The couples that work with me are some of the most out of the box, creative individuals I’ve ever met, but are also some of the most overlooked people in the wedding industry as a whole. Because of this, I spend a lot of my spare time pulling extra ideas and concepts to help make your wedding experience the best it possibly can be, because you can be yourself here with me. With that said, here’s a few goth wedding ideas for folks that run towards the unexpected, and want a wedding day that truly reflects who you are.

Goth Wedding Dresses for the non-traditional couple

Okay look, I know a black wedding dress is a given here. But I do find that some of this leans a little stereotypical. I like to look outside of the wedding world for inspiration when it comes to styling and especially clothing (where you are and what you wear brings the biggest influence on the mood of your day!), so I spend a lot of time looking at cinema, high fashion magazines, and within the goth subculture to find ideas. So here’s a few goth wedding dresses that color outside the lines a bit.

(Images are pulled from the respective linked websites for credit)

A dress with lace overlay for that vintage, romantic look. You could also look into a black dress with a white overlay (or another color, I’ve seen red quite a bit!), or black on black just to add some texture.

A satin wedding dress that screamsssss elegant, gothic flair.

Think corseted, tons of texture, and maybe even red. Thinking outside the box on colors can open up a lot more ideas instead of just thinking “goth = black”.

Add floral or celestial elements (pair with the right location and this is suchhhh a vibe).

Add drama instead with a veillllll. This is just one option from one of my favorite veil designers. I think a lot of folks dismiss the veil thinking it’s “too traditional”, but it’s actually one of the raddest ways to add color, flair, drama and personality to your day, and from a photo perspective, they’re my fucking favorite.

Goth wedding venue ideas

In my home state of Colorado, I keep a running list of nontraditional wedding venues for folks looking to get married here (because I know you weren’t searching for a barn). I also document weddings throughout the entire United States and Europe, so when it comes to goth wedding venues, I’m looking all the time for the best options for couples.

Gothic Mansions

If you’re looking for a goth wedding venue in your area, I suggest searching for something like “historical mansion” or “mansion wedding venue near me” to get a few options. You’d be surprised how many older, historical mansions are available as wedding settings and usually are on the more cost effective end because many are managed by the city instead of private venue owners.

Gothic Castles

Obviously. There’s a few directions you could go with this: a mansion that looks like a castle, maybe a cathedral or church, or a castle built to be one! I’d also highlyyyyy suggest ditching the United States completely and heading to the UK (not only will you have more options, better vibes, older historic architecture, but it’s actually phenomenally more affordable even if you have a group of guests).

Here’s a few options that I loveeeee:

Goth Wedding Planning

A quick reminder that how you plan your day, rather than how it looks, will reflect more on how the day feels than anything else. Sure, you can plan a day in a gothic cathedral, but if the mood of the wedding doesn’t reflect the setting, you’ll have a hard time getting the look and feeling you want. So a few ideas:

  • Keep to a moodier lighting setting, and hire a photographer (hi, me), that is fully capable and skilled in all lighting conditions. Look for darker rooms and settings that have a good window light; this can offer moody contrast to the day.
  • When planning your reception, think about dinner lighting and feeling: is everyone separated in a traditional wedding reception layout, or are they seated at more intimate, candle-lit tables?
  • Confirm that your wedding venue doesn’t have exclusions! A lot of venues have restrictions on things like candles, excessive hung drapery or floral — if this fits the vibe and style you want, it needs to be a question up-front before booking!

Nontraditional Wedding Photography Packages & Pricing

Hey, I’m Steph – an alternative Destination Wedding Photographer flying out of Denver, Colorado. I specialize in non-traditional wedding photography for introverted, quirky, offbeat and nerdy couples, and I am stokedddd for the opportunity to document your goth wedding. A few sure things:

  • unique all day coverage offering, for your offbeat event, no matter how you plan it
  • quirky, offbeat wedding photography captured in my raw, documentary, film-forward style
  • a mixed media approach in film and digital, in a mix of 35mm/medium format/polaroid/and super8 video
  • Trusted vendor recommendations from folks that don’t suck
  • Travel fees included for the entire United States, so it doesn’t matter where you’re celebrating, I’ll fly to you
BOOK STEPH