White became widely associated with the modern Western bridal gown after Queen Victoria wore white at her 1840 wedding.
Queen Victoria married Prince Albert on 10 February 1840 at St James’s Palace in London. Her dress was made of white satin and decorated with Honiton lace. Although white wedding clothing existed before Victoria, her highly publicized wedding helped make the color fashionable and aspirational among European and North American brides.
The white gown was not originally a universal symbol of purity. Before the Victorian era, brides wore many colors, and practical garments were often reused after the wedding. White clothing could also display wealth because it was difficult to clean and maintain.
“Ivory” is now common in bridal fashion, but it is a shade rather than the historical answer to the question. Queen Victoria’s white dress helped establish the lasting Western association between a white gown and bridal identity.