Antique Wedding Dresses

SWEET AUTUMN BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL!

Any month of the year is a great month to get married.  Holy Matrimony is HONORABLE among all.  

Dressing up for such an occasion is appropriate.  Please join me to see some pretty wedding dresses from the past.

Antique/Vintage Wedding Dress Exhibit were on display at the Historical 1857 Hawken House in Webster Groves, Missouri near Saint Louis.  A variety of dresses graced the rooms.  May you enjoy viewing the dresses that lovely ladies of long ago said, "I Do!" in and wore as they became someone's beloved wife and companion. 

Most of the wedding dresses were white or a light shade such as ecru.  Queen Victoria made wearing white stylish.   She wasn't the first royal to wear white on her wedding day, but it was she that the masses wanted to copy when it came to wedding attire.  

~QUEEN VICTORIA~

At the time Victoria's choice was criticized for being too conservative, 

since she did not wear jewelry, velvet, ermine furs, 

or a crown, and the color was unusual.

Her Wedding Day was February 10, 1840.  

~VICTORIA'S SLIPPER SHOES~

 From what I understand Queen Victoria made white wedding dresses all the rage when she married in a beautiful WHITE Wedding Dress.  White wasn't usually worn, but it somehow represented "well-to-do" because white wasn't easy to keep clean.  

 

~2012 Hawken House Wedding Dress Exhibit~

 Two Dresses in Formal Parlour

 1880's

This dainty princess line dress with its bustle back and train is typical of early 80's gowns.  Made from satin weave silk the gown was first used as a wedding dress and later remade for formal wear. With numerous social obligations, the well-to-do lady of this era was in need of lavish evening wear and as such, gowns were quite often refashioned to use again.

The Bridal Gown has elbow length sleeves of embroidered net.  When the gown was remade Battenberg lace was added to the cuffs, the panniers, and the neckline which appears to have been restyled, 17 Mother-of-Pearl buttons decorate the bodice front but hooks and eyes keep it closed.  A 17 inch waist.  Made of alternating layers of cotton organdy, lace and satin.  The train has an organdy ruffle edging.  The gowns both hand and machine stitched.

 

~Second Wedding Dress In Parlour~

Janice Helfenstein Simmons Wedding Gown

~Two Wedding Dresses In The Dining room~

 ~Second Dress In The Dining room~

Gibson Girl Influenced Wedding Gown

~Dress In The Second Parlour~
Angelica Lockwood Robinson Jenkins
Wedding Dress

This spectacular satin gown decorated with extensive bead work was worn by Angelica Lockwood Robinson when she married the Church Organist William Marshall Jenkins at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church on September 30, 1891.

 ~The Dress In The Kitchen~

 

 ~Dress In The Sewing Room~

 

1925 through 1929

This cream colored flapper style wedding dress is typical of the Roaring Twenties.  The Bride's hair have been cut in a bob.  To achieve the little boy look she would have flattened her chest by binding it.  She wore stockings made of artificial silk.  Starting in 1923 and rolled them over a garter belt.  Her Bridal ensemble would have been completed by carrying a very large and lavish bridal bouquet.

 ~Wedding Dresses in the Bedrooms~

Egyptian King Tutankhamen Influenced Wedding Gown

Mabel Lulu Grant Hagar's 1914 Russian Ballet Influence Wedding Gown

The 1914 Russian Ballet had a huge influence on fashion and it is reflected in Mabel Lulu Grant's Wedding Dress that she wore to marry Jonathan Nichols Hagar when united in Holy Matrimony on June 1, 1914 at the Webster Groves Presbyterian Church where Rev. David Skilling officiated the Wedding Ceremony.

Her dress reflected the changing fashion that occurred on the decades of loose filling sleeveless gown of cream colored silk that falls to the ankle.

A demenuitive cummerband type belt barely denotes the waistline and the neck is edged in lace.  An almost turban like headdress (Russian influence) held the chapel length veil.

1950's Strapless Sweetheart Bodice Wedding Gown

Redengote Style Wedding Gown

Elta Ann Synder Homeier Wedding Dress

1941 Rayon Satin Wedding Dress of Jean Evans Sewell

Edwardian Era Wedding Dress

The Trousseau

More Dresses

 Harriette Scannell Morgan 1953 Wedding Gown

Thank you for stopping by!

God bless,

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Wedding Veil Idea