Someone who wants a fabulous dress to wear many occasions? Well guess what?! Those are actually all reasons why people have historically (and presently) worn black at their wedding! Alternative fashion aside, black wedding gowns can be traced back 3,000 years ago to the Zhou Dynasty in China!  Brides and grooms were required to wear pure black robes with a red trim (which if you ask me sounds like perfect gothic wedding vibes!).

In the 1800’s brides would choose any color for their wedding gown.  Several reasons were given for this decision.  The gown could be worn for more than one occasion – and a darker color would not get dirty as easily as a white or light-colored gown. Oftentimes men would wear black to honor a previous wife who passed, signifying a widower's second wedding. Black wedding gowns can also be traced back to Spain. It was custom in Roman Catholic traditions for a Spanish bride to wear a black gown paired with a veil, called a mantilla. The black gown symbolized the bride’s devotion to her husband until death, and ensured her loyalty. 

Black wedding gowns aren’t popping up more often out of the blue (or out of the black). People also like to take what the white dress was known for: purity, innocence, chastity, submission, and just flip that off. Flip it over? Just do away with it entirely. Traditions be damned! Wear the black dress, rock it for sentimental reasons, dark desires, maybe even evil doing? Or just to feel fucking cool!! 

Would you wear black on your big day?

Leave your answer in the comments. 🖤

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