as a rather odd choice for a wedding however, prior to the marriage of Queen Victoria and Albert, black was the common choice for the older bride. Black is the colour of elegance and class. It indicates a woman who is wealthy, powerful, sexual and who likes to be in control! In wearing black you are illustrating your desire for a serious, methodical and organised wedding – purely on your terms.