The bride wore black

The bride in white and the groom in black – and that’s the way it has always been. Well, not exactly, as it is said that it was actually Queen Victoria who popularised the white wedding dress when she married Prince Albert in a white, lace-covered gown in 1840. Before then, brides could choose any colour – which they did, especially those who could not afford the luxury of buying a dress and wear it on one occasion. Lately, more brides are opting for a black dress on the big day – so much so that designers are featuring it in their collections. Vera Wang, for instance, has offered a collection of black wedding dresses since 2011. Mind you, it hasn’t become exactly the norm. But that is part of its appeal – that and the following. Forever black The more obvious connotation of the colour black is death – and some believe that it is bad luck to wear a black wedding gown, as it is the colour of mourning. However, in some cultures, black actually has a positive meaning. In Spain, for instance, brides traditionally wear a black lace wedding dress with a black wedding veil, called mantilla. For the Spanish, this black ensemble represents the vow that a bride makes on her wedding day –...