Getting married while pregnant – is there still a stigma attached?

Not all that long ago, a couple getting married while the bride was pregnant would receive a stream of negative reactions. Now that sex before marriage is no longer a taboo, and many people choose never to get married at all, you would think that getting married while expecting a baby is no longer a big deal. Are there still stigmas attached to pregnant brides in this day and age?

The answer is, somewhat surprisingly, yes. It is not necessary to move around in overly conservative or religious circles to notice that pregnant brides still face plenty of prejudices. What are the stigmas that still come with having a so-called “shotgun wedding”? An internet search reveals that many people still don’t think getting married while pregnant is the proper way of doing things, though the concerns might be related more to fashion and being able to enjoy your wedding reception when suffering from pregnancy signs and symptoms than to not being a virgin on your big day.

Let’s have a look at the Top Five of opinions about getting married with a little one on the way, along with the reasons why they really make no sense.

“A wedding dress with a baby bump? Not a good look!” Many people, especially women, think that wedding dresses and pregnant bellies do not go together. Presumably that is because the traditional expectation was to first get married, and only then start trying to conceive.
“It is fine, as long as the bride doesn’t wear a white dress.” Because white dresses are the privilege of virgins? The same people who think that the wedding dress should not be white if the bride is “with child” think that the wedding should be a small and casual affair. Of course, it is very obvious that the bride is not a virgin if she is pregnant. In this day and age, hardly anyone “saves themselves” until marriage. Should everyone else be banned from wearing white, too?
“It is tacky to get hitched when pregnant” is still a pretty common opinion. Why? Because sex before marriage is tacky?
“The couple should wait until after the baby gets there to get married.” This opinion is closely related to the first three, but seems to be more about fashion than anything else. However, getting married before the birth of your baby could save a lot of money and make getting the father on the birth certificate a lot easier. If you really want to tie the knot anyway, why not do it before your baby arrives to make your life a lot easier as well?
“One should first get married, and then start trying to conceive.” Even if that was your original plan, too, life sometimes changes our schedule around a little bit. On the upside, if you say “I do” when you are expecting, you will not have to worry about using an ovulation calendar and timing your intercourse at the beginning of your marriage!