As Refinery29’s fashion writer Frances Solá-Santiago previously reported, black wedding dresses are on the rise for brides-to-be. While wearing black is certainly the atypical route — white wedding dresses obviously still reign in the bridal category — the idea of a noir-as-night dress for nuptials is far from just a style trend. Solá-Santiago points out that plenty of notable folks have worn black as an alternative wedding dress: Chloë Sevigny got married in black for City Hall (and subsequently wore white for her actual ceremony and parties) and Sarah Jessica Parker wore black for her 1997 wedding (though she had told Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live years later that she now regrets the decision).
But the bold decision to wear a black wedding dress should be far from regretful, and instead be an act of defiance against the wedding tradition of sending off the “innocent” or “pure” bride. For creative director Lydia Pang (who is also a former R29 staffer), wearing a black gown for her wedding was an absolutely fitting choice given her everyday black-on-black aesthetic. Sometimes, white simply isn’t someone’s color — why spend money on a white dress if it goes against a bride’s personal style? In turn, black is a natural option for the white-adverse, nontraditional bride. You can never go wrong with black: it’s elegant, classic, and dramatic no matter how you slice it.
Ahead, we round up an assortment of inky-black dresses we think Wednesday Addams would approve of for her own hypothetical wedding day. From under-$100 stunners to mid-range black dresses embellished with sparkles to a nearly $6K sculptural column gown, all of these picks are high-octane chic and could absolutely be pulled off for any kind of unconventional nuptial.
Free People Isabel Maxi Dress, $250
Step out with a little leg.
Shop Free People
Morphine Fashion Strapless Tiered Tulle Asymmetric Gown, $1,700
Go big with heaps of black tulle.
Shop Anthropologie
Sachin & Babi Keira Embellished Bow Strapless Gown, $895
A sweet bow in the back to tie it all together.
Shop Anthropologie
City Chic Athena Maxi Dress, $249 $99.60
Sequins make an all-black look feel a little less goth and a little more New Year’s Eve.
Shop Avenue
Bernadette Daffodil Off-the-shoulder Silk Gown, $1,165
Black can also be drapey and romantic.
Shop MatchesFashion
Reformation Marguerite Silk Dress Es, $298
A simple, wrap-around slip dress for the minimalist.
Shop Reformation
Cecilie Bahnsen Beth Flared Spaghetti-strap Dress, $1,369
A voluminous textured midi amps up the oomph factor.
Shop Farfetch
Eloquii Surplice Bodice Maxi Dress, $129.95
Slightly witchy Elvira sleeves are never a bad thing.
Shop Eloquii
ASOS DESIGN Off-shoulder Mesh Insert Cocoon Maxi Prom Dress, $170 $144.50
Have you ever wanted to dress like a black tulip?
Shop ASOS
Milla Black Ruffled Tulle Midi Dress, $470
It’s low-key giving black swan.
Shop Milla
Torrid Maxi Lace Strapless Ruffle Dress, $95 $47.95
Springtime black floral lace is a dreamy move.
Shop Torrid
Marchesa Tiered Column Gown with Satin-Faced Rose Detail, $5,995
This sculptural gown is a showstopper if we’ve ever seen one.
Shop Bergdorf Goodman
La Femme Long Sleeve Lace Trumpet Gown, $438
The decolletage on this long-sleeve maxi opens up the whole look.
Shop Nordstrom
Kika Vargas Tatiana Ruffled Taffeta Gown, $593 $296
This empire waist dress is guaranteed to stay comfy all night long.
Shop MatchesFashion
Ever-Pretty Short Sleeve Ruffled V-Neck A-Line Lace Evening Dress, $110.98
Perfect for a casual City Hall wedding.
Shop Dia & Co.
Amsale Bow Back Trapeze Dress, $550
This bell-shaped dress is made for dancing legs.
Shop Amsale
Bloomchic Bloom Dress, $35.80
This star-studded frock is absolute magic.
Shop Bloomchic
Mac Duggal Embroidered Floral Long Sleeve Gown, $798
This embroidered gown is for the boho bride gone gothic.
Shop Nordstrom
For Love & Lemons Astrid Maxi Dress, $329
If you want the sheer truth, this see-through skirt is a stunner.
Shop For Love & Lemons
Harbison Pisces Ruffled Sequinned-tulle Gown, $2,295
It’s giving regal, a tad futuristic, and a whole lot of evil empress (in the best way).
Shop MatchesFashion
Kiyonna Seraphina Mesh Gown, $198
Get swathed in layers and layers of soft mesh.
Shop Dia & Co.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy or click on something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
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