Wedding traditions with the colour white

White is so tied to the Western wedding that many people think it is the only wedding colour.

White is so tied to the Western wedding that many people think it is the only wedding colour. The custom is more recent and more varied than that, and white has a different meaning in other parts of the world.

How white became the fashion

Queen Victoria wore white lace at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840, and the picture spread through magazines and department stores. White was a sign of wealth, since it was hard to keep clean, and later a symbol of purity, though the claim that white always stood for virginity is a modern simplification. Before that, brides wore their best dress in any colour.

White in other cultures

In Japan the shiromuku is white to show a bride who is ready to take on the colours of her husband's house. In many Buddhist and Chinese communities white is the colour of mourning, and a white wedding dress may be worn only for the photographs. In India some communities, such as Kerala Christians and Parsi brides, wear white or cream. In Western Christianity white is also the colour of baptism.

About this page

Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on The colour white (symbol). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

🇺🇦 UkraineSong about the RushnykПісня про рушник (Pisnia pro rushnyk) A Ukrainian song that celebrates the embroidered cloth used in weddings and family life.Performance · The ceremony

🇲🇱 MaliWeddings in Mali Multi-day Malian wedding traditions blending Islamic rites, civil law, and local customs with bazin attire.Rite · Engagement and betrothal

🇪🇸 Spain and 4 moreMantilla A lace or silk veil worn over the head and shoulders by women in Spain and Latin AmericaAttire · The weeks before

🇮🇩 IndonesiaUlosᯥᯞᯘᯬ᯲ The hand-woven textile that binds Batak couples in marriage and symbolizes warmth.Attire · The ceremony

🇱🇦 Laos and 1 moreBaciບາສີ (Lao); บายศรี (Thai) The wrist-tying ceremony that calls the soul back to restore balance and good luck.Blessing · The ceremony

🇲🇾 Malaysia and 4 moreBaju Kurungباجو كوروڠ The traditional blouse and skirt worn by Malay women for weddings and religious ceremoniesAttire · The weeks before

🇪🇹 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and 1 moreZuria The ankle-length dress with woven hem bands worn by Tigrinya and Amhara women for weddings and holidays.Attire · The weeks before 🇮🇳 Kochi, IndiaKasavuകസാവ് The white cotton and gold border attire worn by Malayalis for weddings and festivals.Attire · The weeks before

🇬🇭 Ghana and 2 moreKente clothnwentoma Hand-woven silk and cotton strips from Ghana that mark weddings and graduationsAttire · The ceremony

🇮🇹 Rome, ItalyWeddings in ancient Rome The religious ceremonies and attire that marked a union in the city of Rome before the rise of Christianity.Rite · The weeks before

🇲🇽 Oaxaca, Mexico and 1 moreHuipilhuīpīlli The traditional tunic worn by indigenous women in Mexico and Central America for weddings and daily life.Attire · The weeks before

🇳🇬 Iseyin, Nigeria and 2 moreAso okeAṣọ òkè Hand-woven cloth worn by the Yoruba for weddings and formal gatheringsAttire · The ceremony

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreWhite wedding A formal Western ceremony marked by a white bridal gown and traditional Christian rituals.Attire · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 IndiaOdia Hindu weddingBahaghara (ଓଡ଼ିଆ ବାହାଘର) The traditional Hindu marriage ceremony of the Odia people in Odisha, India.Rite · Engagement and betrothal 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreChuraचूरा (Hindi) The red and white bangles that mark a bride's new status in Indian Hindu weddingsAttire · The weeks before

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreWedding dress The ceremonial garment worn by the bride during her marriage rite.Attire · The ceremony

🇳🇬 NigeriaIgbo traditional marriageIgba Nkwu The multi-stage Igbo marriage process that formalizes a union through family negotiations and the wine-carrying ceremonyRite · Finding a match

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreCare cloth A linen or silk cloth held over the heads of a bride and groom during a Christian wedding blessing.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreToporটোপর The fragile white conical crown worn by the Bengali Hindu groom for luck.Attire · The weeks before

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreWedding superstitions Traditional beliefs about luck and omens that shape wedding rituals across culturesAttire · The weeks before

🇹🇴 Tonga and 2 moreTaʻovala The woven pandanus mat worn around the waist for formal occasions and weddings in Tonga.Attire · The weeks before

🇮🇳 Kanchipuram, India and 1 moreWedding sari The traditional draped garment worn by brides in South Asia for their marriage ceremony.Attire · The ceremony

