Known as a wedding sari in India and an Ao dai in Vietnam, the emphasis The importance of the wedding gown in Eastern cultures is quite different from Western ones; both past and present. Although the purpose of matrimony states in the vows that it is for love that couples should marry, in many Western wedding ceremonies, politics, nobility and social class have played more of a role in the choice of a bridal gown. Not only was this expected as a manner that was fitting of their social status but its meaning was to express the height of fashion at the time.
Layers of silk and fur were not uncommon for the wealthiest women for their wedding ceremony. The more wealth a bride possessed, the more extravagant her bridal gown would be. Often, the importance of the wedding gown in both cases was to reflect as much style and taste as the bride could afford. By contrast, a poor bride may have chosen her best church dress because it was all she could afford. In this particular culture in the past, brides from wealthy families would adorn themselves with exclusive fabrics made of bold colors as a demonstration of their wealth and affluence in society.
Perhaps the most familiar one is the Western culture where the wedding gown or bridal dress has been and continues to be the major focus of the entire wedding ceremony. This broad definition however, can vary greatly in various cultures. By definition it is the clothing worn by a bride during her wedding ceremony.