"Silk,tulle, satin and lace-mere yards of fabric to some, but to every bride are at the heart of a romantic dream -- her wedding dress."
So begins Maria McBride-Mellinger's paean to the wedding dress, illustrated celebration of this most glorious of dresses. A contributing editor at Bride's & Your New Home magazine, the author brings to this gorgeous volume an appreciation not only of style and fashion history, but also of the cultural and personal significance of the wedding gown.
No other garment is as imbued with symbolism and tradition as the wedding dress. From the earliest wedding ceremony, the bride has been dressed in the finest of clothes. Part I, The Wedding Dress in History, traces the development of wedding dresses from the gossamer white linen shifts worn by maidens in ancient Egypt to the delightful and varied creations favored by today's brides. Historical descriptions, vivid paintings, and fabulous photographs take the reader on a journey through wedding gown history, revealing the centuries of meaning that lie behind this special dress, and significance of such accoutrements as the veil, the train, and the bouquet.
Part III, Your Wedding Dress, presents the basic considerations that go into choosing a dress: from the details of the wedding itself, such as season and locale, to the bride's own needs, from cut to comfort. Also included are a discussion of the various shades of white, tips on tactics to flatter every figure type, and advice on veils, undergarments, shoes, handbags, jewelry, and bouquets. Since for many brides the wedding dress is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to indulge in the luxury of custom-made clothing, here is a guide to the salon experience. The author offers helpful advice for dressing on the wedding day, and suggestions on how to preserve the gown after it's all over.