Well, we all know that wearing a white wedding dress is supposed to signify virtue, and many (most?) brides who wear a white dress really don't "qualify" for it. I don't have a problem with black dresses for the bridesmaids, but I don't know about the bride wearing a black dress.

A belated Happy Anniversary to you! My hubs and I will celebrate our 35th anniversary in May.

Thanks, Lindsey! Yeah, I don't think there are too many virgins nowadays, but that also seems to be a trend that I am hearing more and more of. My BIL just got remarried for the 3rd time, his bride also the 3rd time. She wore a white poofy dress that I thought looked like a prom dress, and I found it to look very silly. They are both in their sixties with not the best track records. Black would have been more appropriate, but just my opinion.

That won't fly in the south, the sherbet is supposed to match the bridesmaids dresses - black sherbet sounds awful.

I say it's your day....whatever floats your boat as long as you're fine with all the gasps and whispers. :-)))

A neighbors daughter got married about the same time you did and the bridesmaids wore black with sash. It was stunning!

I didn't know that, Raye. Licorice, maybe? Is there such a thing as licorice sherbet?

Raye, I used to wonder how anyone could spend so much on a wedding reception. After all, One cake, one bowl of punch (carton of sherbet plus Seven Up), and a bowl of puffy mints COULDN'T cost that much, could it? If you splurged, you had mixed nuts and a chocolate groom's cake.

The reception was always in the church fellowship hall. Everyone's relatives had all the tablecloths, silver, and vases you could ever need.

Married at 3PM, reception at 4PM, left in decorated car at 5PM.

Sherry, you got it!!! And a box of rice and tulle/ribbon to wrap it up in.

FWIW, my cousins' wedding back in the 80s was black & blue themed. The bride wore white but bridesmaids dresses were black and there was lots of royal blue for accents.

I remember thinking it mightn't be a good omen, colorwise, but they're still together all these years later with 2 college aged, lovely kids.

I went to a wedding where the bridesmaids all wore a black knee length dress of their choice. Each was able to choose a “for her” flattering style and one she could probably wear again for another occasion.

I liked that.

The bride however was in white.

I am not a fan of a bride wearing black. I do not mind other colors but I would want it to look extra special, not a dress that a guest could possibly wear.

We know a couple of young couples about to be married. For now, marriages are like funerals, they take place with a very small number of people in attendance. In the case of one couple, it will be with no one in attendance (other than I think a required witness, which the officiant will provide). Maybe that simplifies or avoids a situation that some may inflate into being a problem.

Maybe this is a regional thing but I've never been to a wedding reception at a religious facility. No matter what the religious affiliation of the individuals, they always seem to be at a commercial establishment. A hotel, a restaurant, a banquet hall, a public facility (like a museum or aquarium) that offers its space for such events. A cocktail hour followed by a sit-down dinner is standard. And how can you spend much money? Well, take it from me, you can! And don't forget hosting the wedding party and out of town guests at a "rehearsal dinner" the night before.

I was not aware of this trend towards black bridal gowns. Where are you seeing this? My niece just got engaged so, as you can imagine, I’ve been looking at a lot of dresses—online, of course—and I’m still seeing white (well, off-white) as the color.

P.S. The good thing about the bride wearing white is that she’s usually the only one who’s wearing it, ergo, she stands out.

An former neighbor wore a black dress for her wedding back in, about, 1990. My mother went, she was skeptical but said it was stunning. And my coworker wore a pretty pale pink dress, short, for her wedding, that was 1982 or so.

Heck, I think a lot of couples aren't even registering for china and silver anymore. New traditions are developing all the time.

My mother wore a knee length beige lace wedding dress in 1950. So, I don't think different colors are really new.

My niece had a black and white themed wedding - the bridesmaid's dresses were black, all from Talbot's IIRC. They looked lovely.

I like the trend of the bride's dress being white or pastel with a colored sash, lace, or belt (and matching shoes). I think it was Vera Wang that introduced that, or at least popularized it?

I recall way back when, a woman marrying for the second time would wear an elegant suit rather than a "wedding dress". I rather liked that.

My brother and ex-SIL got married in the late 80's. We bridesmaids could wear what dresses we wanted, as long as they were all black and white.

I hadn't heard of black as a trend. New-to-me. I'd like for young couples to be more money-wise with their weddings. I hate to see people go into debt over a BIG wedding.

I've been to weddings where the bride was in ivory or blush rather than white but not black. I have seen that in photos, just have not been invited to any where the bride made that choice. More than one wedding where the bridesmaids were in black, and the fabric picked by the bride, style of the dress entirely up to the bridesmaids makes sense to me. And I find it attractive, not quite so forced. (There is no way one pattern is going to flatter all body types!)

One wedding that stands out was a lot of DIY in a lovely smaller church. All flower arrangements were white with green or green and white variegated foliage. Maybe more foliage than flowers but exceptionally well done. Bride in white and bridesmaids in black of their choice style but same fabric. The mother of the bride wore a white linen jacket with long black linen skirt and a white hat with black band. She was stunning (a classmate of ours).

