FASHIONABLE LORE

1. Queen Victoria started the Western world's white wedding dress trend in 1840 -- before then, brides simply wore their best dress.
2. In Asia, wearing robes with embroidered cranes symbolizes fidelity for the length of a marriage.
3. Ancient Greeks and Romans thought the veil protected the bride from evil spirits. Brides have worn veils ever since.
4. On her wedding day, Grace Kelly wore a dress with a bodice made from beautiful 125-year-old lace.
5. Of course, Jackie Kennedy's bridesmaids were far from frumpy. She chose pink silk faille and red satin gowns created by African-American designer Ann Lowe (also the creator of Jackie's dress).
6. In Japan, white was always the color of choice for bridal ensembles -- long before Queen Victoria popularized it in the Western world.
7. Most expensive wedding ever? The marriage of Sheik Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum's son to Princess Salama in Dubai in May 1981. The price tag? $44 million.
8. In Korea, brides don bright hues of red and yellow to take their vows.
9. Brides carry or wear "something old" on their wedding day to symbolize continuity with the past.
10. In Denmark, brides and grooms traditionally cross-dressed to confuse evil spirits!
11. The "something blue" in a bridal ensemble symbolizes purity, fidelity, and love.