Mormon Bride: Wearing a Wedding Dress

One of the questions that arises for many a young Mormon bride to be is the question of whether or not she can wear her wedding dress in the temple. The answer, of course, is more than a simple yes or no. There are certain requirements a wedding dress must meet if it is to be worn at the temple. First of all, the wedding dress must adhere to strict standards of modesty. Secondly, it cannot take up a great deal of space (long trains should be bustled up, or avoided altogether). Finally, the wedding dress must be white. Not off-white, or some other not-white version of white. Here are some of the requirements for wearing your wedding dress in the temple:

*Long sleeves are required
*The dress must go down to the bottom of the calf
*A high neckline is required
*The wedding dress must have a back
*Any sheer material should be lined so that it is not see-through

Because of these requirements, a Mormon bride might choose to wear the more simple temple dress, used in rites in the temple, for her wedding. She can change into her wedding dress after the sealing ceremony if she wants pictures in the dress in front of the temple. This is actually a rather common arrangement for many LDS brides who prefer rather elaborate wedding dresses, or for those who want short sleeves for a summer wedding.

Some temples offer jackets that can be worn over the dress, or inserts that can be worn under, for the sealing ceremony in the temple. This allows some brides the ability to make small changes in order to wear the wedding dress inside the temple for the ceremony. However, not all temples have these items available, so it is important to ask specifically about this when you call to arrange your temple wedding date. Also, if the wedding dress needs drastic work to make it modest, the simple items offered often are not enough. There is no remedy for a wedding dress that is not white. Covering the colors over is not the same thing.

Just to be safe, there are several LDS brides choosing to perform the actual marriage ritual in their simple temple dresses. Such dresses meet all of the modesty standards, and brides do not have worry about whether or not their wedding dress will pass muster. This way, a Mormon bride can still enjoy a lavish wedding dress in a variety of styles.