It is said that Queen Elizabeth II had two wedding

Dark Alternatives to the White Wedding Dress

For that sophisticated look a sleek black wedding dress can be ideal. And, unlike many traditional white dresses, the cheap modest wedding dresses black wedding gown can be adapted to be worn on other occasions.

So how will the concept of a black wedding gown go down with family and friends? Is there still a prejudice towards anything other than the expected white or ivory, or will the black wedding dress represent an alluring and decadent option for the bride who wants to take her vows in elegant ebony? And is it perhaps time to change the old adage, "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue," to read "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something black."

The white wedding gown isn the first choice for every bride, many women these days opt to marry in different coloured dresses. Yes, even black, but there still seems to be a school of thought that suggests it not everyone idea of the perfect dress. But if youe a bride to be and a dress as dark as midnight is your choice, youl want to know where to shop for the perfect mysterious black bridal gown.

New York City Bridal Boutiques are quite used to a wide range of requests when it comes to wedding dresses so if you ask for a wedding dress in black you won be thought odd, in fact there are Bridal Boutiques in New York City that carry ranges with black dresses as part of their options.

And it may surprise those who oppose the idea of anything but white for a bride to learn that up until as late as the 1930s some cultures only considered black as the colour choice for wedding dresses. But this was to do with practicality. A black dress would be more serviceable and could be used again, and kept as a best dress after the wedding.

So black is actually just as traditional in terms of its place in history, as white when it comes to the colour of a wedding dress. That little snippet of information might come in handy when the alternative or even gothic bride wants to persuade a mom or aunt with fixed views of the merits of a gorgeous seductive black gown.

Although she wasn the first bride to wear white, Queen Victoria wedding to her beloved Prince Albert in 1840 had a huge impact on the collective consciousness. And since then the popularity of white wedding gowns continued to grow, especially in higher society. But if you really can turn your back Mother Of The Bride Dresses on black, rest assured that the New York City Bridal Boutiques will be able to provide you with something truly beautiful that reflects the sophisticated side of your personality.

Elegant And Iconic Wedding Dresses

Elegance is in the eye of the beholder, much like beauty. It depends more on attitude and quality than it does on price. A simple definition of elegance is grace of movement, polished expression and refinement of beauty. If youre determining which wedding dress style is right for you, take a look at some of the most memorable iconic wedding dresses of all time to get some inspiration.

Queen Victorias Wedding Dress

Queen Victoria started the trend of white wedding dresses. Prior to that point, wedding dresses were every color and meant to be worn as the woman's best dress rather than just once on her wedding day.

Even now in some cultures, white is overlooked for other traditional colors. Red is the color of choice for Chinese brides. Indian brides choose brightly colored and richly embroidered saris. And Japanese brides will wear a wedding kimono and often change into a western style white wedding dress for the reception.

So what did Queen Victoria's wedding dress look like? It was white satin accented by nosegays of orange blossoms at the bosom and scattered about the full skirt. Her lace veil was designed exclusively for the wedding. The pattern was later destroyed so it couldn't be used again. Nearly 200 people labored for six weeks to produce the lace veil and lace for the trim of her dress. The neckline left her shoulders bare. Sleeves were full, starting off her shoulders and ending above the elbows.

Queen Elizabeth IIs lace bridesmaid dress Wedding Dress

This beautiful queens dress was richly embroidered ivory silk with a satin train. The ball gown had a scoop neck, full skirt and long sleeves. It was embroidered with 10,000 seed pearls. The 15-foot train was made of delicate lace embroidered in the same strapless wedding dress pattern as the dress, including flowers, the white rose of York and wheat heads, a symbol of fertility. The queen wore a veil made of white tulle attached to a diamond tiara. Around her neck she wore a double pearl necklace.

It is said that Queen Elizabeth II had two wedding dresses. The first was worn when she married Prince Phillip and the second at her coronation when she wed the people of the United Kingdom. That dress was designed by Norman Hartnell who also designed her wedding dress. While the original design called for white satin and little embroidery, the final design remained white satin but was heavily and richly embroidered with plants or flowers to represent each of the entities that make up the commonwealth. The embroidery was in pastel colors and accented by gold and silver threads with diamonds, amethysts and colored crystals.

Grace Kellys Wedding Dress

She was a real fairy tale princess whose gown has been a timeless inspiration for brides since her wedding day in 1956. The gown was white satin with a high neckline and long sleeves. The bodice and sleeves were antique Valenciennes rose point lace. Twenty-five yards of silk taffeta and ninety-eight yards of tulle were used. Her headpiece fit close to her head with a fingertip length veil in front and longer veil in back. Her wedding dress and veil were designed by Helen of MGM studios and given to her as a wedding gift from the studios. She carried a small bouquet of lilies of the valley over a white Bible.

Princess Dianas Wedding Dress

Princess Diana had one of the most stunning and talked about wedding dresses ever created. Actually, there was more than one dress designed and made to keep the media guessing as to what she would wear on her wedding day. Immediately, brides all over the world wanted the full sleeved, full skirted over the top style of gown for their weddings.

Celine Dions Wedding Dress

This well known Canadian singers wedding gown was a stunning extravagance of white satin embroidered with crystals and pearls. The ball gown had a full skirt, sweetheart neckline and long sleeves and a 20-foot train. Her crowning glory was literally a crown consisting of 2000 Austrian crystals which weighed seven pounds. Attached to the headpiece was a Cathedral length veil. Before and after the wedding she wore a white fur coat to keep her warm.

Melania Trumps Wedding Dress

When you're marrying a Trump the sky's the limit. Melania Trump's wedding dress is rumored to cost nearly $100,000. Designed by Dior, the dress weighed close to 50 pounds and had a 13-foot train, complemented by a 16-foot veil. The veil was artistically arranged in a swirl pattern to match the swirls in her dress. The dress was in the mermaid style, fitted through the hips and flaring out starting about mid-thigh. While the bride had fittings for the dress, she had never walked in the gown until her wedding day and stumbled a bit when she first started down the aisle. Obviously, that dress was not meant for dancing. Melania changed into a simpler and much lighter dress for the wedding reception.

Wedding gowns have changed a lot since the Victorian ages, but theres still so much inspiration we can glean from yesterdays style icons. By blending your personal style and personality with some elements of these unforgettable wedding dresses, youre sure to have en elegant wedding dress that you and your guests will remember forever.