WHITBY FREE PRESS BRIDAL SUPPLEMENT, WEDNESDAY MARCH 19, 1980, PAGE 7 From Diamonds to Cake, Brides Choose White BRIDE OF 1900 ... At the turnof the century, the well-dressed bride wore a lavish gown of satin, trimred with delicate lace. A regal train and puffed sleeves were popular styles for formal bridal dresses. And, since the turn of the centiry, the solitare diamond has been the American engagement symnbol. Traditions may come and go in a fast and ever-changing world of fashion - but when it comes to weddings, most brides stil1 hold tothe traditional ritual and customs - the white bridal gown, and the diamond engagement ring as the symbol of their love. Your Wedding Portrait If you'll soon be facing the camera for your cri- gagement or wedding por- traits, here are helpfut1 recommendations. Don't wear heavy rmake- up! It has a harsh and aging effect. Since an engaged girl or the bride should look fresh and natural, be care- ful about using exaggerate<l cosmetic techniques. 11 is the fastest way to date tlie photograph. For a smooth, soft, dewy look, apply a rinse-off cold cream before making up fcr a lightly emollient base. Then specialists suggest that you wear medium-tori e foundation and powder,nd a medium shade of lipsticl<, accented with lip gloss for sheen. Don't apply very pale lipstick for a picture, It won't show up. Little tricks can fool the camera. For instance, you can camouflage laugh and frown lines and blemishes by covering them with whi te liner or shadow stick. Then blend with fingertips, and powder as usual. To give a broad nose an aquiline appearance, apply a darker foundation on each side, blending thoroughly to avoid too strong a shadow. To shorten a long nose, blend in a bit of darker foundation at the nose tip. A.nd if features are less- than-perfect, try posing with your face at a slight angle to the camera, with head up and chin lifted. Eyes laden with false lashes and over-stated styl- ing are not suitable for a bri- dal portait. Be especially artful in ap- plying eye make-up if you wear glasses. The lenses of your glasses enlarge the eye area, so you need the barest minimum of definition. In most cases, the frames of your glasses will provide enough emphasis. Ever wonder why a girl receives a white diamond for her engagement? Or why she insists on a white wedding gown and white bridal bouquet for the wedding day? Or why she begins married life under a shower of white rice? Or why the wedding cake must be white? The bridal-white tradition has evolved gradually through the centuries, and although the style of diamond engagement ring, wedding gown and bouquet has chatiged to suit the age, the white color still reigns supreme. The tradition of the white diamond as the symbol of engagement is 500 years old this year. The first engage- ment ring was given in 1477 when Maximilian of Austria asked Mary of Burgundy to be his bride. Max was a little shy about popping the question, so he consulted with an advisor who told him: "Your Grace must have a ring set with a diamond." Max did give Mary a sparkling white diamond, and a tradition was started which has continued through the ages. Actually, the diamond has been associated with romance since early Greek times. In fact, the very word diamond comes from the Greek "adamas," meaning unconquerable. The Greeks believed that the fire in a white diamond reflected the constant flame of love. Until the end of the nineteenth century,however, the diamond tradition was reserved only for the royal and the wealthy because of the rarity of diamonds. Then, diamonds were dis- covered in quantity in South Africa and a white diamond for engagement rapidly became a bridal tradition most could enjoy. Today, 78% of all first- time brides in the U.S. walk down the aisle with a lovely white diamond on the fourth finger, left hand. Why are bridal gowns white? According to fashion history, at one time wedding gowns ran the gamut of colors: blues, pinks, yellows, and even red! Then, in 1799, Nellie Custis started a trend by choosing a white silk gown for her wedding to George Washington's favorite nephew. By 1818, white gowns were so popular that white became the traditional bridal color. The white bridal head- piece also can be credited to Miss Custis. She drew a pair of lace curtains around her head as she spoke to her fiancé through an open window one day. When he said she never looked prettier, she decided to wear a white lace head scarf for her weddin7g. Sleepy Subject: When you go mattress shopping, don't stand on your dignity, experts ad- vise. Lie down and test the mattress for yourself. Here are points to check: 1. Does the mattress sup- port you firmly? On a good mattress your body should rest in a straight line as if you were standing up. 2. Is there enough surface softness so that the mat- tress gives you a feeling of luxurious resilience? Some mattresses corne with vari- ous degrees of surface soft- ness to suit your own pref- erence. 3. How does the mattress react to different weights? With a quality mattress there should be no tendency to slide toward the middle of the bed or toward the heavi- er bed partner. 4. Is the mattress large enough? King-size mat- tresses are growing in popu- larity with young marrieds, who like togetherness with- out crowding. A king-size mattress provides 50 per cent more space than a stan- dard double bed. Although flowers have been used at weddings since ancient times, the white bouquet can be traced to 1830 when orange blossoms became the vogue in southern France. Orange blossoms were considered the flower of fertility and happiness, since the orange tree blossoms and bears fruit at the same time. In later times, white roses for love and liies for purity also became popular for bridal bouquets. As for other bridal white traditions, throwing white rice at the newlyweds symbolized wealth and health. In the Orient, it Deluxe Super Budget Weddings from..... including Limousine service Exclusive but inexpensive Quality Photography Experienced Professionals means, "may you have a full pantry." But in ancient times, rice was thrown as food for jealous evil spirits who hovered near the bride and groom. The white wedding cake dates to ancient Rome, where a cake made of flour, sait and water was broken over the bride's head to wish her fruitfulness. Not many brides today would like cake on their head and, thankfully, this tradition has evolved tojust eating the cake. But modern brides stillcherish the other white traditions, and choose to be married in white and wear the lovely white diamond throughout their lifetimes. $150000 Complimentary Wedding and Decorum Advice Large or small we handle them all PHOTO BARN 147 Centre St. N., Oshawa 571-2431 Brides and Grooms dollars before and alter th iwedding wifts the Promo discount group! HONEYMOONERS! For A Perfect Beginning Call Us Bermuda, Tobago, Nassau & Many Other Destinations! 185 BROCK ST. N. esley s WHITBY Corner of Brock & Mary orld of 668-7955 Travel i. Stay Young ..... Have Fun ..... Travel! Budget Weddings $9900 Stop Hunting . for An Apartment Call "OSHAWA RENTAL AGENCY" No Rental Fee to You Call: 576-6956 or 579-1626