Ivory or White? A Bridal Question...

Pure White

99% of dresses that you see in bridal magazines or online are not true white. We know, we know, it sounds like someone's advertising agenda or maybe a tricky use of photoshop. The truth is that "pure white" or "high white" wedding gowns are not as popular, and there are some legitimate reasons for this. You may think the bride is wearing white, but chances are, she's in ivory. 

Bright white gowns represented purity for centuries, but that mandate has all but gone out of style for good. Believe it or not, true white wedding gowns are simply TOO BRIGHT, especially with outdoor weddings. Pure white gowns actually have a blinding effect on the eyes, leaving guests and photographers squinting to view. We expect the groom to be blinded by his wife-to-be's beauty, not her gown.

Wedding photographers have told me that in photos, the bright white dresses do not photograph as well. They "blow out" in images and all of the garment's details are lost. With ivory, or a softer hued cream, you can see shadows in the folds of the fabric, small embellishments and all those lacey, beaded and special details that the bride chose specifically. Bright white lace can look blue next to other fabrics. Basically, bright white doesn't represent as well as well as some other options. As lace became more popular in gowns, choosing ivory made more sense in terms of matching and rendered well in photographs. 

Ivory & Cream

The demand we've seen from brides who come to Bridal Traditions is actually for ivory, and there are many variances of ivory from super light almost white, to deeper and creamier warm champagnes and even the palest hint of pink. These are a gorgeous and truly inspired option.

Mocha & Latte

You hear the name, picture a coffee drink and think "Mother of the Bride" maybe. The fact is, these colors often act as the underlayer for lace gowns or as an elegant option for brides who want to mix it up. Don't forget that skin tone plays its part, so these gowns offer a sense of the nude sheath underneath the decorative elements of the gown itself.

None of the dresses in this blog are pure white and yet each in the selection is completely elegant, memorable, gorgeous, and entirely bridal.