A Change of A Dress

50s Fun Facts:

Gloves were a popular bridal accessory in the 1950s, with fingerless gloves being made from lace, tulle or satin. Shorter hemlines also made an entrance, giving greater spotlight to the bride's shoes.

While sweetheart necklines were gaining in popularity (since Elizabeth Taylor wore it in 'Father of the Bride'), it was becoming fashionable for brides to wear the dress as a strapless gown after the wedding - so they would wear a bolero jacket on their big day to cover up.

Jersey was a particularly popular honeymoon destination for British couples, earning the nickname 'Honeymoon Island.'

60s Fun Facts:

Yoko Ono married John Lennon in Gibraltar in 1969. She famously accessorised her wedding dress with a sun hat and over-sized sunglasses.

Zsa Zsa Gabor described Yoko and John as looking like "two people going to hold up a bank".

The rising popularity of commercial airlines opened up more luxurious destinations for honeymoons.

Going away outfits were extremely popular. The bride would change into a specially chosen outfit to travel away from the reception and onto the start of the honeymoon.

70s Fun Facts:

As going abroad became a more popular honeymoon choice, the 'fly-and-flop' beach getaway emerged as the best way to relax and indulge after a stressful wedding period.

The tradition of throwing a hen party began in the 1970s after the liberating revolution of the 1960s.

Women were usually paraded around their workplace whilst colleagues celebrated their upcoming wedding. They were celebrating the fact that she was giving up work and beginning a life of domesticity and motherhood.

80s Fun Facts:

Princess Diana and Prince Charles' honeymoon included a stay in the English countryside (Broadlands) for three days. They flew to Gibraltar where they boarded the Royal Yacht Britannia for an 11-day cruise of the Mediterranean. Their honeymoon completed in Scotland, where they spent time with the royal family at Balmoral Castle.

During the 80s, couples were able to capture their weddings on video for the first time, initiating the wedding videography industry.

90s Fun Facts:

Fuelled by the growing popularity of pop culture weddings, the wedding industry expanded greatly in the 1990s. A number of popular wedding movies were released, encouraging brides-to-be to aim for the perfect dream wedding.

While princess dresses remained popular (think 'Muriel's Wedding' and 'Four Weddings and a Funeral'), style icons such as Carolyn Bessette inspired simpler styles towards the end of the decade.

Hen parties were growing in popularity and extravagance, becoming tradition to host them before the big day.

00s Fun Facts:

Spaghetti straps were also a popular alternative to strapless dresses. Silhouettes were sleeker overall.

In the 21st century, only one in six grooms asks his father-in-law-to-be for permission to marry his daughter, compared to one in two in the 1960s.

The tradition of the bride wearing something old, new, borrowed and blue has also become far less typical, with people deeming it too impractical.

10s Fun Facts:

After the launch of Pinterest in 2010 and its increasing popularity amongst brides-to-be, wedding festivities became much more unique to the couple. Traditions were given a creative twist, partly because people had access to inspiration and ideas from around the world.

Unique entertainment ranges from comedic first dance routines to fancy dress photo booths.

The mermaid silhouette also proved a favourable style at the beginning of this decade, with brides choosing to wear figure hugging shapes and materials.

Fun Facts:

The British documentary series gave an insight into the lives and traditions of Irish and British/Gypsy traveller families as they prepare
for weddings.

While the show has been criticised by the Irish Traveller & British/Gypsy Traveller communities for misrepresenting them, no one would be able to forget the big, colourful, princess-style dresses of the bride and her bridesmaids.

The show reached a peak viewing figure of 7.4m viewers for one episode.