Wedding Dress Code - Only Black Allowed

[YorkshirePuddingsGreatestFan]

I'm going to a wedding but the bride has specified that all guests must wear black only and no colours. Not even coloured shoes or accessories. Herself and the groom will both be wearing white.

She's seen a video online which I've looked at with a black dress code. However that wedding is outdoors in sunny weather. The women are all wearing clothes that show plenty of skin - bare arms, bare legs, low necklines in lightweight fabrics. The various shades of skin breaks the black clothing up and it looks ok.

This wedding is in the winter in a very cold location, so I'll need to be wearing heavier fabric with long sleeves, high neckline and thick tights on. I would imagine the other women will be covering up to keep warm. I don't think it'll work as there will be no skin to break the black colour up. I think we'll all just look like one big black lump with several heads on the group photos!

I also don't suit black at all. I'm very pale skinned and it makes me look washed out and unwell. My mother has pale skin and is also concerned about this.

Just wondering if anyone has been to a wedding with such a strict dress code and how did it turn out?

And who cares if your guests are comfortable and have a nice day!!!!

I truly wouldn't care. Maybe it'll look great or maybe it'll fall flat but it's not my wedding.

Presumably, if you've been invited to her wedding, she's someone you actually like? Otherwise why would you be going? If one of my friends stipulated this dress code I might find it eccentric, but as they're a friend it'd be endearing (and almost certainly not a surprise) and I'd happily comply.

I went to a black and white party once and that was fun and easy to do.

I would be ok with all black as I have lots of black accessories and would buy a cheap black dress, plus it suits me.

Do the men need to wear black shirts or are white ok?

I would love to wear black, but I do not think it is appropriate to tell guests what to wear. I hate that kind of nonsense
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I have been to parties with strict dress codes. They have mainly been great but the dress code theme was what attracted me to the party. A wedding is pretty different and the purpose of going is to celebrate a couple’s union, not fixate on creating a particular look that some guests may or may not be comfortable with.

It sounds like they want their guests to be props for their visual or social media. The wedding photos might look dramatic but they’ll also have a faux/staged sheen to them. I would have to really, really like someone to want to go to a wedding with a strict dress code like that. But I’m not hosting so that’s fine.

How on earth would an all-black dress code have any impact on these things. It's fairly simple as dress codes go and I'd have a nice day celebrating the happiness someone who I love, regardless of what everyone's wearing.

It will be like an Addams family gathering

What she's probably hoping for.

What she'll get (in part).

Ha - that's what my mother said!

@gannett why would I need to wear black for the bride to enjoy her day......

It's mad!

In the one in the independent I think quite a lot of men were wearing white shirts. It'd be difficult to get a black shirt which matched or looked right with a normal black suit.

Dictating what people wear is so not what marriage should be about!

I had a quick google of black only guests outfits for weddings and the pictures do look really cool.

I would feel uncomfortable if someone told me I needed to wear an all-black outfit. It looks absolutely frightful on me and washes me out completely due to colouring/hair/skin tone. I look ill.
I would also be pissed off at being told to buy something I have no other use for, because it’s a waste of money and resources. It would either sit in my wardrobe forever without being used, or be charity shopped immediately after the event. That is NOT how I shop for clothes (single use anything is not my bag).

Just the ick all day long, I’m afraid.

Well of course that's all that matters............

I imagine it would work for an evening wedding if everyone is in eveningwear but yes I imagine it looking tatty in daylight where you can see how many different types of black there are.

Why is it assumed that it’s the brides thing? All this ‘she’.. 2 people are getting married so what makes people think it’s not approved by both the bride and the groom?

it’s also bonkers but that’s another thing

Because the OP states it's the bride.....

Are they in winter somewhere very cold?

I'd want a coat, and no way would I buy a black cloth coat just for this (I wouldn't even wear such a thing to a funeral). My warm black jacket has a fur collar so that'd be banned ... so it'd have to be my walking coat. Hm yes, I can do black trousers,coat, beanie...

Presumably I like her in the first place, hence being invited? I'm happy to do small things that make people I love happy, even if I think it's a bit strange. It doesn't inconvenience me at all. I've known worse dress codes.

Are they in winter somewhere very cold?

@gannett small things like letting your guests wear what they want...... I absolutely refuse to believe my wearing blue would make the bride unhappy?

It's not a small thing, it's ridiculous and controlling and she needs to get over herself.

If she likes me, she'll be happy to see me there even if I'm wearing pink.

Are you always a people pleaser?

I would refuse the wedding invitation and explain why. I never, ever wear black with no other colours near my face as it makes me look so unwell!