The union of two people in what we call matrimony has been a celebration in almost every culture since recorded time. Up until the middle 1800s, this event was recorded either in commentary or in paintings and drawings. The invention of photography in the 1830s changed all of that.

If you notice, most photographs before 1900 depict people very stoic, with not a glimmer of a smile on their face. The reason for this was the long exposure time required to capture the image in a photograph. It was impossible to hold a smile and look natural for that long.

Wedding hairstyles tended to be elaborate at the turn of the century, especially during the Edwardian time. During the 1920s, when the flapper emerged, wedding looks changed dramatically. Since women cut their hair short, into a bob, they focused on their headdresses instead.

Below are some wonderful pictures of vintage brides preserved forever by the new invention "photography". Gazing at these women make us realize that we still hold some of the same wedding traditions.