Why You Should Get Married in a Black Dress
As an adventure wedding and elopement photographer, I adore weddings—but I also resist traditions. That might sound a little odd, but hear me out. We all know that weddings are an old-school institution that involves archaic gender norms such as giving the bride away (as if women are something that can be gifted) or wearing white to indicate sexual purity (which is nobody’s business).
If you are into keeping these traditions, that’s all fine and good. After all, I’m all about getting married in exactly the way you want to. But the same thing can be said for breaking with tradition or starting your own. In either case, what you really want is a wedding day that reflects your values and the love you and your soon-to-be spouse share.
There are so many ways to make your wedding day your own. And one way to do so is to forgo the white dress for another color. Personally, I want to make the case for black wedding dresses!
Black wedding dresses are stunning and elegant. They demand your attention and absolutely dazzle the senses.
The vibe of a black wedding dress is bold, sophisticated, and distinguished. This makes it especially easy to match the decor and create a theme. Think jewel-tone flowers, black suits, and obsidian jewelry.
Believe it or not, black wedding dresses are nothing new. In fact, there’s evidence that black wedding dresses extend back more than 200 years. In ye olde days, brides could pick any color dress they wanted. This was more of a practical decision than anything else. People usually didn’t have the money for a dress they could only wear once, so picking a color other than white made sense for some couples. While these black dresses aren’t exactly a tradition in itself, it’s still pretty cool to think about the history of wedding fashion.
Black wedding dresses are undoubtedly enjoyed by couples who prefer a gothic aesthetic. But that’s not to say these dresses are exclusive to Halloween fans. Lots of people enjoy black wedding dresses including (but not limited to): non-traditional couples, artists, secular couples, avant-garde fashionistas, and just people who “never felt like a white-dress kind of person.”
Yes, white wedding dresses are beautiful—I got married in a white wedding dress myself—but so are black wedding dresses. Or really any color wedding dress for that matter: bold red, splendid purple, pale blue, champagne, gentle pink. In short, choosing a different-colored wedding dress isn’t anything to shy away from.
Check out Our Favorite Black & Colorful Wedding Dresses
Black & Color Wedding Dresses
Cocomelody: Tons of options for black and colorful wedding dresses, perfect for fantasy-lovers. (Plus size options)
A & M Bridal.com: Ball gown, black lace, and more.
Stylish Bride Atelier: Lots of beautiful, made-to-order black gowns with lace and tule. Originally based in Ukraine, now coming to you from Newport Beach, California.
Sherbon: Black gowns, dynamic sleeves, and more from this Lativa-based Etsy seller.
Hannah Black Bridal: Black dresses and gothic accessories from the UK.
Davids Bridal - A variety of elegant & sleek options. (Plus size options)
Olly Bridal - Black and colorful ball gown vibes, based in Ukraine.
Flutter Dresses - Layered dresses with lace and sparkles.
PolinaIvanova: Lots of black lace at this Etsy shop.
Bridal Garden Studio: A couple of short and long black dress options on this Etsy store.
Sweet Caroline Styles: Black and colorful dresses and skirts with dip-dyed options.
Flora and Lane: This Chicago-based Etsy has lots of colorful dresses a few amazing long black wedding dresses with stars and florals.
Brides & Tailor: Black and colorful gothic-styled dresses with plus size options from Michigan.
AW Bridal: This site only has a few black dresses, but there are bridesmaids dresses and floral and sparkly maxi dresses that work perfectly for casual weddings.
Wulgaria Couture: This Polish Etsy page sells black and red dresses perfect for the gothic, fantasy, and Halloween couples.
Julia Miren Dresses: Long tule dresses with epic trains.
Baltic Born: Not wedding dresses, but these black maxi dresses are prefect for casual weddings. Check out these numbers: Gold, Nude, Sequins.
Rue de Sine: Dusty pinks and wildflower-inspired wedding dresses.
Leanne Marshall: Hand-dyed simple, long, and colorful dresses.
Sophia Bridal: A few colorful options with lots of tule and flowers.
Lace Bridal: Lots of pale blue colors, perfect for ethereal winter and spring weddings.
Tonena: Dreaming of spring? These colorful floral wedding dresses are to die for.
Chotronette: Colorful and epic fantasy and floral dresses.
N Art Bridal: SO much color in these dyed dresses.
Legend Bridal: Gothic and witchy vibes.
Maggie Sottero: Elegant, classy, and lace options.
Black & Color Accessories
Rue de Sine: A few colorful and unique veils.
Meadow Sweet Bridal: Wildflower veils for a pop of color
Cocomelody: Some gothic accessories like crowns and veils.
Artemis Bridal: Playful and colorful veils.
Costurero Real: Ethereal fantasy-styled capes with black and starry options.
Holly Winter Couture: Unique veils with moon phases.
Roxana T Design: Capes and veils with a few black options.
Hannah Black Bridal: Long back veils.
Hair Chapter: Gothic and fantasy headpieces.
Want More Inspiration? Check Out These Guides
Looking for an Alternative Wedding & Elopement Photographer?
You’ve come to the right place. Let’s face it, your wedding day should be exactly what you want it to be. So if you want a black wedding dress and a gothic, “til death do us part” theme—I’m here for it. Let’s make this wedding day of your dreams (or nightmares ;) ).
