A destination wedding is unique in that the bride and groom may choose whatever theme or attire they fancy. Elegant weddings with elaborate trimmings are not required nor expected as with traditional weddings. And nowadays, the choices are endless for the bride, her attendants, the mothers and the female guests. The only stipulation in type of attire would be that everyone follows the same pattern of formality. Guests in evening gowns would not bode well with a bride in culotte shorts.
Once the bride and groom have decided what type of apparel to wear for the wedding ceremony, they can then notify the guests of the decision so that the guests traveling to the destination may pack their wardrobes accordingly. Destination weddings come in many levels of formalities, themes and colors. For example, the destination may be the homeland of the couple’s families so a traditional wedding may be expected. The bride and groom may wear the customary marriage outfits of a particular culture.
Contrarily, the destination wedding may be chosen in a themed type situation such as Las Vegas where celebrity impersonators are present (you HAVE to rent an exotic car in Las Vegas!). Or the destination wedding may be a combination of a formal wedding set in a beach area. And lastly, the destination wedding may be one in which the couple has thrown rules to the wind and decided on something totally fun and whimsical.
So we are going to highlight bridal garments in two categories:
- those that may not be considered North American traditional, but are just as beautiful in a beach environment,
- and also those outfits that are native to a particular country.
Beach Destination Wedding – This is probably the most flexible of all bridal clothing. Brides may choose to wear sarongs, sleeveless, low cut dresses, matching halter top and skirt ensembles, as well as fancy sundresses. The bridesmaids may dress in similar fashions to the bride with long side slits and gorgeous ruffles running up the leg, drawstring pants with tied-up blouses, or delicate, chiffon, palazzo pants.
Fabrics that are best suited to beach weddings are cotton, silk, eyelet and linen. Sheer, light materials that move easily in the breeze and do not cling to the body in the heat are cooler than tight fitting designs.
Destination Wedding in Scotland – Couples who have ancestry in Scotland can make their wedding day awe inspiring by researching their “clan” history and wearing the appropriate garb. Brides and bridesmaids wear the associated tartan pinned with the clan badge. In addition, the bride may choose to wear the traditional “arisaid” that dates back prior to the 1740s. Originally made of warn wool, today designers use white and colored silks.
Destination Wedding in Norway – Traditional Norwegian wedding attire was extremely elaborate with its fancy embroidery, knitwear patterns, metal collar, long dangling brooches and crown-like headdress. The dangling of spoons and other metal objects from the bride’s brooch, collar or headdress is important to her wedding attire so that she can scare of the evil spirits. Previous gowns were quite heavy and bulky to guard against the cool elements of the weather. The bridesmaids will dress similar to the bride but not exactly the same.