Contents
- Who, according to Russian traditions, buys a dress for the bride?
- Modern point of view on the purchase of a wedding dress
- Customs related to buying dresses in other countries
Are you getting ready for the wedding? The long-awaited moment is getting closer? My head is spinning from the advice, instructions of relatives? Decide if you are ready to adhere to the customs specific to your locality / country. Indeed, such important issues as the choice and purchase of a wedding dress, largely depend on traditions; wishes of the bride or groom, her (his) relatives. The bride always chooses a wedding outfit. But the question of who will finance the purchase involves different answers. Let's try to figure it out.
Who, according to Russian traditions, buys a dress for the bride?
The old Russian customs of the wedding rite say that the dowry, as well as the dress, the young girls in Russia prepared on their own. For the wedding outfit, the most beautiful dress richly decorated with embroideries, ribbons, and beads was chosen. No wonder the traditional color was red for a long time, which means beautiful. The groom and his family determined the quality and beauty of the decoration of the robe, how skillful the craftswoman will be a young wife.
Gradually, Old Russian customs came to naught. Rich parents of young girls gathered dowry, hired the best tailors for sewing a wedding outfit. The color of the wedding dress also changed. In the era of Peter the Great, pastel-colored wedding dresses come into fashion in Russia. Young people who visited Europe often brought European outfits for their brides. That's where the opinion came from that a future husband should pay for a wedding dress.
In Soviet times, most ancient traditions faded into the background. The massive relocation of youth from the countryside, a mixture of traditions - all this led to the fact that preparing for the wedding celebration took very little time. Dress, costume, for example, were sewn in the studio; a veil and other accessories were purchased in a specialized store; organization of a gala banquet was possible in the nearest restaurant or cafe.
One thing remained unchanged: the bride’s wedding outfit should never have been seen by the future husband before the wedding, like her clothes. Violation of this tradition promised an unhappy marriage, or even the abolition of the wedding. Who should pay for the purchased wedding dress? Choose with girlfriends or consult with parents? Maybe call for help the future mother-in-law?
Groom or his parents
There is an opinion that the wedding outfit with all the accessories is chosen and bought by the groom's parents. Similar traditions exist in the countries of Central and Southeast Asia, in the Caucasus. The future relatives choose the outfit from head to toe to the girl whom the son plans to marry, paying special attention to jewelry. They should be made of pure gold. By the wealth of the outfit, those around can judge the wealth of the family of the future husband and the desire of the groom himself to get only this girl.
If your future spouse insists on this option, offer the future mother-in-law a joint trip to the dress salon. You can pre-visit him with mom, close friend, pick up suitable options. Suggest «second mom» to partially or equally divide the cost of acquiring wedding accessories: linen, shoes, headgear, and capes. The mother of your future husband is likely to be pleasantly surprised and flattered by such an act. Especially if it will save some of the finances.
If the future spouse has the opportunity to take on all pre-wedding expenses, do not refuse the offer. Specify in advance how much you have available, what expense item you can spend on. If the funds are limited, you do not fit into the proposed amount - there are two options: choose the budget option for the outfit or add money from your own wallet. More traditional is the option when the groom pays the costs associated with the purchase of the dress itself, and the bride purchases accessories on her own.
The bride or her parents
If the choice of a wedding dress is a priority for your loved ones, feel free to go with your mom and a couple of friends to a wedding salon. It is desirable that the girls were your age, and your tastes coincided with them. Trying on takes a lot of time to shorten this period, pre-select the dress that suits your style, style, which you like.
Listen carefully to my mother’s advice, after specifying with my dad how much you can count on. To avoid disagreements with relatives, girlfriends, consult a fashion designer, take an interest in fashion trends. Do not forget to take into account the features of your figure, weather conditions, the venue of the wedding.
Modern point of view on the purchase of a wedding dress
The modern world dictates its own characteristics. The question of who buys a wedding outfit for the bride is increasingly not relevant. Often, young people form a common budget that pays for wedding expenses. In some cases, independent and independent women prefer to fully finance their outfit, and even that part of the wedding party that falls to her relatives.
The most deliberate decision will be to enable the future husband to pay for the purchase of rings, a wedding bouquet, and ordering a car. But the choice of wedding dresses in a certain style should be discussed in advance. From the presence of wedding dresses in salons, accessories to them, eyes run up. An important point that you should pay special attention to is the conformity of the outfits of the bride and groom, consistency in a single style.
To do this, you will need an intermediary - a girlfriend, friend, relative, whose taste you absolutely trust. Ask this person to look at the bride’s dress and groom’s costume. If the styles are in harmony, he will be able to help in choosing accessories that will help combine the outfits. Another option for solving the problem will be the opinion of designers, organizers of the wedding celebration, whose professional skills will be invaluable when choosing wedding dresses for newlyweds.
Customs related to buying dresses in other countries
European traditions provide for all wedding expenses to be divided equally between the bride and groom. Parents practically do not take financial part in deciding on the organization of a wedding celebration. In Germany, for example, if a wedding in the church is not provided, it is customary to choose a festive dress for the bride, but not a wedding one (as in the photo). His bride buys on her own.
In the East, the bride’s family buys outfits. The American bride, as an accessory, traditionally puts on two garter belts on her right leg. After painting, the groom throws one of them to his unmarried friends, by analogy with the bride's bouquet. The bride chooses the garter on her own. In Brazil, the choice of outfit for the bride, his purchase lie with the bride's family. Dresses try to buy light, open, due to the hot climate.
