Yes, You Can Wear Black to a Wedding—These 21 Dresses Get Our Seal of Approval (2024)

FAQs

How do you ask guests to wear black to your wedding? ›

If you're going to request a certain dress code or color from your guests, be upfront about this from the beginning. That means notifying them of this on the invitation or even the save the date. This gives guests time to find an appropriate outfit or bow out if they're not able to follow it.

Black is generally appropriate for conservative or traditional weddings, too, just bear in mind the point we made at the beginning of this feature - a non-black dress is always the safer option (unless it's white, of course!).

Previous generations considered black to be taboo for weddings or a sign of bad luck for the marriage. In recent years the norms around wedding attire have changed and now it's very common to see wedding guests in black ensembles.

Yes! There's no religious, legal, or moral reason to stop you wearing a black dress or gown on your wedding day. Your wedding dress can be any style or colour you like, including black.

Black-Tie Attire

"Black-tie.

Traditionally, a black-tie dress code denotes a formal evening occasion, where men are meant to wear tuxedos and women, floor-length gowns. "The atmosphere is a more formal vibe," says Elaine Swann, an etiquette expert.

You may be asking, what color hose to wear with a black dress? Black sheers dress up black dresses, giving them a wow factor. It's the go-to choice for black dresses.

Yes, you can wear a black dress or suit to a summer or beach wedding if you want—but if you'll be spending time outside, black might make you feel too hot and uncomfortable in the heat.

Turns out, wearing red to a wedding means to some that “you've slept with the groom.” “Old Wives' Tale, but yeah,” Mitchell explained. However, both wedding planners agreed on a more modern reason for not wearing red: It could be seen as a way to grab the attention away from the bride.

Can I wear black to a spring wedding? ›

Though it's technically OK to wear black at any time of the day, Aleece says it's better suited for late afternoon and evening weddings in the fall and winter, along with formal and black tie weddings in the early spring.

Grab your favorite slip dress and dress it up with silver accessories. As we've seen in recent months, silver is quickly gaining popularity again and pops against a black look. Keep it simple with a chain curb necklace and dome huggies, or completely take your look to the next level with a sparkly silver mule.

Women wedding guests should wear full-length dresses, be it a ballgown, a sheath or an A-line dress. High heels are strongly recommended. Feel free to accessorize with opulent jewelry and even elbow-length white silk gloves.

The staff suggests that if a wedding is taking place at 4 p.m. or 5 p.m., you should wear something that easily transitions from day to night; any ceremony after 6 p.m. should be strictly co*cktail.

Yes, you can definitely ask your wedding guests to wear a certain color! This is a great way to help tie your wedding together and create a cohesive look. Plus, it can be really fun for your guests to get to dress up in their best duds!

Include the Request on the Invitation:Clearly communicate the dress code on the wedding invitation. Include a short and polite note indicating the desired color theme. For example, "We kindly request guests to wear [specific color or color palette] attire."

Put It on the Invitation

The simplest way to tell your guests what they're expected to wear is to put a dress code in the invitation. There is a time-honored glossary of dress-code wording short enough to include on invitations, or on a card inserted with the invitation.