Fun Facts about Wedding Gowns
Wedding dresses in Albuquerque
You’re getting married – congratulations! Weddings have been happening since ancient times so it’s no surprise that traditions that began centuries ago have changed and come down to our day. Here is some great trivia to shock and amaze and amuse you and your wedding party.
1.) The most expensive wedding gown ever made was worn on May 22, 1981, by Princess Salama in Dubai. It cost $44 million.
2.) Black wedding gowns were especially popular in Scandinavian countries in the 1800s. At that time, brides chose any color. White wasn’t popular though.
3.) Brides began tossing bouquets after the Middle Ages to distract people while the couple escaped to the bridal chamber.
4.) There's a saying that a veil is what turns a woman in a beautiful white dress into a bride.
5.) 1942's Casablanca is still one of the Top 10 most romantic stories ever on film, according to AskMen.com
6.) Queen Victoria of England broke the mold by wearing a white wedding dress in 1840. Her choice of color was considered unusual. Dresses then were made of heavy silk satin and colored.
7.) The average cost of a wedding dress in the US is more than $1,600.
8.) The average cost of a dress at Kleinfeld in NYC is $4,500. The average cost of a dress at Uptown Bride is $1500.
9.) Christmas day is the most popular day to get engaged.
10.) The average wedding in New Mexico costs $22,000.
11.) Age can matter. Couples who get married between the ages of 28 and 32 are more likely to weather the ups and downs of a marriage.
12.) Spend time together. Couples who spend more time together have the most successful marriages. Surveys show if you spend more than five hours with your partner, you’re more likely to stay married than average couples who live their lives more apart.
13.) You’ve heard the expression Sealed with a Kiss? In ancient Rome, a contract was sealed with a kiss – a sign of a legal bond. That is why wedding ceremonies conclude with a kiss as well.
14.) The old rhyme Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue. The something old is to remind the couples of their families and those who came before them. And the color blue is the sign of purity, love and trustfulness.
15.) The world’s most expensive wedding dress cost $12.2 million. You like bling? This one showed off 150 carats worth of diamonds. It was designed by designers Martin Katz and Renee Strauss.
16.) Eyebrows are a big deal; we all know that. They were also considered very attractive to those in ancient China. They began the practice of shaving the bride’s eyebrows to make her less attractive to other men.
17.) The original translation of the word “bride” is a Proto-Germanic word meaning “cook”. Let’s hear it for change!
18.) Surveys show that marriage means more in terms of a satisfying life than sex or money.
19.) Carrying the bride over the threshold started in ancient Rome and was to protect the bride from evil spirits. It was thought that new homes were filled with spirits who lived in the home before the happy couples moved in. And if she tripped coming in the door, that was thought to bring in more bad luck.
20.) Today, more grooms than ever are taking an active part in their wedding planning. 75 percent of them take part in selecting the gifts to register for in the gift registries. And 40 percent take an active role in planning the wedding.
21.) Another ancient tradition that’s been passed down through time is that of throwing the garter or a bride’s bouquet. This originated from the bride tearing off a bit of her gown after the ceremony for good luck. It evolved into the bouquet and garter for ease.
22.) Food has a part in marriage traditions. In ancient times, celebrants broke bread over the bride’s head, thinking this would help with fertility. But food differs with the cultures. For example, in Japan, they serve fish eggs (herring roe) and sushi for fertility. And in Mexico, it is considered good luck to serve roasted goats.
23.) What’s in the name? It’s common for many brides to take on the last name of their husband. This began so family lines could be tracked. It also demonstrated the family bond and peace between different lands.
24.) Surveys show that husbands who make a habit of kissing their wives each morning live longer by five years, compared to those who don’t.
25.) Having a flower girl toss flower petals down the aisle before the bride walks down it is to give the couple a sweet and beautiful life together.
26.) From ancient Greece we get the tradition of bringing sugan into the ceremony. The thought was that putting a lump of sugar in the gown would give the couples good luck. That superstition continues today by putting sugar somewhere more comfortable and less noticeable, like a pair of gloves or a pocket.
27.) What’s the most expensive engagement ring on record? It belonged to Elizabeth Taylor and was $8.8 million. Each year in the United States 17 tons of gold is put into wedding rings. Today’s average engagement ring costs a little more than $3500.
28.) Thinking of eloping to Las Vegas? If you go on Christmas or Valentine’s Day, you won’t be alone. Those days are the busiest of the year with more than 100,000 ceremonies performed in Las Vegas on those two days.
These wedding traditions are constantly changing to adapt to each person’s personality and wedding. You might choose not to do many of the traditional wedding things, or you might want to create your own – something that will have meaning for you and your friends or family. You can take from the basics and with your creativity, you can come up with a list of things you want to do at your wedding. Include others in the tradition. Make it your own, and it’ll be something that will stand the test of time too.
