Chances are, if I asked you what a white wedding dress is said to symbolize - you'd say virginity. You would be wrong! In fact, it originally had absolutely nothing to do with purity at all - after all, premarital sex wasn't even considered an option.

The truth is, the tradition of a white wedding dress was started by Queen Victoria who made the shocking decision to wear a huge, white gown for her 1840 wedding to Albert of Saxe. In those days, with the absence of dry cleaners, only the wealthiest people would be able to afford a luxury like a huge white gown that could only be worn once. So - white became the color of choice for the wealthy and elite.

During the decades that follow, most brides where still wearing colored gowns. The Edwardian period saw a temporary increase in the popularity of the white wedding dress, but then the war eras (WW1 and WW2) and the depression, brides wore whatever was available. Those that wanted white picked simple styles that could be dyed and used for everyday use after the wedding.

It wasn't until the 1950's the the white wedding dress really took hold. At this time, celebrities and socialites took the scene in gorgeous white gowns, and before long, white wedding gowns were available for any bride on any budget. The "virginity" superstition, which many believe is the tradition, has actually only been around for the last few decades. Those brides who think they are being "traditional" by being white may be a lot more modern then they realize.