A white dress, veil, something borrowed, old, new and blue - these are all the pieces essential to a traditional western wedding gown. And as with every tradition, there's an explanation for every detail in the wedding ceremony. And though we are all used to see white tones on a wedding dress, you don't have to look very far for an entirely different approach to the bride's attire. And as the cultures and wedding ceremony traditions vary from country to country, so does the unique dresses. Some brides adorn themselves in colorful wedding dresses, others paint their hands and faces by local customs, and some hide their faces completely behind layers of jewelry or veils.
Not everybody upholds these wedding traditions of course, and not everybody chooses the classical wedding dress color, and many people wear what they want for their Big Day, but this list compiled by Bored Panda provides a fascinating insight into the different ways that different people can celebrate the same occasion. Who knows, maybe you'll find some inspiration!
(h/t)
#21 Balinese Wedding, Indonesia
Traditional Balinese wedding clothes are often vivid and richly decorated. The bride and the groom often wear crowns of gold on their heads during the ceremony.
Report
170points
#22 Weddings In Jakarta, Indonesia
As in other parts of Indonesia, traditional wedding attire in Jakarta includes plenty of gold, intricate patterns, striking colors and ornate head wear.
Report
163points
#23 Uzbek Bride Wearing Traditional Clothes
In traditional Uzbek weddings (Nikokh-Tui), the bride wears a colorful outfit hand embroidered with intricate patterns. The wedding ceremony plays an essential role in Uzbek life.
Unknown
Report156points
#24 Afghani Jewish Bride
Jews are believed to have resided in Afghanistan for nearly 1,500 years. Now however there is only one Jew remaining in the country (Zablon Simintov, who was born in Herat in 1959). Traditional wedding ceremonies saw the brides covered with a veil and garments, and she also wore henna on her hands and feet and sequins on her forehead.
153points
#25 Turkmen Bride
In Turkmenistan, the traditional wedding ceremony sees the bride dressed up in a red dress made from silk homemade fabric studded with silver or gilded pendants.
Gökhan Yücel
Report152points
#26 Palembang Wedding, Indonesia
Palembang is the second-largest city on Sumatra island in Indonesia. In traditional weddings brides wear what's called an Aesan Gede, which is a rich and striking costume that evokes the grandeur of the Srivijaya empire.
Report
136points
#27 Sami Wedding
The Sami are the indigenous people living in the far north of Europe. The area is called Sápmi and it stretches across parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula. Their traditional dresses explain a lot about the wearer. For example, single people wear belts with circular buttons, while square buttons mean a person is married.
Report
131points
#28 Polish Wedding From The Lowicz Area
A Polish bride will traditionally wear a white dress and a full veil (welon). The groom will often wear a buttonhole flower to match his bride's bouquet. If you notice a bride subtly moving a part of her wedding dress to cover the top of the groom's shoe, she may be following a traditional belief that this will give her a position of dominance in the relationship.
Report
130points
#29 Maasai Wedding In Kenya
In a Maasai wedding, the bride is required to wear a bold and colorful necklace made of beads and shells. On the night of the wedding, a party called the "kupamba" takes place. During this party, the bride is allowed to take off her veil and show her hairstyle and jewels.
101points
#30 Bedouin Wedding Veil In Israel
In traditional Bedouin wedding ceremonies, Bedouin brides often wear a heavy and ornate face veil comprised of various jewelry.
Report
88points
#31 Javanese Wedding
Traditional Javanese wedding outfits generally include a sarong, a high-collared shirt, a jacket and a blangkon (a traditional Javanese headdress) for the groom, and a sarong, a kebaya (long-sleeved blouse), and a selendang for the bride. The woman's hair is often put in a flat bun called a Sanggul.
Report
83points
#32 Traditional Bride Costume From Schaumburg-lippe, Germany
In Germany, traditional bridal headdresses vary from region to region. In the Black Forest valley, the headdress is large and decorated with hundreds of beads and glass balls, while in Buckenburg the emphasis is more on flowers than beads.
Report
65points
#33 Yemenite Jewish Bride
In a traditional Yemenite Jewish wedding, the bride wears jewelry and an elaborate headdress decorated with flowers and leaves. These are believed to ward off evil. Gold threads are also woven into the fabric of her clothes and wedding celebrations traditionally last seven days.
Report
62points
#34 Traditional Bride In Ribnovo Region In Southwest Bulgaria
The wedding customs in Bulgaria's Ribnovo region are influenced by Islamic traditions. Festivities last for five days and include lots of singing and dancing. On the second day the bride's face is painted white and adorned with sequins.
Report
54points
#35 Bride In Eritrea
The Rashaida are a Muslim tribe populating Eritrea and northeast Sudan. When a Rashaida woman is to be married, she stays in seclusion until her wedding, and the Rashaida only marry their own. A Rashaida bridal veil contains rows of metallic thread embroidery and pearls which are geometrically arranged.
49points
#36 Avar Bride Wearing Traditional Costume
The Avar are a Caucasus native ethnic group living in the Russian republic of Dagestan. Much like their wedding outfits, their traditional wedding ceremonies are also quite elaborate and are generally accompanied by folk dances and music.
Report
48points
#37 Tibetan Brides
For a traditional Tibetan wedding, the bride wears a white, woollen wedding dress which may be layered with brightly coloured aprons and robes. Often there are so many layers that it can sometimes be difficult to see the bride underneath!
46points
#38 Kinnauri Bride
The Kinnauri people come from Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh, India. In traditional Kinnauri weddings, the bride wear a heavy layer of gold and silver ornaments and a handmade garland made from dry fruits. The bride also wears a hand woven dress with a brightly embroidered hand woven shawl to cover the shoulders.
Report
26points