For most of history, weddings were a far cry from the intricately planned, love-fuelled events we know today.
Firstly, on a rather depressing note, across cultures and continents, marriages inspired by romance were typically the exception rather than the rule. In most cases, the joining together of a man and a woman (because there was no other legal choice) was seen as more of a business contract that would benefit both families economically and socially than the coming together of two star-crossed lovers. Not to mention the expected production of offspring to carry the bloodlines forward.
Secondly, lavish wedding celebrations were typically the privilege of the super-rich. Everyone else just had to make do with ‘koek-en-tee in die kerksaal’ kind of vibe. In fact, in some cultures, marriages weren’t even sealed with any sort of feast, but merely focused on legalities and necessary paperwork.
The wastefulness of wedding dresses
By extension, for the longest time, wedding dresses weren’t considered to be much of a muchness.
Of course, a bride wouldn’t rock up on her wedding day in a kitchen-stained smock, but the garment she wore would typically be the smartest she had in her existing wardrobe or a newly-made item she could wear again.
The concept of a wedding dress being worn once – on the big day, of course - and then never again, only emerged in the last century or so.
Arguably, the most poignant expression of our throw-away, fast fashion culture.
A more conscious approach
As we become ever more aware of the negative impact our consumer choices are having on the planet, more and more fashion-lovers are opting for an eco-conscious and slow approach to updating their wardrobes.
We’ve seen a renewed commitment to supporting both up-and-coming and well-established local designers (as opposed to filling your chain store shopping cart with flimsy-fabric garments), as well as opting for clothing that has been made on home soil instead of mass-produced in foreign factories.
Thrift shopping has enjoyed a major revival, with many fashionistas taking pride in their selection of preloved items hand-picked off Hospice Shop shelves or Vintage online stores.
Although it took a while for these trends to find their way into the mainstream wedding industry, we’re excited about the revolution that is finally taking place. And, more importantly, we’re excited to be part of the process.
So, if you’re dreaming up a gorgeous eco-conscious wedding day, here are some ideas for a dress that is as sustainable as it is striking:
A modern heirloom
Here at Merwe Wed, we take pride in creating heirloom dresses that can be preserved for future generations.
We’re passionate about incorporating fine handwork like embroidery and specialised beading into the garments we design to add value and a feeling of luxury. But, most importantly, to create something that will stand the test of time and become an object of admiration and desire for the brides (and grooms) of tomorrow.
Image by Hanru Marais
Two of our favourite recent designs include a hand-embroidered dream of a dress and a show-stopping ostrich feather jacket.
The hand-embroidered dress was created for Lyndall Coburn, who is a hugely talented artist in her own right. She designed her own fabric print and we brought it to life through beading and embroidery on floaty natural-coloured chiffon.
Image by Jenni Elizabeth
Inspired by Kate Moss’s style, the lovely Irusha Krohn wanted a dress with clean lines and sexy thigh-high slits (hidden away under a luxurious circle skirt for the ceremony). Because they had a winter wedding, she also wanted something to keep her warm on the day and opted for a spectacular pure-white bolero jacket, made from hand-cut and singly-tasselled ostrich feathers.
Something you can (and will) wear again
If posterity doesn’t appeal to you, that’s totally fine too!
A lovely way to make sure that your wedding dress doesn’t go to waste is to opt for something that you will be inspired to wear again in one form or another.
There are many ways to go about doing this – from going for something more casual from the start or repurposing a regal garment into something more informal after the big day.
Image by Luisanna Tejada
When the sparkling Wietske Rubow and her Stefanos decided to move their wedding forward by a few weeks, time to find the perfect dress was limited. She came to us with a three-week deadline and the wish for something simple, yet elegant that would suit the intimacy of their Central Park (yes, the one in New York City) ceremony.
With its mid-calf length, plunging back and pretty lace bodice, Wietske will be able to wear it again and again to everything from laid-back summer garden parties to more formal cocktail events.
Incorporating old and new
So, you like the idea of honouring the generations who came before you, but don’t necessarily want to wear your mom’s puffy-sleeved 1980s white meringue as is?
No problem!
There are so many ways to repurpose an old wedding gown – no matter how outdated the style – into something chic and more aligned to your style.
Zoe, one of our beautiful brides from a couple of years ago, had lost her mother a few months before the wedding and wanted pay tribute to her in a special way by incorporating parts of her mom’s dress into her own.
So, we removed the waist bow from her mom’s dress and added it as a dropped cowl to draw attention to Zoe’s open back. We also used pearl buttons from the old dress and sent them running down the back centre seam of the new one.
If you’ve been following our #MWBrideJourney posts, you may also have seen that bride-to-be, Nadia will be incorporating her mom’s classic Grecian-style dress into her own. We can’t wait for the big reveal!
More sustainable fabrics
One of the simplest ways to up the sustainability of your wedding gown, is to opt for Fairtrade and eco-friendly fabric.
For a while now, we’ve seen people going the extra mile to choose conflict-free diamonds for their rings and sustainably-sourced flowers for their bouquets, while the origins of wedding-garment fabric may be overlooked.
If you’re passionate about making your wedding a truly sustainable affair, there are a number of ways to find fabric that won’t be leaving a massive carbon footprint.
Organic cotton, hemp and linen are all wonderful options. While they’re particularly well-suited to more bohemian wedding looks, you might be pleasantly surprised about just how diverse they can be!
Thrift gown
Last but not least, if you’re a thrift queen through and through, there’s nothing wrong with slipping into a pre-loved wedding dress and maybe customising it to your own taste.
Here are some gems we’ve spotted lately:
10 Likes, 0 Comments - Frockafeather Vintage (@frockafeather) on Instagram: "Wedding dress: best suited to fit a Size 10 to petite Size 12 Price: R550 Fabric: A STUNNER! Cream..."
1 Likes, 0 Comments - Linda (@weathervanefarm) on Instagram: "Vintage 1940s 1950s wedding dress bridal gown. Ivory satin is over laid with tulle and tulle is..."
3 Likes, 0 Comments - Vintage Lane Bridal Boutique (@vintagelanebridal) on Instagram: "A total bohemian dream! 😍🌸 Stunning 1970's chiffon vintage wedding dress with handkerchief sleeves,..."
Featured image by Hewitt Wright Photography