This Romanian Bridal Wear Will Make You Rethink Your Wedding Style

Western brides-to-be may feel that their wedding dress options are limited to pearly whites, but this traditional Romanian wedding attire puts a convincing case for the argument that more is more.

On catwalks across Europe, there has been a move towards a more extravagant style of dressing, a trend that says we should embrace brighter colours, bolder silhouettes and cultivate a statement look. Yet when it comes to weddings, brides-to-be have a tendency to opt for more traditional looks – but in Romania, there’s no need to compromise on trend or tradition: the best of both are on offer.

Traditional Romanian weddings are likely to take place in small villages rather than the main towns, and are often an opportunity for the whole community to come together in celebration.

The distinctive wedding wear is comprised of a ‘fotă’. This is a traditional type of wedding skirt which is made from cotton or wool, and is ornately decorated. Another striking part of the bride’s wedding attire is the ‘maramă’. Indeed, headwear plays an important part of the wedding ceremony as it traditionally denotes the marital status of young women. Thus the process of covering one’s head during the marriage ceremony became highly significant of the transition from girl to married woman. The type of covering changes from region to region. In the Oaş region, bridal headwear is especially ornate, with hats decorated with many bright beads.

The clothes reflect the energy and performance at the heart of traditional Romanian weddings. One of the most famous traditions is that of ‘kidnapping’ the bride – friends of the bride will steal her from the wedding party and take her somewhere else to enjoy herself for a bit, before demanding a ‘ransom’ for the groom to get her back.

So if you’re looking for traditional wedding inspiration that is guaranteed to make a statement, we suggest looking to Romania.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.