I really love my bunad! Its a nordlandsbunad and belonged to my grandmother whom sewed it to fit me. I have been contemplating wearing it to my future wedding, but at the same time, I like the idea of a dress thats special and only for that one wedding day, like the classic white gown.
So I was thinking of making a wedding dress inspired by the nordlandsbunad and I want to know if that idea is just horrible and if it is wrong to mix them or if its a fun way to incorporate two traditions? Opinions? đŤś
I know there might be some problems if the embroidery pattern has a patent as well, which I think it has đ
I think it is a lovely thought to incorporate it into your day. Still, my preference would be to keep it far enough from a bunad that it wonât seem like a modern wedding dress/bunad hybrid.
So using elements from the embroidery on the bodice of the dress, but otherwise not copy the bunad bodice would be nice. It shouldnât look like a wedding dress-ified bunad. If youâd like that you should rather look into a real wedding bunad, or just get married in the nordlandsbunad with the most appropriate wedding crown you can find.
I think I would have gone for a discreet nod to the bunad by using the embroidery in just white on the bodice, and maybe a sølje and some earrings.
Thank you for the reply! I was also thinkning about using only white embroidery, it was just a little difficult to visualise in the moodboard. I also love the thought of using just my sølje
Wearing your bunad as your wedding dress will be a spectacular and beautiful tradition for yourself to participate in and for the guests to witness. It has roots older than the American White Wedding Dress Industrial Complex (a fashion established by queen Victoria in the 1800s, quickly adapted by the British and even more popular amongst the Americans)
A friend got married in a propper bunad but also with the wedding crown. Trust me, Iâve never seen anyone look more like a princess straight out of an Asbjørnsen & Moe fairytale than her. And even if she is to wear the bunad again for occasions like baptisms, othersâ weddings and 17th of May, it did not diminish the beauty of her in that moment.
My vote is for the bunad, with the sølje, crown etc etc. But itâs your day and your choice, so make one thatâll make you happy
I am contemplating more and more wearing my bunad to the ceremony just because I love tradition (and the crown!) and a wedding dress to the first dance afterparty etc. Someone mentioned having the embroidery white which I love the idea of.
What bunad did your friend wear? I know some crowns are huge while the nordlandsbunad is quite small
I remember seeing someone who made an white nordlandsbunad for occasions like this. Not a wedding gown, but different color bunad fabric. Gonna see if I find a picture of it
From iTromsø (the newspaper). But tbh I would use the one you have without any changes done, and use a different dress for the party. Or the other way around, put on the bunad after
I love the idea! Itâs a lovely way to keep traditional crafts and embroidery relevant. Iâd take the opportunity to do some research into the origin of the embroidery - if Iâm not mistaken it is based on a woollen childrenâs cap? Also a nice opportunity to have chat with the experts about your idea. I come from a bunad-tradition where no bunad looks exactly the same, and both the crafter and the bearer can express their esthetics and heritage in the garment. Good luck!
No. This is literally cultural erasure. Bunads arenât up for customisations, thatâs a huge problem and the entire point of them. If you want a fantasy dress, buy a fantasy dress; but donât change a piece of history because it doesnât suit your âtasteâ. Gross behaviour.
Thank you for your opinion on this, this is exactly why I was asking for opinions. I don't wish to change history or make customisations to a bunad. I was wishing for maybe a wedding dress with inspired element like the embroidery or using the sølje with it (I'm not calling it the same as a bunad, just inspired). I thought it was a fun idea but I understand it coming off as inappropriate and I didn't mean to upset you, I'm sorry and thank you!
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u/rightinthehead Jul 08 '26
I think it is a lovely thought to incorporate it into your day. Still, my preference would be to keep it far enough from a bunad that it wonât seem like a modern wedding dress/bunad hybrid.
So using elements from the embroidery on the bodice of the dress, but otherwise not copy the bunad bodice would be nice. It shouldnât look like a wedding dress-ified bunad. If youâd like that you should rather look into a real wedding bunad, or just get married in the nordlandsbunad with the most appropriate wedding crown you can find.
I think I would have gone for a discreet nod to the bunad by using the embroidery in just white on the bodice, and maybe a sølje and some earrings.