Wearing black to a wedding

[Pickwickbasketcase]

A close family relative is getting married next year and I've found a black dress I'd like to wear. I've spoken to the bride and groom about it and they are very much unbothered by it and think it's quite an old fashioned not to be able to wear black to a wedding concept but my DA (aunt and not mother to either bride or groom) seems to be outraged by the mere suggestion I'm wearing black.

Here is the dress in question - I'd say very inoffensive

https://www.lyst.co.uk/clothing/ganni-dress-with-ruching/?link_id=1054623934&_country=GB&size=36&atc_source=google&atc_content=UK-CPP&atc_campaign=UK-CPP-PLA-CSS&atc_country=UK&atc_grouping=css

I know MN is quite anti wearing black to a wedding so wanted thoughts. I'm quite a shy retiring type so didn't want it to turn into a 'thing' on the day.

For winter it's fine, I'd prefer something lighter for spring or summer. Actually just looked at the listing, it's quite casual. Are you sure it's formal enough?

I’ve on,y ever seen it being an issue on MN. I’ve worn a black dress to a summer wedding before, but I accessorised it with pale pink shoes, bag, pashmina etc. No one batted an eyelid and I can’t think that the bride even noticed-pretty sure she had more than me on her mind that day!

It's Feb so still wintery.

See I agree, my super stylish friend wore black to a wedding I was at last year and nobody batted an eyelid which is where I got my inspiration from.

I always wear black to weddings because I wear a lot of black. No one tuns a hair, and I’m usually far from the only one.

It’s fabulous for that time of year

Great - this has made me feel lots better.

The bride and groom don't care and it's their wedding, not your aunt's.
I wore a black dress to a wedding when DS was 4 months old as it was the only thing I had, but with red shoes, bag, and huge corsage. My changing bag was also black and red. 😂 I actually got a compliment on how smart I looked.
I like your dress! You'll be able to get more wear out of it too as it's suitable for nights out, parties, restaurants etc.

I think black is fine for a wedding, especially autumn or winter. White would be a hard no for me because of how it catches the light in photos but not black.

Exactly - I wear black all the time so will get lots of wear.

I’m the same and I haven’t been to a wedding yet where there aren’t others wearing black too.

Lovely dress. Loads of people wear black nowadays.

This to too casual for a wedding imo

She isn’t the bride!

Absolutely fine and really like the dress too. My bridesmaids wore black! I can only imagine the meltdown that some mumsnetters would have had seeing that

I couldn't tell you a single thing that any of my guests wore because it wasn't what I was thinking about on the day. If people are spending their wedding day focusing on what their guests are wearing then they're clearly not having a very good day!

I was at an Italian wedding a few years ago, and I think the female guests wore black probably more than any other single colour.

I’ve worn a black dress to a few weddings, I’m not a very colourful person and prefer black.

My best friend wore black to my wedding. I’m not sure if my MiL was more outraged about the colour, the fact it was completely backless, or the ENORMOUS hat that she wore it with. I thought she looked fabulous. My now-ex-MIL commented
on it for years after.

Only the bride and groom’s opinion count, but there may be comment from the very oldest generation.

Only when I joined MN did I discover that wearing black to a wedding was "a thing".

Wear it.

TBH, it's something I'd feel really comfortable in and wear again and I'd accessorise so a, literal, good fit for me.

It’s perfect! 😍 Fine to wear black as long as it’s “party” rather than “funeral” or “office”.

I only wear black so I would definitely be wearing black to a wedding

I wouldn't wear black to a wedding in a million years, and I was not the only person to be really surprised when DH's sisters wore black at our wedding.

Caveats because it's Mumsnet: I'm not English but from - and was married in - a much more historically traditional/conservative country, DH and his family are from yet another (not particularly conservative) country, and the wedding was 20 years ago!

If the wedding is in England, and the guests are predominantly English and not traditional, a black dress is probably okay.

Interesting on cultural perspective. UK wedding.

If I attend a wedding which is rarely, I wear black