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.