🇯🇵 Tokyo, JapanShinto wedding神前結婚 (Shinzen kekkon) A Shinto purification ritual featuring sake sharing and kimono attire held at a shrine or venue.Rite · The ceremony

🇰🇷 South KoreaDangui당의 A long upper garment worn by Korean brides over a chima and jeogori during the Joseon period.Attire · The ceremony

🇯🇵 JapanTsunokakushi角隠し A white silk headdress worn by Shinto brides to cover the hairline and symbolize modesty.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreWedding veil A cloth covering the head or face worn by brides and grooms to mark marriage.Attire · The ceremony

🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreLenten veilFastentuch A large painted or embroidered canvas that covers the altar during Lent to create a period of visual penance.Rite · The weeks before

🇩🇪 GermanyBollenhut A straw hat with woolen pompoms worn by women in specific Black Forest villages as part of their traditional dress.Attire · The weeks before 🇮🇩 Palembang, IndonesiaSeting clothes and Cual cloth The red velvet top and intricate ikat skirt worn by Bangka Belitung brides and grooms.Attire · The ceremony

🇳🇬 Iseyin, Nigeria and 2 moreYoruba wedding attire Traditional garments worn by Yoruba couples and guests to mark marriage celebrations.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇩 IndonesiaKawung batikBatik Kawung A traditional Indonesian textile pattern inspired by the kawung fruit and lotus flower.Attire · The ceremony

🇩🇿 Tlemcen, AlgeriaChedda of Tlemcenشدة تلمسانية (Shadda Tlimsānī) The velvet and gold kaftan worn by brides in Tlemcen, Algeria, for their wedding ceremony.Attire · The ceremony

🇷🇴 Ieud, RomaniaNunta mortului A symbolic Romanian rite that dresses an unmarried dead person as a bride or groom to complete their life cycle.Rite · The weeks before

🇳🇬 Nigeria and 1 moreOkpu Aguokpu agụ A traditional knitted cap worn by Igbo men at weddings and ceremonies to signal status and heritage.Attire · The ceremony

🇿🇦 South Africa and 1 moreShweshweSeshoeshoe A printed cotton fabric worn by Xhosa and Sotho brides and married women in Southern Africa.Attire · The ceremony

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreWhite tie The highest level of formal Western evening attire for men and womenAttire · The ceremony

🇳🇬 Nigeria and 5 moreDashiki suit The tailored tunic and trousers worn by grooms in West African and diaspora weddingsAttire · The ceremony

🇻🇳 Huế, VietnamÁo nhật bình A rectangular-collared court robe worn by Nguyễn dynasty women for weddings and ceremonies.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇳 Firozabad, India and 1 moreBangle A rigid circular bracelet worn by women in South Asia and beyond, often marking marital status or festive occasions.Adornment · The ceremony

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Okpu Agu: Justice kelechi achinefu, CC0, source
Dashiki suit: Emilio Labrador, CC BY 2.0, source
Huipil: Gift in memory of Elizabeth Ege Freudenheim, No restrictions, source
Shinto wedding: Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Interfaith marriage in Christianity: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source
Aso oke: Wolf D., Public domain, source
Taʻovala: James Foster, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Wedding sari: Tarquin Binary, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
White tie: jonlo168, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Dangui: derivative work: Caspian blue ( talk ) Korean_royal_costumes-06.jpg :, CC BY 2.0, source
Tsunokakushi: Flickr user Photocapy, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Shweshwe: HelenOnline, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Baci: Dalbera, CC BY 2.0, source
Bangle: schwiki, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Bollenhut: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Zuria: Kurt Bauschardt, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Kente cloth: ZSM, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Odia Hindu wedding: Aditya Mahar, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Igbo traditional marriage: Olugold, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Yoruba wedding attire: Wolf D., Public domain, source
Weddings in ancient Rome: Meister der Aldobrandinischen Hochzeit, Public domain, source
Kawung batik: Alteaven, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Chedda of Tlemcen: Dezedien, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Wedding dress: Statens historiska museer, CC BY 2.5, source
Weddings in Mali: HawaG, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Care cloth: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Topor: Sumit Paul-Choudhury, CC BY 2.0, source
Mantilla: Museu Valencià d'Etnologia, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Áo nhật bình: Unknown author, CC0, source
Baju Kurung: Ministry of Information official photographer, Public domain, source
Wedding veil: David Ring, CC0, source
Ulos: Boy Lawson, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Wedding superstitions: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
Nunta mortului: Iosif Berman, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Lenten veil: Plutowiki, CC0, source