Times have changed. I think it's fine. We're not talking funeral wear. But a lovely black cocktail dress with a fun shoe or a colourful piece of jewelry....very chic and always fashionable. Just avoid looking sexy....it's a wedding, not a club.

I saw Vera Wang recently and she was showing a wedding gown with a black sash around the waist. It was both stunning and modern. I can picture the bridesmaids in simple black dresses.

I've been to so many weddings where people have worn black. Black is safe, so if you aren't prepared or have other options, it's fine to wear black. But IMO, there's ALWAYS a better alternative.

and if you happen to know ahead of time that the BMs will be wearing black dresses, I would definitely stay away from the color as to not be mistaken as part of the bridal party.

The better topic is should one wear white to a wedding. The one rule I still think is unacceptable, whether bride-approved or not, is to wear ALL white to a wedding. If you read the wedding handbook, it is etiquette not to wear white or shades of white to any and all wedding events (shower, bachelorette, wedding). Trust me, people will look at you and think in their head, "wtf are u doing wearing white?"

So if it comes down to it, black is more acceptable than white, but I still think weddings are a great occasion to add a splash of color in your life! Drink & be merry!

I wouldn't wear black to a wedding, ever, just like I wouldn't wear white. I wouldn't wear red to a Chinese wedding either. But maybe I'm just old fashioned.

I wouldn't wear bright red or white because I wouldn't want to upstage the bride, and I wouldn't wear all black. I'm going to be a bridesmaid, and my bride hopes no one wears all black or even colors that are really close to white (her rather insufferable future MIL wants to wear a very pale green dress, it's causing some friction).
HOWEVER, my bride to be friend and I are really traditionalists. I am so stodgy I am hoping the ladies don't wear strapless or too-short dresses to my (someday) wedding, and both of us hope no one tried to go barefoot on the dancefloor.
If the bride said you could wear black, then go ahead- she's the only person I'd be truly worried about offending.

I've seen older ladies in white at weddings. I'm pretty sure it offends the bride, but it's not as bad as someone her age.

My best friend had her three bridesmaids wear any black dress we liked, because she wanted us to wear something we felt comfortable in and would actually wear again. We all chose totally different styles and lengths, but it was great! And it was even an outdoor, daytime, summer wedding. Rules, schmules.

I wore the same dress to three other weddings that summer, and never once felt out of place or awkward in black. I think it's more appropriate to wear black than to wear a) a color that upstages the bride (bright colors, and especially WHITE) or b) the same color as the bridesmaids.

I think I would, and I have. As long as it's not all black and there is something about the outfit that is festive. Example: black with a colourful scarf, colourful jewelry, colourful shoes... etc. Or maybe a print that has black and also another colour.

I'm only over a year late to this thread, but I did wear a LBD to a wedding and I didn't get glares or any scolding. There was one 16 year old girl who wore a tight, short white bandage dress and that was a definite no-no. I guess it depends on the wedding.

Over a year late to this thread as well, but i've worn black to weddings multiple times. My only rule is, I never wear white to a wedding (unless I'm the bride).

This is how I feel about it. I always see lots of people in black at weddings. You can't go wrong with a little black dress at other festive formal occasions, so I don't see the big deal about wearing the same to a wedding. Of course I would never wear white because the bride should be the only one in a white dress, but in a black dress there's no chance of upstaging the bride or being mistaken for the bride.