I came across the concept of the wedding sheet in Josephine Ryan's French Home last night. I'm getting married in the Fall, and I'd never heard of this tradition, so I did a little bit of research.
It is referenced as both a French and Italian tradition, where the bride is given an ornately embroidered wedding sheet in "fil de lin" linen as part of her trousseau. On the morning after the couple's first night, the tradition states that the couple will hang the sheet out a window to show their family and nosy neighbors that the bride was indeed a virgin.
My guess is that if they are still being given on the occasion of a wedding, the second, more public part of the tradition has fallen in favor.
I came across this site, Fleur d'Andeol, which sells impeccable antique wedding sheets and other fine linens. Worth bookmarking for sure.
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