For many a modern day bride, tradition is still an important aspect of their wedding day and for those brides who have dreamed of a big, white wedding the ideal place for their nuptials is often their local church. Particularly for brides who have connections with their local parish or wish to marry in the same place as their parents or grandparents, a church wedding is a wonderful choice. A traditional church wedding can be a small intimate affair or a grand occasion however, a marriage service conducted in church, regardless of denomination will be presided over by a pastor or a priest and will include reference to God and The Bible in the form of readings, prayers and hymns. As it is a widely held belief in the Christian faith that marriage is a union not only of two people but of their families and friends also, most Christian ceremonies will also include some form of pledge from the local community to support the couple in their relationship. There are many things to consider when planning a traditional church ceremony, not least that your choice of bridal fabrics are suited to the location.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge observed the custom of Westminster Abbey and covered her arms when she wed William.[/caption]
Whilst there are no regulations with regards to the colour and style of dress that can be worn in a C of E or Catholic Church and customs vary from place to place, the hard and fast rule to remember is that you are marrying in a place of worship and it is important to have respect for that fact by staying away from very revealing designs such as a particularly low cut neckline or backless designs. It is unusual to see very outlandish shades of bridal fabric during a church ceremony and traditionally brides will wear vivid white to represent cleanliness and purity. However, in recent years the rules have relaxed slightly and many modern brides marrying in a traditional church service can often be seen wearing gowns created from bridal fabrics in shades of ivory, cream and very occasionally, gold. If you are opting for a grand ceremony in a cathedral it is often required for the bride and all of the guests to have their shoulders covered and ceremonies taking place in an Abbey will require the bride to dress in a demure manner and have her whole arms covered by her wedding gown. Catherine Middleton respected this custom when she wed Prince William at Westminster Abbey by ensuring her dress included sleeves of lace on a gown that suited the grandeur of the occasion.
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Brides marrying in traditional church ceremonies often choose gowns with more volume and structure crafted from materials such as Duchess Satin.[/caption]
Whilst it is important to respect the custom of your chosen venue that does not mean that you are limited in your choice of dress design or when selecting your bridal fabrics. Many different designs of bridal gown can be seen gliding down the aisle including the extravagant ball gown style of dress, a classic sweetheart or a timeless A-Line design. Brides marrying in buildings large in size or with particularly grand architecture often choose a more extravagant style of dress, often with a wide skirt in order to "fill" the space as she walks down the aisle toward her groom and may choose to incorporate a dress hoop to add volume and width to her dress. Whether you choose a princess style gown or a more demure design, the choice of bridal fabrics are vast. Here are just a few options to consider when constructing your dream white wedding gown.
Duchess Satin - a stunning material which is one of our best selling bridal fabrics year after year. Duchess satin is an elegant and lustrous bridal fabric which is heavy in weight with a more matte finish than some of its satin counterparts. This is the perfect choice of bridal fabric for elaborate, princess style gowns. Available in a wide range of colours, duchess satin is also a popular choice for bridesmaid dresses and matching cravats.
Chiffon - often used as an overlay alongside other bridal fabrics such as satin or taffeta, chiffon is a lightweight, plain woven fabric for a glamorous and elegant style of gown. Chiffon is ideal for giving an elegant and floaty appearance to your bridal gown and can be layered to add volume.
Taffeta - usually woven from synthetic fibres, taffeta is a high-end bridal fabric of particularly lustrous appearance and has long been used in the manufacture of couture bridal gowns. Characterised by it's stiff, crisp appearance; taffeta is recognisable by the rustling sound it makes when the wearer moves. Taffeta has been one of the best selling bridal fabrics on the market for decades and is still one of our best selling every wedding season.
Extra Stiff Dress Net - one of the main things that is consistent in traditional designs of wedding gowns is that it will include some kind of dress net. Perfect for use alongside any of our other bridal fabrics, extra stiff dress net is a rigid material and is used to create a voluminous design to achieve the fairytale princess effect coveted by many traditional brides on their wedding day.
Veiling - traditional brides marrying in a religious ceremony are not often seen without a veil. For classic, formal dresses the shortest length of veil considered to be suitable is the elbow length veil which is often chosen by brides who choose romantic ball gown style dresses, because they end where the fullness in the skirt begins. The most popular and versatile length of bridal veil is the fingertip length which will suit most styles of gown. For traditional ceremonies most brides will opt for chapel length or cathedral length veils. The chapel length veil is a floor length design which are often chosen to compliment a dress featuring a train. The longest length is the cathedral length veil which is the most formal style of veil and will compliment a full length, classic gown. Our range of veiling is a soft, delicate bridal fabric with a stunning drape. Due it's extremely high quality, our bridal veiling is strong enough to be beaded and embellished to create a stunning veil which will compliment your gown.
