• 16/09/2022
• By wizewebsite
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What wedding dresses looked like in the Middle Ages: They weren't white, but they were still gorgeous<

The Middle Ages brought permanent changes in the arrangement and perception of marriage. Christianity was strongly reflected in the formation of family relationships. Since the 4th Lateran Council, which was convened by Pope Innocent III. bull of April 19, 1213, marriage was considered a sacrament. The commitment was made not only between the partners, but also between them and God, which meant its indissolubility. An equal and permanent relationship of one man and one woman, based on mutual love and respect, was presented as an ideal. Christianity further comes with the requirement of faithfulness. Sexual life was supposed to take place only in marriage and was supposed to be a mere means of procreating children.

Marie Stuart wore a green and white dress. Source: Profimedia.cz

From the 12th century, church and public marriages appeared, which were preceded by official engagements and triple announcements in the church. The parish priest thus had enough time to review family ties and the health status of those to come. If the obstacles did not appear, the wedding could take place.

What God has joined, let not man put asunder

Divorce was possible if the marriage was not consummated in bed. However, history documents several stories about divorces, especially of individuals from the upper social class. Legal loops could also be found in the Middle Ages.

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In addition to official marriages, there were also private weddings without the participation of a priest. The betrothed simply told each other that they wanted to live together. If the church became aware of this form of revelry, a public ceremony was ordered under threat of severe penalties. Secret marriages were banned by the council in the mid-16th century.

Dowry in the Middle Ages was conditioned by economic and status interests. The choice of a partner was usually made by the parents. Marriages of subjects had to be approved by the authorities. Despite many worries, the wedding was a great glory and a means to show others one's status and power.

Wedding dresses in the Middle Ages

In our territory, no specific color of dress was associated with the wedding ceremony. It was important that the clothing looked festive and represented the status of the family. The clothes of the nobles were the most luxurious. Expensive materials such as muslin, silk or velvet were used. They were often trimmed with fur and decorated with gold and lace. The bride's head was beautified by crowns, loctus, wreaths and veils.

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Light shades, especially azure blue, were the most popular. It was considered the color of love, purity and truth. It also symbolized the cloak of the Virgin Mary. In period paintings, we also encounter pink or cream. However, the sought after color was also red, which people associated with fertility. Black and gray were worn by widows at other weddings.

The color white did not appear on wedding dresses until the High Middle Ages. Historical records state that the white robe was chosen, for example, by Princess Philippa, daughter of Henry IV. of England, Anne of Brittany when she married Louis XII. of France or Margaret of Valois.

Poorer brides

Lower class brides liked to copy the style of important princesses and queens. However, the dresses were made from cheap materials such as cotton and linen. The poorest girls then took the best they found in the chest to the wedding. Mostly it was clothing intended for church. However, all social classes were united by the custom of "something blue". Women tied a blue ribbon above their knee, which the wedding guests tried to steal.

Source:

www.ptejteseknihovny.cz, www.is.muni.cz, www.riedova.cz, www.rosaliegilbert.com