Cape May is a wonderfully, scenic beachfront resort that offers the perfect backdrop for a Victorian-themed wedding. Imagine yourself in a horse-drawn carriage posing for wedding photographs in front of a gorgeous Cape May Victorian. You’ll need the perfect dress, of course, and if you choose to go with a period look here's a look at Victorian wedding fashion and some ideas to help you find a bridal gown with that vintage Victorian look.

Perhaps the most lasting bridal tradition from the Victorian era is the white wedding gown. Prior to Queen Victoria, brides often wore their best "Sunday dress" as a wedding gown. The intricately detailed white lace wedding gown really came into fashion with Queen Victoria’s wedding to Prince Albert on Feb. 11, 1840. Bridal veils adorned with orange leaf blossoms were also popular. Other fashionable items for a woman included lace-up boots, gloves and hats.

For men, top hats were very much in fashion during the Victorian era. If you look at old photos from that time you can see that men always wore hats out in public. Black, which is a very popular color choice for men’s tuxedos today, was not always popular for weddings. During the Victorian era, men typically wore a blue or wine colored morning coat. For more ideas on how to dress the groom look at old photos from the era.

http://www.victoriana.com/bridal/dresses/1860/1860java.htm

http://www.avintagewedding.com/vintagewedphotos.html

http://trulyvictorian.netfirms.com/history.html

http://www.victoriana.com/bridal/bridal-welcome.htm

http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/mens_victorian_clothing.php

Illustration from 1867 Harper’s Bazaar – Victorian Wedding Gown:
http://harpersbazaar.victorian-ebooks.com/Nov2_1867/1.html

Illustration from 1867 Harper’s Bazaar – Victorian Hair Styles:
http://harpersbazaar.victorian-ebooks.com/Nov2_1867/5.html

If you’re planning a Victorian-themed wedding, there are many options for choosing a bridal gown. One choice is to buy an antique Victorian bridal gown from a vintage clothing store. If you do so, keep in mind that size availability will be limited and there may be some gown discoloring or damage such as missing beadwork. However, if you’re after a truly authentic look, a vintage gown can be perfect. Plus the intrigue of wearing a bridal gown from more than 100 years ago might give your wedding an added touch of romance.

Here are some websites we found offering vintage clothing,
including Victorian Bridal Gowns:

http://www.antiquedress.com/gallerywed.htm

http://www.dandelionvintage.com/

http://www.davenportandco.com/

http://www.vintagewedding.com/gowns.html – Vintage gowns & replicas

http://www.bustledress.com - Vintage gowns & replicas

http://www.stitchesintime.com/

http://www.koshka-the-cat.com/

Another option for a Victorian Bridal Gown is to sew your own gown. On the internet you can find authentic patterns from the Victorian era and one website that has some nice selections is www.agelesspatterns.com. If you do plan to make your own dress, keep in mind that the lace and style of the Victorian era would require advanced sewing skills. If you do not have these skills, you can hire a professional seamstress to make the dress. When pricing out the cost of making your gown be sure to include the cost of material, the price for the seamstress and additional accessories such as boots, gloves and a veil. Also be sure to plan more time than you anticipate to create your gown whether you make it yourself or hire a professional.

Some websites for Vintage Victorian Bridal Gown Patterns include:

http://www.agelesspatterns.com/wedding_gowns.htm

http://www.vintagefashionlibrary.com/

http://www.pastpatterns.com/wedding.html

http://www.sensibility.com/pattern/romantic.htm – Victorian style patterns

http://www.vpll.org/ - Vintage Pattern Lending Library

Also be sure to visit your local bridal stores. There are brand new gowns that are available that have a Victorian look or style. Ask the store owner or manager for assistance and they will be happy to help you find a gown to fit the look you want.

Finally, another alternative to buying a period piece, a new gown or sewing your own vintage fashions would be to consider a costume rental. We really did find websites that catered to renting gowns and menswear for themed weddings.

Wedding Gown Costume Rental:
http://www.grannd.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=GS

For more information on Victorian Bridal Fashion check out some of these website links. All links open in a new window.

Accessories/Menswear:
http://www.blanchesplace.com/id131.html – Victorian boots

Wedding Gown History:
http://www.fromtimespast.com/wedding.htm

Photos we found of someone’s wedding – they made a Victorian era gown:
http://members.optusnet.com.au/valkova/costume/costume05.html

General information on fashion and the Victorian era:
http://www.victorianeralovers.com/topsites/

http://www.avintagewedding.com/avintagewedding.html

Book on Victorian hairstyles:
http://www.hairwork.com/books_for_sale/ladies_hairdressing_of_the_19th_.htm

ebook on Victorian Weddings:
http://www.housemouse.net/Victbook2.htm

Websites links referenced in this article are provided for informational purposes only and are not affiliated with AtlanticCityWeddings.com. AtlanticCityWeddings.com does not accept responsibility for any loss or damages that may be incurred as a result of their use.