[caption id="attachment_5996" align="aligncenter" width="427"]Dita Von Teese dances with designer Christian Louboutin at her wedding[/caption]  So lucky to catch a recent  New York Times edition featuring a catchy headline: "The Bride Didn’t Always Wear White".   In case you missed the fashion story (maybe you were celebrating July 4th?)  let me share highlights with you.  You'll be surprised to learn about the white wedding gown tradition. Reporter Stuart Emmrich traces the tradition of wedding gowns in white back to Queen Victoria who revolutionized fashion in 1840 when she decided to wear white when she married Prince Albert.  That was in 1840, almost 175 years ago.   It's fascinating to see how a basic dress designed for daytime evolved into a mega million dollar fashion industry today.. Before the Queen's fashion choice, brides tied the knot in gowns with bright colors.  Sometimes the designs featured flowers.  Best of all, brides got to wear their wedding gowns after they married as colorful and pretty party frocks. The spotlight on the history of bridal gown designs  is shining Victoria and Albert Museum in London where an exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum traces  the custom of white wedding dress and how top designers have created collections of bridal gowns over the last two centuries. You'll recognize the famous designers:  .John Galliano, Christian Lacroix, Vera Wang, Vivienne Westwood and Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, who created Kate's Middleton's exquisite  gown when she wed Prince Charles.

Say "I Don't" to the white wedding gown tradition

Many fashion savvy brides shopping for a plus size wedding gown at Sydney's Closet say "I Don't" to the custom of wearing a white dress Let me share  a few examples with you of brides who opted for  color on their wedding day :

• a bride from Nevada says  "I Do" on Valentines Day in Las Vegas looking stunning in a red one-shoulder plus size formal  dress.  Who says you can't be the lady in red on your wedding day!
• a bride from Michigan dresses up in a black tulle ball gown with red roses.  Nothing scary about that fashion choice when you get married on Halloween.
• a bride from Florida ties the knot on the high seas in a blue  strapless evening gown with a matching shawl.   She dressed to impress her husband, the captain and the guests that sailed on the wedding cruise.

But what if you're not ready for such a radical departure from white by wearing such a bold color?  Then consider softer hues as an alternative.  A blush color give you a soft, feminine and oh-so pretty option.  Whisper pink and pale blue offer you two other fabulous options for a wedding dress. Want to pull off a super  sophisticated look on your wedding day.  Consider a wedding gown in a rich cream color that is almost a latte. I just  love  confident curvy brides who aren't afraid to go down the aisle in style in a dress that isn't white.  Don't you? If your travels take you to London, you can catch the exhibit titled "Wedding Dresses: 1775-2014", through March 15, 2015.  But don't be disappointed if you don't see the dress that started all the fuss.  It is now housed at Keninsgton Palace as part of the royal collection.  A fitting resting place for a design that forever changed the way brides around the world dress on their wedding day.