Can You Wear Black To A Wedding?

Wedding guest dresses, traditionally speaking, tend towards the safe territory of pastels and florals. A black dress or even gown doesn't usually enter the chat, probably because it's a more directional choice than, say, a puff-sleeved confection that could have appeared in the costume department of Barbie, but also because the colour is historically associated with funerals and occasions of mourning. You don't want to inadvertently send the wrong message at a beloved friend's nuptials. Having said that, the etiquette has changed over the past few years as event dressing has evolved, with more guests deciding to wear a black dress or suit. Frankly, it's an excellent development because a black wedding guest dress is super chic, easy to wear and, crucially, can be worn time and time again outside a wedding context.

Can you wear black to a wedding?

The expert option is a technically a 'yes', with the caveat that, despite being appropriate in 2024, it might not feel right to everyone. 'I tend to advise clients to veer away from black as it’s obviously the colour of funeral dress,' says stylist and writer Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey. 'Having said that, I wore a black sparkly dress to a recent London wedding as I have really been trying to wear my wardrobe this year rather than succumb to a one-hit-wonder purchase. It blended in brilliantly and felt a bit more original than the sea of floral dresses. My suggestion? If you opt for black try it as a base colour for polka dots, sparkle or stripes, rather than as the main colour.’

The answer from our fashion team is also a 'yes'. Gavi Weiss, Grazia's fashion assistant, is having an autumn wedding later this year. Not only is she happy for her guests to wear black, she's asked her bridesmaids to choose a black dress of their choice because it's easy to rewear. 'I know different cultures have different opinions on wedding guest attire but for me the only colour off limits is white!' she says, adding, 'Black suits are common for men to wear to weddings so I felt that allowance should extend to all guests.'

Hannah-Banks Walker, Grazia's head of fashion commerce, would personally avoid wearing top-to-toe black. I have sartorial codes ingrained in me,' she says, adding: 'I'd feel like it's not celebratory enough. If I've been invited to celebrate someone's wedding I'd like to show up in something that I feel honours the occasion and to me that's maybe not [an outfit] that feels funereal.' She does, however, note that more people are choosing the black-tie dress code that's popular in America, which lends itself to wearing black. 'I feel like a long black dress in that instance feels different to a black dress at a traditional UK wedding,' she says.

There will be some occasions where it's not appropriate to wear black to a wedding (e.g. if the couple has expressly stated a colour for the dress code or asked guests not to wear black). But otherwise, it's perfectly acceptable to pull out a classic LBD, a sharp two-piece that puts a twist on a tuxedo or a silky jumpsuit in the chicest shade to wear on the colour wheel: black.

Keep scrolling for our expert tips for getting to right.

Can you wear black to a summer wedding?

While darker colours, including black but also plum, burgundy and navy, are often associated with a wedding held during the winter months, you can absolutely wear black to a summer celebration. You just need to bear a few practicalities in mind so that you feel as cool as you look in your black wedding guest dress. As dark colours absorb heat, opt for natural fibres like cotton, linen or silk at the height of summer. If you're after a 'tailoring moment' for your black outfit, meanwhile, try a waistcoat and Bermudas, the summer version of a tuxedo that's still super elegant.

What colours can't you wear to a wedding?

As we've already discussed, black is definitely an appropriate colour for a wedding. What's definitely not appropriate is white, although there are instances where it could be deemed acceptable (just to be extra confusing). A floral dress with a white background, for example, is probably fine. A white maxi dress that in any way resembles a wedding dress, however, is not fine. As Chadwyck-Healey puts it: 'Tradition would say avoid white, or anything close to white. It’s the bride’s day, don’t forget that!' If you're unsure about your choice, the best thing to do is to check with your friend or family member getting married because they'll be able to approve your wedding guest dress (or not as the case may be).

How to wear black to a wedding

If you've committed to wearing black to your next wedding but are feeling apprehensive, the best way to go about it, in my humble opinion, is to bring a splash of colour into the equation with accessories like street-style star Caroline Daur, whose broke up her black ensemble with a flash of red at Paris Couture Week. Try a red corsage on the lapel of your jacket if you've gone for a suit, a statement pair of jade earrings that drop towards your shoulder or a fuchsia clutch bag that will immediately stand out in photographs (and look like the opposite of something you'd carry to a funeral).

Not a fan of colour-pop accessories? Lena Mahfouf's shoulder-grazing earrings are a fabulous way to edge your black dress into celebration mode.

And, by the way, no one said you had to stick to dresses (or gowns). A black suit also works well. Simply pair your wide-leg trousers and simple jacket with nothing underneath for a great wedding guest option that definitely ticks the black-tie dress code box, ensuring some emergency tit tape is tucked in your bag for top-ups. Or swap the trousers for a skirt like musician Flowerovlove, who styled out a two-piece earlier this year to attend Paris Couture Week (note how the gold buttons elevate the whole ensemble, while also making it look less sombre).

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Julia Harvey has been Shopping Editor at Grazia UK for the past two and a half years, overseeing and editing all things shopping for the title from trend pages, gift guides and the best things to buy now in both print and online.