Buying and Wearing Victorian Wedding Dresses

The Victorian era conjures up images of luxury and beauty – elegant ladies in ruffles and lace, gentlemen who still have a sense of chivalry.  It's no wonder that many brides want to add a taste of that era to their weddings, in the form of a Victorian wedding gown.  There are lots of styles and options to choose from, and you can make your ensemble as elaborate or simple as you like.  You might even want to add a Victorian theme to some or all of your wedding.  A high tea as a reception, or a ceremony where the wedding party and guests arrive in costume might really make your day magical. 

Victorian wedding dresses do take a little more effort to wear than most contemporary gowns.  To achieve the right shape, almost all Victorian wedding gowns require corsetry, and many require some type of skirt support – a bustle, hoop skirt, or skirt pad.  These can be more difficult to manage if you're not used to wearing them.  When you choose a Victorian wedding dress, take into account whether or not you're willing to wear particular undergarments.  If your dress requires corsetry or other underthings that you're not used to, try them on and wear them around in private for a while.  You should also practice walking in long skirts or a train if you haven't worn them in the past. 

There are many styles of Victorian wedding dress, as the period spanned nearly a century.  From prim and proper 1840s styles to extravagant Civil War dresses, elaborate flounced and trimmed bustle styles to the sleek skirts and puffed sleeves of the Gay Nineties, there are lots of options to choose from.  It's often a good idea to get Victorian wedding dresses custom made to fit, so your seamstress or tailor will be able to help you decide if you're not sure what you want. 

Corsets or boned bodices should use steel, rather than plastic, unless you have a very slight figure.  This is because plastic boning can warm up, and conform to the body, causing your gown to fit poorly.  Remember that while a corset can smooth out or hide the things you don't like about your figure, and enhance those you do, you shouldn't be too overly ambitious.  A corset that gives you a slight reduction shouldn't be painful or tiring to wear.  One that's too tight, on the other hand, could become unpleasant after a long day. 

One thing that brides don't often think about when wearing a Victorian wedding gown is the space it will take up.  For slim dresses, this isn't a problem.  However, if you're going to be wearing a Civil War style gown or a bustle dress, you should take the size of the skirt into account.  Otherwise, you may find yourself knocking over chairs, or struggling to fit through doorways – not the way you'd like to spend your special day.  This doesn't mean wearing a Victorian wedding dress has to be a big hassle – you'll just have to plan for it. 

White is the traditional color for weddings, a trend started by Queen Victoria herself.  Throughout the period, most brides wore white. However, not all did, and this doesn't mean that you need to be restricted to that color for your wedding.  This is your big day – feel free to use your imagination.

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