What most brides don’t realize, however, is that culturally and historically, the use of red in weddings is quite common, especially in Buddhist and Hindu cultures where the color is a symbol of good luck. In fact, the tradition of wearing white bridal gowns is fairly recent, made popular only after Queen Victoria’s marriage in 1840 - and the subsequent marriages of her daughters in 1858 and 1863 - wherein they all wore simple white satin dresses with an orange blossom wreath headdress and lace veil. And because royal weddings have always influenced the wedding ceremonies of non-royal couples (with the brides often imitating the princesses’ style of dress), it’s no wonder how the tradition has stuck to this day.
