The new HBO period drama series The Gilded Age has already mesmerized audiences across the globe, with its captivating storyline, opulent sets, and exquisite costumes. Amid all the struggles and determinations portrayed by the central characters, there’s one thing you can be directly inspired by. That would be the wardrobe and settings of the series. Especially for those would-be brides and grooms, who are eagerly re-arranging their long-postponed weddings, The Gilded Age can serve as the referencing influence in terms of dress and decoration extravaganza. Let’s meet the expert behind all these.

The Mastermind

Mr. Gary Lawrence is an iconic figure who is a walking, talking expert on the Gilded Age. The historian can spend hours talking about the Gilded Age or the era of the rise of the wealthiest families in America. He is the founder of ‘Gary Lawrence Architect’ and ‘Mansions of the Gilded Age.’ His eponymous firm ‘Lawrence Architectural Presentation’ provides architectural models, design presentations, design development, and digital rendering services to production houses, interior designers, architects, and landscape architects.

The Expertise

With an extensive background in the history of Gilded Age landscapes, architecture, and society, Mr. Lawrence has penned several articles and research papers, two bestselling books, and also has been giving lectures for more than 20 years. With his research work, he has brought back the vision and idea behind the lost architecture of the Gilded Age. His works have been featured in several prestigious journals such as Hamptons Cottages & Gardens, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, Southampton Press, New York Social Diary, and many more. From 2016 to 2019, Mr. Lawrence curated a symposium on the Gilded Age, which was held at the Lyndhurst Castle in Tarrytown of New York. It’s no wonder that, with such an expert behind the camera, the show is going to be the best visually beautiful inspiration for all the grand modern-day soirees of wedding ceremonies.

Many brides-to-be dream about the day they get to wear a white dress for the day and express their love for someone. Have you found yourself wondering about the tradition? It could be time to learn about the history behind white wedding dresses.

Thanks To The Queens

461 years ago, the history behind the white wedding dress began thanks to Mary Queen of Scots. Although the queen wore white for her big day, it wasn’t until Queen Victoria chose a white gown that things started to catch on. Queen Victoria wed Prince Albert in 1840 and paved the way for many future white wedding dresses to come.

Working Through The Classes

Many people often wore dark colors for their wedding due to a lack of laundry techniques or layers of bright colors for luck and love. However, the white wedding dress trend took off after Queen Victoria’s gown. The elite Americans and Europeans latched onto the trend, but it took a while to work its way through the rest of the classes. It wasn’t until 1981 when Princess Diana walked down the aisle with Prince Charles that others wanted to recreate the look for their big day.

Not A Global Trend

Although many parts of America and Europe still say a white wedding dress is their favorite choice, it seems as though the trend is changing – and has always been that way for many places around the world. In Japan, brides typically wear a white gown before changing into a red one later on in the ceremony, while people in Ghana usually opt for brightly colored wedding dresses to celebrate their day.

People across the world are now embracing alternative colors to bring their wedding day to life. However, the history behind the white wedding dress shows there is more to the tradition that we ever believed.