One of the last wonderful Great Big Story videos created before its demise was this one about what wedding dresses around the world looked like. 

"Great Big Story senior producer Beryl Shereshewsky talks to seven dressmakers in seven countries to learn about the special dresses they make for brides in their communities." 

All but the one white dress were colorful affairs. The designers showcase their talents, craftsmanship, tradition and a lot of love for their respective cultures. 

Most of the dresses were bead, crystal and charm embellished.  One exception was the handwoven kente dress of Ghana.  Some of the featured countries like India and Indonesia have distinct state or regional differences so the wedding dress styles can vary from place to place within those countries and are strictly not national styles. 

The designers also put their own interpretations on traditional wedding wear. An Indian viewer remarked that the traditional lehengas are much more elaborate like the one which the presenter wore at her own wedding.  Most Swedish brides also wear Western style bridal gowns rather than the folk vanga wedding dress shown. 

A Ghanian viewer explained that Ghanian brides typically wear a lot of gold, jewelry and traditional beaded work. She added, "What was shown here is an attire most Ghanaian women would rather wear to church."

Still, the designs were a treat to see. My favorite is the Native American southern Cheyenne buckskin dress from Oklahoma complete with the matching mask!
 


Wedding dresses are super special gowns designed to make the bride a queen for the day. In the case of Queen Victoria, she was already queen so her dress had to be a standout.


Queen Victoria wore a white dress when she married Prince Albert in 1840.  Before then, wedding dresses were of any color the bride chose. She was not the first royal bride to choose white but she definitely started the tradition which has lasted to this day. 


Her attendants were also dressed in white. The combined result made a sharp contrast with the richly colored dresses and military uniforms of the guests as well as the opulent Chapel Royal of St James Palace.



The 1847 portrait - an anniversary gift for Prince Albert - below gives us a closer look at her wedding dress complete with her jewelry accessories.  The large sapphire and diamond brooch - now in the Royal Collection - she wore was a gift from Prince Albert, presented to her the day before their wedding. She wore it often until his death. 



Fast forward 141 years, another royal bride wore another iconic dress who would tragically never become queen.  Netflix's sumptuous production, The Crown, recreated - with artistic license -  Princess Diana's memorable and voluminous wedding dress. Check out this video which shows Amy Roberts' costume designs for Season 3 and Season 4. 


[The Crown is a beautifully crafted production with an excellent cast especially Gillian Anderson who got Maggie Thatcher's voice and forward tilted gait to a t.  While the plot is driven by real life events like the Aberfan disaster, British political crises, the assassination of Lord Mountbatten and The Falklands War, it is at its heart, a historical dramatization by a very creative scriptwriter, Peter Morgan. It is entertainment, a historical fiction- not a historical documentary.]


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Original Post by THE BEADING GEM 

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