Mary (Twink) Gates and Michelle Wiklund, Questers Catalina Timewalkers Publicity
Love, laughter, and happily ever after! Who doesn’t love a wedding?!
Looking back through the development of wedding events, the wedding gown has always made a profound statement:
1840s: Until the Victorian era, brides wore gowns of varying colors, brocades of silver or gold, velvets, or fur. Queen Victoria changed history when she wore a simple dress of rich, white satin trimmed with lace ($150,000 in today’s dollars).
1850-1870s: Wedding gowns featured large hoops of steel or whale bone under several layers of full skirts.
1875-1880s: With the advent of railroad travel and narrow train aisles, wedding gown skirts narrowed, and rear bustles became the rage.
1890s: Bridal ensembles featured a “walking-length” skirt with a high neckline and big sleeves, known as leg-of-mutton.
1900s: At the turn of the century gowns had high necks, known as the wedding band collar. Fabrics were lighter and free from corsets.
1914: World War I wartime brides preferred traveling suits. It was appropriate to wear functional clothes.
1920s: A momentous change happened! Women gained the right to vote, and Coco Chanel captured the spirit of the era with the short tunic dress, worn just below the knees.
1930: The Depression began, and by the end of the ‘30s the glamor of movies influenced gowns of elegant formal sheath. Tiaras with long veils were worn. Retail empires grew, providing mass access to bridal fashions.
1940s: During World War II, many brides forsook traditional weddings and wore their best suits or borrowed a gown. War rationing brought the bridal industry to a virtual standstill.
1950s: Postwar prosperity made it possible to plan weddings with all the trimmings. Brides married in gowns of ankle-length circular skirts with nylon lace, no trains, and short, bouffant veils. Grace Kelly’s wedding in 1956 spurred greater interest in beautiful gowns.
1960s-1970s: Longstanding bridal traditions were uprooted in favor of ceremonies held in fields and on beaches. Brides chose colored cotton caftans, peasant-type smocks, and mini dresses.
1980s: The Royal Wedding of Princess Dianna in 1981 made every bride want a beautiful gown. The big white wedding dress was back in style, and no expense seemed too great.
1990s: Brides wore classically inspired white gowns of satin lace and ruffles. There was renewed interest in wearing their mother’s and grandmother’s gowns.
2000s: Today brides continue to wear elegant white gowns. Over centuries of cultural and stylistic evolution, the wedding dress has endured as a magical and powerful symbol of love and romance.
The above history was presented by Sandi Newberry who hosted the business meeting at her home on Friday, Nov. 15. Members exchanged enchanting pictures and fun stories about their own wedding experiences, including wedding themes and venues.
Post meeting and presentation, co-hostesses Gail Brown and Lynne Donovan served a delicious breakfast buffet.
Interested in joining the Catalina Timewalkers chapter of Questers? Meetings are held on the third Friday of the month, October through May, 2024-25. For membership information, email Kipi Martin at [email protected].
AZ Questers’ purpose, mission, and vision can be found at www.azquesters.org.
Upcoming events can be viewed at www.azquesters.org/news-and-events:
Arizona Merci Train Boxcar, 75th Anniversary Lecture Series, February 2025
The Chateau de Vie Lavender Farm, Jan. 11, 2025