Does your wedding gown reflect the glory of God? – Feminine Fidelity

1 Corinthians 10: 31, So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Even on her wedding day, a godly woman should keep God’s glory in mind. Sadly, this is often forgotten. The excitement of the day, and the attention on the bride can easily become more important than modesty, reverence, and the holiness of the vows being made. A Christian wedding ought to be a solemn covenant made before God, focusing on Christ and the vows of the couple, and the bride’s dress should reflect that solemnity rather than distracting from it.

Tradition in the West maintains that, on her wedding day, a woman dresses in white as a testament to her purity. These days, this isn’t as common as it was but it’s still fairly common. This testament to purity is frequently a false testament as many women aren’t virgins on their wedding day; even among those who are virgins, many choose wedding gowns that flaunt their sexuality rather than testifying to their purity and the dignity of the solemn vows they are undertaking before God and man.

A few years ago, I read an article where pastors were discussing the immodesty of the brides whose weddings they officiated. Pastor Todd Murray, then worship pastor of The Bible Church of Little Rock, asked brides to consider whether their dress reflects that the ceremony is a holy service rather than a fashion show and whether she can picture herself standing in that dress near her pastor as he opens Scripture and leads her through her vows. He said:

In recent years, I have become increasingly grieved by the immodest dresses of both brides and bridesmaids at the weddings that I officiate. I have observed a number of young ladies in our fellowship who have dressed modestly all their lives appearing on their wedding day in extremely provocative dresses, exposing more of themselves than on any other day of their lives. (In remarks published by Carolyn Mahaney on GirlTalk, “Modesty on Your Wedding Day,” April 19, 2006 FashionSavior)

I appreciate his heart. So many modern wedding gowns are designed in ways that reveal far more than they should—strapless styles, plunging necklines, low backs, sheer fabrics, or dresses that cling closely to the body. Dear sister, please remember this: your wedding day is not the time to set modesty aside. You can be beautiful, feminine, and lovely without exposing to those gathered that which ought to remain private for your new husband.

A woman’s wedding gown should reflect the dignity of the woman wearing it and the holiness of the covenant she is entering into before God.

Does it really matter how a woman robes herself on her wedding day? It is, after all, the bride’s wedding day and she has every right to bedeck herself however she wishes…doesn’t she? To a point, yes. She should certainly like her wedding gown. She should feel beautiful, special, and fancied up for her groom. But, to a larger point, no. No Christian ever has the right to simply please herself. Not even on her wedding day.

What a Christian puts on her body–or suggests that her bridesmaid’s wear–isn’t just about what style she thinks is pretty. It’s about the glory of her Lord. If that’s not our first thought when choosing how we will dress when we walk down the aisle, it certainly ought to be. If we care more about what we want–even on our wedding day–than we do about what brings the Lord glory, we are sinning.

Marriage was designed by God. It is a picture of Jesus and the church. Jesus–the Groom, and the bride–the church. Because it is that, a wedding isn’t meant to be a time of frivolity or to focus on our own desires. It is a time of worship. A marriage is an ordained union of two people–one man, one woman, for life. It is a serious, holy ceremony, a worship service, not a show. Not a bride-centered “do.” And as such, it should be focused on God–on His glory, not our own desires–in every single aspect of it.

The questions we must ask are these: What does your wedding dress say about you–your heart, your character, your obedience to God? Moreover, what does it say about your Savior? And what does the solemnity of your wedding, or lack thereof, say about your devotion to the Lord? Does it reflect that your wedding is a holy, solemn ceremony? When a wedding ceremony is silly or frivolous rather than holy and solemn, it reflects poorly on our Savior.

The same, of course, goes for the bridesmaids dresses. They also ought to reflect purity, holiness, because–though not the bride–they are still part of the holy ceremony joining one man, one woman, before the Lord, for life.

There are many styles of wedding dresses and endless places to purchase them. My mother made mine but then, she was extraordinarily gifted with a needle. If you can sew or know someone who can, that is certainly an option and gives you many options for altering patterns to make sure your gown, and those of your bridesmaids, are modest.

Wherever or however you go about purchasing your gown, consider these guidelines for choosing a modest one:

Try your gown on and look at it from every angle. Take someone with you who will tell you the absolute truth about how it looks, someone who is concerned about your modesty and purity–and God’s glory. Bend over, twist, turn, walk and see how it clings, how it flows, where it pulls, and what it might reveal.

Before you buy your wedding gown, consider asking:

Can you see your bra under it?

Does it cling and reveal your figure?

Does the neckline show any cleavage?

Does it reveal too much of your back? Does it plunge? Is it sheer too far down in the back?

Is it strapless? Does it have spaghetti straps? Is it off-the-shoulder?

Does it have a long slit that reveals the leg?

Is there an area that is cut-out, revealing your body?

Is it a mini-dress?

If you can say yes, please consider continuing to search for a gown that you like and will enjoy wearing but which will also bring honor to the Lord.

If you attend a wedding where the bride or her bridesmaids aren’t modestly attired, her wedding it not the appropriate place to mention it.

In all things, the glory of the Lord is to be our primary goal, even on our wedding day. Let us strive to remember that. Always.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Photo by Tom The Photographer on Unsplash

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