Wedding World COLORS AROUND

BY JULIE WENGER WATSON AND DEE DUREN, MANAGING EDITOR

Color is more than just an aesthetic choice. It can affect our moods, trigger memories, and express cultural norms. It should be no surprise to find that color is an integral part of celebrations around the world. In particular, weddings are a traditional event where we can see and enjoy the importance of color as a reflection of culture.

WEDDINGS IN THE U.S.

In past generations, the groom was usually dressed in a black blazer, and the bride’s gown was white. While many couples still follow that tradition today, there’s more acceptance of a wider range of colors that reflect the wedding party’s tastes.

“The age-old rule for weddings is that you can’t wear white unless you’re the bride, but we’ve even seen bridesmaids in white. It can be a complete spin on that old rule,” said Mary Fencl of Tulsa’s Mary Fencl Events.

Fencl sees today’s brides taking color inspiration from places like Pinterest, Instagram, magazines, and celebrity influencers.

“As far as colors, it has a lot to do with personal preference and time of year,” Fencl explained. “There are florals that are typically more available in different seasons. They can tend toward a wintry color palette, for example, versus a bright, spring palette with oranges and yellows. Bridal colors also tend to follow trends.”

For Fencl’s design work, the bride’s color choice can serve as a guide for the rest of the event. In the end, Fencl thinks the most important thing is that the color choice reflects the couple themselves.

“It helps make the day really lovely if it’s something they’re excited about,” Fencl said. “It’s a good reflection of them and their styles, and their guests will pick up on that. We’re there to celebrate the couple, so anytime we can be more reflective of their personalities and their styles, that’s important.”

Wedding attire traditions vary from country to country and culture to culture. Many couples across the world still choose to incorporate cultural traditions into their ceremonies, while others make decisions based on their own style.

A Sign Of Devotion

If you attend a modern Spanish wedding, chances are good that you will see the bride in a white gown. However, there was a time in Spain when brides were likely to wear a black wedding dress. Historically, Spain was a very Catholic country, and some say that a bride dressed in black signified her commitment and devotion to her groom “until death do us part.” It’s not clear how widespread the custom was.

Marta Chamorro, who grew up in Spain, moved to the U.S. when she was 32. She teaches Spanish at the University of Tulsa. Chamorro learned of the custom from a friend, Josefina, whose mother wore black on her wedding day. According to Josefina’s parents, the women in rural villages all married in black dresses until the 1960s.

Chamorro attributes the custom to several reasons, some of them very practical. Chamorro said that Spain suffered tremendously during the Spanish Civil War and under the subsequent dictatorship of Francisco Franco (1939-75). The country had little outside investment and the rules under Franco’s regime were strict.

“At that time, we didn’t have access to a lot of expensive fabrics, and the country was poor,” Chamorro said. “Black fabric is easy to reuse, and it doesn’t stain.”

Chamorra believes that traditions around mourning, where the grieving wore black clothing for long periods, may also account for the use of black dresses for brides.

Weddings Around The World

Moroccan brides may wear bright yellow to scare away evil or choose green for good luck. Indian weddings can be some of the most colorful with traditional silk bridal outfits made of multiple colors depending on the region of the country. Scottish couples may use a tartan ribbon in their ceremonial “handfasting.” The bride and groom’s hands are tied together with a piece of traditional Scottish plaid to represent their union. In a Highland-style wedding, bridal party members may dress in traditional family plaids as well.

Though many West African couples choose to dress in Western-style wedding clothes, some couples still choose a “heritage wedding” which may include richly colored, handwoven fabrics. Kente fabric, the national cloth of Ghana, is made of woven strips of silk and cotton. The word kente comes from “kenten,” which means basket. Its rich colors of black, gold, red, green, blue, and purple are woven into patterns with symbolic meanings like strength, growth, and abundance.

Color also plays a role in Japanese wedding ceremonies. A traditional formal wedding kimono is called a shiromuku (“shiro” meaning white and “muku” meaning purity). They are very heavy, made of silk, and often woven in intricate patterns across the back. The pure white color of the shiromuku symbolizes the bride’s willingness to “take on the colors of the groom’s family.” Often a man will follow the bride during the ceremony, carrying a red umbrella, which symbolizes life and warding off evil. The bride may change into a red or other colorful kimono for the reception. The groom traditionally wears a black kimono with his family’s symbol embroidered in white thread.

Vietnamese wedding traditions also have colorful components, according to Kim Tran of Mustang, Oklahoma. Tran says brides normally wear three dresses on their wedding day: a white wedding dress, a colorful “áo dài” to greet guests at each of the tables during the reception, and an evening gown to cut the cake and dance.

“Red, gold, and yellow are colors used at traditional Vietnamese weddings,” said Tran. “These colors represent happiness, luck, and prosperity. The bride usually wears a red ‘áo dài,’ the traditional Vietnamese dress along with a ‘khãn ðóng,’ a headdress that looks like a halo. The groom also wears a male version of the áo dài, but in a bright hue of blue. The wedding decor will also be in red and gold. Traditionally guests do not wear red or gold as those colors are saved for the bride and groom. Black should be avoided, along with purple, which represents sadness.”

LIFE Senior Services celebrates its golden anniversary in 2023. Over 50 years, LIFE has developed a wide range of programs that promote and preserve independence for Oklahoma seniors. LIFE’s Vintage Newsmagazine will highlight a program in each issue this year. We hope you’ll read about the resources available to older adults through LIFE. You or someone you love may benefit from knowing where to turn when help is needed.