Nah, it’s only been a recent (historical-wise) link between white dresses and virgin brides. White wedding gowns started when Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840. Then it became the trend for families to buy a white gown. That showed the family was well off enough to buy a gown that would only be worn for one day, due to the impractibility of keeping clean and laundering an all white gown.
Before that, wedding dresses were black (’Every married woman needs a black dress’) that would also be worn for weddings, christenings, etc, and often served as the burying dress. Families that had a little more discretionary income would often buy colored cloth, as many dyes were imported and pricey, indigo being a highly sought after color. Back then, blue was considered the color of purity (witness Mary’s head covering). Many brides before that were married in wool, homespun, linen, linsey-woolsey and sometimes a nicer fabric such as silk or taffeta, if they could afford it, but while the dress was made nicely and fashionably, they weren’t the white lace, fluffy wedding gowns of now.
Now THAT was interesting.....
Proving once again, that even an old dog like myself can learn something new........but unfortunately I’ll probably forget...
A good friend of mine, once told me the only good thing about Alzheimer’s - was that one can meet new friends every day....