However, wearing a white wedding dress hasn't always been popular ... and ditching the fur-trimmed velvet robes that were usually worn by royal brides. Even Victoria's 12 bridesmaids wore white.

What has come to be viewed as the "traditional" white wedding dress is of recent invention ... Satin brings bad luck, and velvet threatens the wearer with poverty. Unpatterned fabric is deemed ...

Wearing white to a wedding is rarely acceptable ... although they can incorporate dresses that reveal the ankles. Consider a one-shoulder velvet gown with a thigh-high slit and crystal embellishments.