I think you should wear whatever you want to wear. I do think people spend way too much money on one day.

I went to a small courthouse wedding just before covid; the bride is young and beautiful with a bit of alternative style. She had a short, above knee black lacy dress, with lots of tulle under it so it flared out like the 1950's fashions. She had a black veil to match and black lacy stockings (maybe a fine fishnet?) and black high heels. She looked stunning and adorable. We all went out to a restaurant after the ceremony and people kept coming up to her to comment on how wonderful she looked.

Perhaps the idea that the color of your dress might portend something in a marriage could be part of the problem of so many marriages not lasting.

Dress color is frankly a fashion thing. White became popular after Victoria because it was the most expensive color for a dress. Once worn and soiled almost impossible to clean with the methods of the time.

Odd factoid: Jane Austen's mother's wedding dress, a red riding habit, was worn by her for about fifteen years then eventually cut up to make a younger son a hunting coat. Getting married in a riding habit was a common practice at the time for reasons I cant fathom.

I honestly don’t think the color of the dress is important, a bride is going to be beautiful in whatever color she chooses.

Congrats Sleeper!

Thanks, Lukki!

It was 2 weeks after I met my hubby that we got married so my wedding dress was a nice dress that I already had. I think whatever the bride wears she will be beautiful & it is her choice.

Gothic. Addams family. Apropos for 2020.

Possibly elegant for an evening wedding. ?

No, I don't care for it at all. I wore white, it was not formal either. I was married almost 65 years.

Sue

I've always like the elegant suit look for brides. If DD ever marries, I'd be happy if she elopes. Don't ask me to plan your wedding event, lol.

Never really understood the idea that white was originally used to denote a virgin. Especially since back in Victorian times and even before a betrothal or signing of a marriage contract was considered to be binding and many couples had early first children. Victoria just made a fashion statement and people followed it. Somewhere the idea of having to be a virgin stuck.

A few brave brides are wearing color--in the '30s brides wore color too. Some brides dress like saloon hall girls, other's a fairy princess. These days ANYTHING goes but at the same time MOST brides wear white. White is traditional. A veiled bride signifies she has waited for her groom. I am glad you still look back at your black and yellow wedding and love your choices. I too was an October bride. We went with red and harvest gold.. it was the '80s tea length dresses were all the rage and receptions in the Church basement were still done.

It is the brides choice! The end.

Some cultures wear red and I have seen some gorgeous red dresses on say yes to the dress.

I think it is totally up to the bride. It's her big day.

My dress, so many years ago, was white from the waist up with sheer long sleeves and a very pale blue from the waist down. No floofy, puffy, anything. It was straight with a light blue satin ribbon at the waist.

My niece had her brides maids in beautiful black a line knee length dresses and the flowers were long stem multi color Calla lilies. So pretty.

Black wedding attire could be repurposed and worn at a funeral, except it might be too short and 'showy' instead of somber. You probably could not wear it to church on Sunday unless its design was subdued. It might be okay for a party dress on Halloween - Just add a broom.

I got married later in life and did wear an ivory dress. It was a beautiful designer dress from eBay. My bridesmaid’s dress (also from eBay) was light grey.

We spent about 75% of our budget on the reception. Not the decor, but the food. It was our opportunity to gather and give our guests a wonderful evening. They still talk about the food. I call that money well spent.

White looks awful with my skin tone so I wore an ivory dress. I love that people are wearing colors other than white and other styles of dress. IMO, the traditional wedding dress with full veil looks extremely awkward on older brides. I wouldn't tell them that.

I wore a black bridesmaid's dress in a wedding 20+ years ago. I thought the color was appropriate. It was a beaded top and tea length skirt.

I don’t think it’s a ‘thing’ here but I haven’t been to many weddings in the past few years. Our son and DIL did choose black for her attendants dresses 23 years ago however for their October wedding, and the mother of the bride and I also wore black. The flowers were bright fall colors and it was a beautiful formal wedding.

My daughter's friend got married this past weekend and she wore a black strapless floorlength fit and flare. She wore white flowers in her hair and I mean a lot of white flowers. She looked absolutely stunning.

I was married in 1981 and really wanted my bridesmaids to wear black, but my mom, mil and others were horrified and repeatedly told me so. I ended up picking a burgundy color which I absolutely hated then and still do. I wish I would have fought harder. Reminds me of episodes of "Say yes to the dress" where the family takes over the appointment. Wish I had a Randy back then lol

I hadn't heard of this trend, but then my family and friends are either married or too young to be married. Or possibly too old to be married. :-)

I have a scrap of fabric from my grandmother's wedding gown. She was married in the 1890s. Her dress was purple.

Happy anniversary, Sleeperblues!

YES, black wedding dresses.

Congratulations on your anniversary!

It’s about personal tastes, have nothing to against black wedding dresses. I think red, green, blue, yellow, orange and other cheerful colors should also be used for wedding dresses.