This is the second in a series of articles about the evolution
of bridal fashion. We will begin with early brides and go up
through the modern age. Each article will feature a museum that
currently has wedding gowns on display to visit. Keep coming
back to learn more! * * * * * Long before the first white man
set foot on the shores of the "New World," Native American
cultures performed their own wedding rituals. But traditions
varied widely from tribe to tribe. For some, such as the
Delaware or Lenni-Lenape, there was no formal ceremony or vows.
Instead a man and woman simply decided to live together as man
and wife. Many tribes did have a festival when a young woman
reached the age of puberty, and news spread that she was now old
enough to marry. If a marriage did take place, sometimes it was
simply an exchange of gifts. Among tribes who did have an actual
ceremony, Native American brides would most likely have worn a
new knee length skirt and nothing else from the waist up.
Remember, her culture did not kno