We hope traditional brides have found today's entry helpful and if you are opting for a modern civil ceremony or beach wedding keep an eye on our blog for future entries packed full of tips for constructing your ideal gown.
Until next time!
Calico Laine
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge observed the custom of Westminster Abbey and covered her arms when she wed William.[/caption]
Whilst there are no regulations with regards to the colour and style of dress that can be worn in a C of E or Catholic Church and customs vary from place to place, the hard and fast rule to remember is that you are marrying in a place of worship and it is important to have respect for that fact by staying away from very revealing designs such as a particularly low cut neckline or backless designs. It is unusual to see very outlandish shades of bridal fabric during a church ceremony and traditionally brides will wear vivid white to represent cleanliness and purity. However, in recent years the rules have relaxed slightly and many modern brides marrying in a traditional church service can often be seen wearing gowns created from bridal fabrics in shades of ivory, cream and very occasionally, gold. If you are opting for a grand ceremony in a cathedral it is often required for the bride and all of the guests to have their shoulders covered and ceremonies taking place in an Abbey will require the bride to dress in a demure manner and have her whole arms covered by her wedding gown. Catherine Middleton respected this custom when she wed Prince William at Westminster Abbey by ensuring her dress included sleeves of lace on a gown that suited the grandeur of the occasion.
[caption id="attachment_6348" align="alignright" width="225"] Brides marrying in traditional church ceremonies often choose gowns with more volume and structure crafted from materials such as Duchess Satin.[/caption]
Whilst it is important to respect the custom of your chosen venue that does not mean that you are limited in your choice of dress design or when selecting your bridal fabrics. Many different designs of bridal gown can be seen gliding down the aisle including the extravagant ball gown style of dress, a classic sweetheart or a timeless A-Line design. Brides marrying in buildings large in size or with particularly grand architecture often choose a more extravagant style of dress, often with a wide skirt in order to "fill" the space as she walks down the aisle toward her groom and may choose to incorporate a dress hoop to add volume and width to her dress. Whether you choose a princess style gown or a more demure design, the choice of bridal fabrics are vast. Here are just a few options to consider when constructing your dream white wedding gown.
Duchess Satin - a stunning material which is one of our best selling bridal fabrics year after year. Duchess satin is an elegant and lustrous bridal fabric which is heavy in weight with a more matte finish than some of its satin counterparts. This is the perfect choice of bridal fabric for elaborate, princess style gowns. Available in a wide range of colours, duchess satin is also a popular choice for bridesmaid dresses and matching cravats.
Chiffon - often used as an overlay alongside other bridal fabrics such as satin or taffeta, chiffon is a lightweight, plain woven fabric for a glamorous and elegant style of gown. Chiffon is ideal for giving an elegant and floaty appearance to your bridal gown and can be layered to add volume.
Taffeta - usually woven from synthetic fibres, taffeta is a high-end bridal fabric of particularly lustrous appearance and has long been used in the manufacture of couture bridal gowns. Characterised by it's stiff, crisp appearance; taffeta is recognisable by the rustling sound it makes when the wearer moves. Taffeta has been one of the best selling bridal fabrics on the market for decades and is still one of our best selling every wedding season.
Extra Stiff Dress Net - one of the main things that is consistent in traditional designs of wedding gowns is that it will include some kind of dress net. Perfect for use alongside any of our other bridal fabrics, extra stiff dress net is a rigid material and is used to create a voluminous design to achieve the fairytale princess effect coveted by many traditional brides on their wedding day.
Veiling - traditional brides marrying in a religious ceremony are not often seen without a veil. For classic, formal dresses the shortest length of veil considered to be suitable is the elbow length veil which is often chosen by brides who choose romantic ball gown style dresses, because they end where the fullness in the skirt begins. The most popular and versatile length of bridal veil is the fingertip length which will suit most styles of gown. For traditional ceremonies most brides will opt for chapel length or cathedral length veils. The chapel length veil is a floor length design which are often chosen to compliment a dress featuring a train. The longest length is the cathedral length veil which is the most formal style of veil and will compliment a full length, classic gown. Our range of veiling is a soft, delicate bridal fabric with a stunning drape. Due it's extremely high quality, our bridal veiling is strong enough to be beaded and embellished to create a stunning veil which will compliment your gown.
We hope traditional brides have found today's entry helpful and if you are opting for a modern civil ceremony or beach wedding keep an eye on our blog for future entries packed full of tips for constructing your ideal gown.
Until next time!
Calico Laine