Are there any ‘rules’ to follow when picking a dress for a second wedding?

[Liz Seyi]

So, you’re tying the knot for a second time; congratulations! Some aspects of your wedding planning may not be quite as intimidating this time around, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be a quick and easy process to put together your dream ‘big day’. For a lot of brides organising Gibraltar weddings as their second, for instance, there are big questions over what dress they should choose.
The good news is that in 2021, there really isn’t that much strict ‘etiquette’ around dresses for second weddings. In short, if you look and feel great in a given dress, it’s almost certainly a great choice for your second wedding!
Still, if you’re among the many people looking to get hitched for the second time, there are still a few things you’ll need to think about when it comes to the wedding dress – such as the below.
Is white an acceptable colour for a second wedding?
There’s one especially high-profile example in recent years showing the answer to this question to be an emphatic “yes”: Meghan Markle, who was marrying for the second time when she wed Prince Harry in a now-iconic white gown in 2018.
But with or without Meghan’s example, the notion of white wedding dresses only being a ‘thing’ for first weddings – due to the colour’s associations with purity, virginity and innocence – is actually a relatively historically recent development.
In fact, until Queen Victoria’s wedding in 1840 in an ivory lace dress, the traditional wedding colour for brides was red, with white being reserved for mourning.
In the grand scheme of things, then, a bride doesn’t have to wear white, and nor are they disallowed from wearing white, whether they are tying the knot for a second, third, fourth or fifth time. So, in the event that anyone suggests wearing a white dress to your second wedding is a ‘breach of etiquette’ or ‘inappropriate’, it’s worth reminding them of this history.
So, are there any ‘good’ or ‘bad’ second-wedding-dress hues?
The short answer is: no, not really. As long as the colour you choose suits you and makes you feel amazing, it’s probably permissible! It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that depending on your religion, you may not be allowed to hold your second wedding in a religious building.
That might mean you instead formalise your union with your beloved in a typically slightly less formal setting, such as a registry office. And such venues tend to be more relaxed than religious buildings in any case when it comes to ‘expected’ wedding attire.
Colour isn’t the only thing to consider when choosing a dress for a second marriage

There are certain other elements of the time-honoured wedding dress that you may have questions about if you are about to get married again.
One of those is whether you should or shouldn’t wear a veil – and again, as far as 21st-century Western weddings are concerned, this basically comes down to your personal preference. There’s no etiquette that says those marrying for a second time must not wear a veil. So, you’ll just need to think about how comfortable and confident you would be with one, and whether a veil would suit the dress and hairstyle you’re considering for your special day.
Pattern is another aspect that can cause stress when second-time brides are trying to pick the right outfit for them. And again, it comes down to what feels right for you.
With so many brides getting married for a second time choosing a slightly ‘alternative’ aesthetic for their wedding dress in any case, you’ve got a lot of freedom here, whether you ultimately decide on a block colour, a floral style, polka dot, something geometric… or something else altogether.
We’re here to serve your needs in relation to all things Gibraltar weddings!
As we’ve written about previously here on the Sweet Gibraltar Weddings blog, there are many fine reasons to get married in the British Overseas Territory if your upcoming wedding will be your second. After all, with its simultaneously British and Mediterranean vibe, there really is nowhere else in the world quite like Gibraltar.
When organising your own nuptials here, then, why look beyond our capable and experienced specialists in Gibraltar weddings? Fill in and submit our online contact form today, and we’ll soon get back in touch to discuss how we can work together to help make your dream a reality.