Victorian Bridal Museum

The House of Victorian Visions Bridal Museum, located in Orange, California's Old Towne District, offers more than just nostalgia in nuptials - it's the only museum in the western United States offering a permanent collection of antique bridal gowns and accessories.

Eve Faulkner, the museum's owner and creator, has spent the last 15 years sharing and teaching Victorian wedding traditions.

The experience begins with the Queen. Her Majesty Queen Victoria, with her portrait greeting visitors in the museum lobby, was indeed the author of the era. "She was also the first bride to wear white. Her gown was made of white satin and Honiton lace," recounts Faulkner. "Until then women simply chose their most formal dress, which was any color. Victoria herself defined the white wedding." Then follows a host of traditions. "The Victorian wedding was rich in symbolism," explains Faulkner, pointing to a glass case displaying an original Lady Bru bust, with a wax orange blossom headpiece typical for the time. "Flowers and fruit were symbols of fertility, and anchors on the bride's stockings signified hope as well as strength in the marriage - or 'no more free sailing,'" Faulkner jokes.

Beyond large double doors awaits the main exhibit area, a pretty rose-colored room with intricate stencil work and an exquisite chandelier.