It just happens. Even if we meant to keep the wedding vows we made the first time and no matter how hard we tried to keep the marriage intact, there are just some marriages that are not meant to be. Just because the first marriage failed it doesn’t meant the next one will.

Fashion purists way back staunchly mandated that second-time brides should refrain from wearing a white wedding gown for their second wedding. Thankfully, those rules have now relaxed and the color white has become a symbol of joy and happiness rather than purity and virginity. And so, second-time brides can wear white – or any color so desired– when they march down the aisle once more.

There are many women out there who are looking forward to their second wedding, hoping that the second time around would not turn out the way the first one did. However, it is not unusual for their spirits to be dampened by tongue-wagging people who insist on heaping restrictions and etiquette on the second-time bride over wearing white. But the thing is, there is nothing to stop the second-time bride from doing what she wants on her encore wedding because supposedly she is older, wiser, more experienced – and hopefully has more money to splurge on herself. Many times a second marriage is more elaborate than the first one was.

What the second-time bride should consider in picking her dress for her second wedding is her very own personality and fashion sense. While she ought to go for more mature and much sleeker styles, there is absolutely no reason for her not to choose a princess-style wedding gown if she wants to wear one this time. As long as the dress flatters her skin and body type, the quality is really good and she can afford it, she should go with the dress she wants to wear.

The second-time bride is also not limited to gowns. What applies to the first-time bride also applies to her: that her dress should match the tone and formality of her wedding and reception. So, if the wedding is to be a formal affair, her dress should be formal. If it is a little on the casual side, her dress should be simple but smart. The second-time bride can also wear an elegant suit or a cocktail dress for her wedding if she wishes to.

There are some restrictions that the second-time bride should respect and abide by. These restrictions fall in the matter of veils and trains. A second-time bride should not wear full veils that cover the face because covering the entire face is limited to first-time brides. If she wants to wear a veil, it should be something that cascades elegantly down her back, but does not cover her entire face. Some are opting not to wear a veil; she could experiment with a smart hat or flowers as her headpiece. In the matter of trains, the second-time bride can still wear one, but it should be simple. Choosing a wedding dress for the second-time bride is great because there are just so many options that she can play with.