Bridal Outfits From Around The World
From bright, bold colours to delicate embellishments, wedding dresses around the world vary a lot when it comes to style. From America to Africa and Europe to Asia, the cultures and traditions across different continents play a huge part in how brides dress for their big day. Anything from religion to pop culture can influence the look!
Even regions within the same country can have very different takes on how to dress for a wedding, making it near impossible to document every single style around the world. So, instead of giving you a run-down of every dress out there, we’ve selected just a few of our favourite looks from around the world to help inspire your own unique style.
Indonesia
Indonesia is a part of the world that’s brimming with culture and art, so it’s no wonder their weddings are both beautiful and traditional.
Muslim Indonesians in particular have a very specific wedding style that they follow that’s heavily influenced by their religious views, and we love the femininity of the look.
Usually the bride will wear a hijab and a long-sleeved gown, following their traditional religious dress, along with a lace-edged veil and plenty of beautiful jewellery. Embellished headbands and crystal drop earrings are never a rare sight at an Indonesian wedding!
Balinese
As part of Indonesia, Bali is a unique and spectacular island with a culture that’s very much it’s own. In fact, unlike the majority of the islands it’s a neighbour to, Bali is largely Hindu. This means that their weddings are totally different from the rest of Indonesia, as are the bridal dresses!
Colourful and bright to reflect on the joy of the occasion, the gowns are typically crafted from songket fabric and embellished with beautiful golf thread. A gold crown makes the perfect accessory, and also holds a lot of meaning for the Balinese, with the crown’s height reflecting on the family’s caste.
India
There’s no doubt that Indian weddings are viewed as some of the most spectacular in the world – and rightly so! With a focus on lavish ceremonies, meaningful symbolism, and, of course, beautiful brides, they’re truly amazing occasions.
The bride is usually dressed in a vibrant and intricately decorated red sari, embellished with rhinestones and beads to add that touch of extravagance. If you’re looking for accessories, Indian weddings have plenty! The bride will be wearing anything up to 16 pieces of jewellery, all chosen to bring good fortune to the marriage.
Vietnam
Pairing a red Ao Dai in a floor-length, long-sleeved style with a Khan Dong headdress, the Vietnamese bridal look is simple yet elegant. The Ao Dai can be embellished with gold detailing if the bride wants something a little more lavish, and they’re fitted beautifully for a look that’s undeniably feminine.
For a modern Vietnamese wedding, the bride might choose to switch up the traditional red for something a little different, making a dress that’s more unique to her style.
Afghanistan
In the Pashtun region, Afghan brides wear a brightly coloured, embroidered gown paired with plenty of jewellery.
From head chains to statement earrings and arms of colourful bangles, their look is similar to the boho-chic styles of the western world – maybe it was influenced by these traditional brides.
If you’re on the hunt for some colourful inspiration, definitely take a look at these dresses, where colour is a focal point that they nail perfectly.
Kenya
With such a vast and varied culture, there are a whole host of wedding looks across Kenya and usually each tribe, and tradition calls for a different style.
The Maasai tribe of Kenya dress their brides in gorgeous necklaces, usually made by their mothers. These necklaces are crafted from beads and cowrie shells and have a great symbolic meaning, with the number of rows denoting the economic wealth of the bride.
Across the country, there are so many incredible wedding traditions and styles that it would be impossible to name them all, but we definitely recommend delving into them.
We find the different styles of wedding dresses across the globe fascinating. They reveal so much about our different cultures, values, and religions, and can tell us a whole lot about the traditions of a country!
From the colours to the jewellery, the significance of each aspect can tell a story about the culture they come from, which is why they’re so interesting.
This article was contributed by Sarah Bates, founder at Britten Weddings
click here to download your FREE wedding planning pack
