
Black is back and this time it’s making a splash in the wedding scene! You may have never considered a black wedding dress, but we’re here to say ‘why the hell not?’
Black is bold, powerful and assertive – just how you want to feel on your wedding day, right? We want to break down the barriers and give you the biggest choice of options for your wedding day! From gothic weddings to moody elopments, we LOVE it!
So how exactly do you ROCK a black wedding dress?
Feature Photo by Doodah Photography | Dress by Ryley & Flynn Vintage | Moon by Pretty Vintage Hire

Ways to style a black wedding dress
Go for the gothic wedding look
Elope away in a stunning black wedding dress with skull and boho detailing
rock a corset
Why not make a statement with a black corset?
Mix it up with colour
You don't have to go for all black. Combining with colour is just as awesome!
ACCESSORIZE
Mix it up further with black capes, dip dye veils, fabric paint and embroidery
EMBRACE YOUR INNER GODDESS
Just as it says above! Go for a statement wedding dress.
Go for the Gothic wedding look
Is white not your thing? Oh, we love a gothic wedding look! This style is all about the attitude and being unapologetically yourself. It’s bold, badass and an awesome way to defy convention.
I’m going to put it out there that I think sunset wedding photos looks especially EPIC when a black wedding dress is involved!

Mix it up with colour
However you do it, mixing your black dress up with colour is just as AWESOME!
Dried wedding flowers are increasingly popular and we LOVE the dramatic black wedding dress meets muted tones look (see pictured below). And give us a flower crown any day of the week!
Add colour in your wedding backdrop – how about a fairground wedding as pictured above? Or coloured smoke bombs pictured below? It really makes the black wedding dress stand out and look AH-mazing!



Rock a wedding corset
We LOVE a wedding corset here at UW!
This option is perfect for adding a splash of drama to your bridal look, even if you don’t opt for a full-on, black wedding dress.


Dresses by Haizea Arranz. Photo 2 with white & black corset by Juanjo García
Accessorize all the way
We LOVE the little touches here at Unconventional Wedding HQ. Perhaps you don’t want to go the full on black but still want to include it in your wedding day.
So what are your options?
- How about adding a dramatic wedding cape? Perfect for colder winter weddings or how about a little Game of Thrones themed wedding action?
- Dip dye, or ombre, veils are all the rage. We think they look so dramatic with a grey / black ombre. Especially if you go for a full, cathedral length veil
- Or go down the hand painted option – the ultimate in personalisation – we love this hand painted, black wedding shawl
Embrace the goddess that you are with a WOW wedding dress!
You deserve to feel like the goddess that you are in whatever colour, style or themed wedding dress you choose for your wedding day. Speak to your local independent bridal designers (you can find our own supplier members below!). They’ll create you something one-off, truly unique, which will make you feel absolutely AMAZING on your wedding day. Let them work their magic!
What’s your power colour? You might also love: Our Ultimate Guide To Coloured Wedding Dresses




Check out our awesome bridalwear suppliers

Ryley & Flynn Custom Bridal
Beautiful, unique wedding dresses designed and handmade in Staffordshire.
Your wedding dress – your way!

Cora Stitch – Bespoke Bridal Design
Hello! My name is Caroline and I am the designer behind Cora Stitch – Bridal Design. Located in Crieff, Perthshire, I specialise in crafting one-of-a-kind custom wedding gowns that are for lovers of ethereal art, vintage and folklore. Perhaps you have a vision of a dress that reminds you of

Star & Leaf – Unique Wedding Veils
Star and Leaf offer a bespoke wedding veil painting service. Your wedding day is your opportunity to wear something that you look, and feel, fabulous in. Something that will WOW your partner and guests. At Star & Leaf I will help you create a unique look by painting you a

Felicity Westmacott – Bespoke Bridal
Welcome to Felicity Westmacott Bespoke Bridal. I make bespoke, alternative wedding dresses and unique ensembles for passionate, fashion-adventurous brides. I’ve been working in bespoke bridal for 15 years, helping brides of all shapes and sizes feel comfortable on their wedding day. The thing I love most about what I do

Boho Bride Boutique – Stratford, Warwickshire
For brides that dare to be different, Boho Bride offers a stunning collection of bohemian inspired designer wedding gowns and exquisite accessories. Perfect for brides who want to stand out from the crowd and celebrate their free-spirited personality.

Corsetry & Couture – Bespoke, Alternative Bridalwear
We want you to feel amazing on your special day. That’s why the Corsetry & Couture experience is a fun design and make process, with you right at the heart of it. Everything is designed exclusively for you, your style, your quirks and your curves. We want you to walk

Pretty In Pre Loved Bridal
Hello, I’m Sarah and this is Pretty In Pre Loved Bridal. I love all things weddings – in particular alternative weddings. Whether it is a funky venue, awesome people or the outfits they wear. I have combined my love for this, with a passion for buying myself preloved clothes and

Haizea Arranz – Alternative Wedding Dresses
At Haizea Arranz, we’ve been creating unique wedding dresses for more than ten years. Our dresses are handmade, taking care of every detail and using the best materials. We’re specialized in alternative wedding dresses: gothic, steampunk, fantasy, vintage… And of course, in corsetry. The corset is the key piece of all

ECLECTIC BRIDES BY BEXBRIDES
Hi there, I’m Bex of Eclectic Brides and Bexbrides. I have a quirky Bridalwear Studio in the northeast. Not nearby? I also sell worldwide on ETSY. I design wedding dresses from scratch and also upcycle vintage and retro wedding dresses. There is a huge collection in our studio for you to
Over on the blog - more wedding dress ideas and inspiration

Vibrant Peacock Wedding
In many myths, the peacock symbolises nobility, protection and guidance. When they show their flamboyant feathers, they demonstrate how we’re at our most beautiful when showing our true colours. This peacock wedding embodies just that! This styled shoot, organised by Kerry Ann Makeup Artist, is lavish and BOLD. Captured by

Urban Rockabilly Wedding in East London
We’re going all rockabilly wedding today here at UW HQ! We’re super excited to be sharing this bright & colourful urban wedding shoot from directory member Magpie Eye Photography. Shot in East London, it’s vibrant and full of energy. It’s also a fantastic reminder that the location can mean everything. Make

Unique Wedding Wear Inspired By Music Icons
We’re talking about MUSIC this week on Unconventional Wedding. It is the ultimate communicator, time marker and unifier. It’s also a big part of your wedding! Now, we’re not going to tell you what songs to play on your big day. However, we do have some unique wedding wear inspiration

This Purple Wedding Dress is WOW!
We love alternative bridalwear here at UW, so we are so excited to show off this shoot from our ‘Unconventional’, Felicity Westmacott. It features a city wedding backdrop, a stunning purple wedding dress, and a burlesque style ‘big reveal’! This awesome bridal look spans both ‘elegant’ and ‘sexy’ – with

The Best Unique & Alternative Wedding Dresses
Today we’re talking allllll about wedding dresses! We know you unconventional brides are after something show stopping, so we’ve compiled a list of our favourite alternative dress designers. There’s something for everyone here – from unusual wedding dresses to one of a kind! Corsets, to handpainted gowns, dip dyed dresses

Supplier Spotlight: BexBrides – Ombre wedding dresses and more
Hello, lovely wedding people! Today we have our very first ‘Supplier Spotlight.’ This is where we chat to some of the best wedding suppliers in the industry and ask them a few questions to get to know them better. So first up is the Darlington based, BexBrides. The self proclaimed