Wedding Dress Shopping 101: A No-Nonsense Guide to Buying a Wedding Dress

Alexandra Merri

Mark Horton Photos

April 9, 2026

This is your no-nonsense roadmap to wedding dress shopping - from picking boutiques and decoding sizing to trusting your instincts and keeping the experience grounded in who you are.

This Pre-Wedding Shoot in Chinatown Shows What Authentically Honouring Your Roots Looks Like

Kat

Annalee

April 9, 2026

Sam and Kaylee wanted to honour both their backgrounds with a pre-wedding photo session. As a nod to Sam's Hong Kong heritage (in a distinctly Asian-American way), the two chose to run around San Francisco Chinatown at night. They visited several beloved locally-owned Chinese-American businesses and Chinatown landmarks. Kaylee brought her own piece of family history to the session, wearing her grandmother's wedding dress and her mother's veil as a tribute to the women who came before her.

Viking Inspired Boho Wedding in Norway with a Homemade Dress

Kat

Fotostorie

April 8, 2026

Martine and Terje chose a forest setting in Norway for their Viking meets boho wedding and planned the day around what felt familiar to them. The plan was to keep it relaxed and personal. This even extended into what they wore. When the bride couldn't find a dress she liked, she ended up making one herself! She also made a shirt for her groom and the flower girl dresses.

Gothic Black Tie Wedding on Halloween

Kat

Ami Darling

April 7, 2026

Amber and Jago got married on 31st October in Cornwall. The date was significant because not only do they love Halloween, they started dating on and got engaged on Halloween! As goths, it just made total sense to keep the same date for their wedding.

Things to Consider Before Buying an Engagement Ring Online

Guest Contributor

Black Stag Creative

April 6, 2026

Victorian Goth Ghosts in a Haunted House

Kat

Keri Lynne

April 6, 2026

Did you know there is no rule that says your engagement shoot has to be pretty pictures of you in a field or on a beach. I mean, those make lovely shoot locations and all but do you know what's way cooler? A freakin' haunted mansion! For Anita and Michael, who love all things dark and romantic, these vibes were elite.

Intimate Red Wedding with a Diet Coke Tower

Kat

Candice Vann

April 3, 2026

Sarah and Jordan did not want a big spectacle for their wadding. Instead, they opted for an intimate ceremony and meal with their closest family. That didn't mean they didn't care about the aesthetics though, in fact they were very visually driven, wanting deep opera reds, black accents, candlelight, and rich textures. They hired Britney of Be You Planning to help them bring their vision to life

Non-Traditional Ideas That Actually Make Your Wedding Way Better

Guest Contributor

Leena Rose Photo

April 2, 2026

Having an “alternative” wedding isn’t about being different for the sake of it. It’s about crafting a day shaped around you and what you want it to look, and almost more crucially, feel like. If you blindly follow the formula, you end up with a timeline built around traditions you don’t question, photos you don’t even want, and a day that runs more like a production schedule than a party. It works, of course, but it isn’t always the right path, especially if you or your guests are neurodivergent.

Fear Comes the Bride: How Much of Ourselves Do We Lose When We Gain a Spouse?

Guest Contributor

Anna Captured

March 16, 2026

I’m like a wild stallion,” I hear myself say. “Frolicking through the forest.” I’m sitting in a sports bar. I’m 30 years old. I know nothing about horses. “And then one day a fence is built around the forest. And even if it were the biggest fence ever, and it was so big I would never even reach it to see it in person, I would still know it was there.” This is how I explained my aversion to marriage a decade ago, to the person I professed to love, who I’d been dating for four, and then five years. I would be trapped; the part I left unsaid.

Your Wedding Planning Cheat Sheet

Kat

Flame by Sami

March 12, 2026

Planning a wedding can feel like juggling flaming bouquets while blindfolded. But you’ve got this. Whether you’re engaged for three years or three weeks, this guide will help you keep your cool — and maybe even have some fun along the way.

A Groom’s Guide to Alternative Wedding Rings

Kat

March 11, 2026

Spend five minutes looking at wedding content online and a pattern appears quickly. Dresses, bridal beauty, hen parties, shoes... The spotlight tends to land firmly on "the bride". Meanwhile, many grooms are Googling things like “men’s wedding rings that aren’t boring” or "wedding suits that aren't only available grey, black or navy" and still coming up empty.

Emo-Friendly Games to Play at Your Wedding

Guest Contributor

March 8, 2026

Let’s face it, gaming is a key part of many get-togethers these days. While it isn’t necessarily everyone’s cup of tea, we’ve all been at parties where a console machine is being explored in the corner of a room. For gaming-mad couples, when it comes to planning their wedding, adding a gaming setup for the big reception is an option.

Dolly Parton Meets Mars Attacks with a Wes Anderson Spin

Kat

Of Colour and Hue

January 20, 2026

Tattoo Artists’ Low Maintenance Vegas Wedding

Kat

Christina Sforza

January 16, 2026

Angela and Garrett wanted to elope, but they also wanted a few of their favourite people with them, So they had the best of both words with their micro wedding in Vegas. They invited a few guests but it was 'lets just run off to Vegas' elopement vibes through and through.

Wild West High Noon Wedding in Vegas

Kat

Mayhew Photo LV

January 12, 2026

Adam and Kitty got married in Las Vegas with a guest list of six and a budget of around £5k including travel and accommodation from the UK. The ceremony took place at High Noon at the Welcome to Las Vegas sign, followed by a limo ride out to the Valley of Fire for portraits.

Crown of Thorns: A Gothic, Las Vegas Celebration

Kat

Christina Forza

January 9, 2026

Alex and Chaniel's wedding was built around the symbol of a crown of thorns. For them, it marked suffering, redemption and spiritual resolve they found through their relationship. It reflected the changes they made to arrive at marriage together.

Sunrise Lover’s Leap Elopement

Kat

Stag and Bird

March 17, 2026

April and Brandy married twice, both in ways that made sense for them. In July, under a willow tree in the garden of their friend and photographer Courtney of Stag and Bird, the couple made it official. By autumn, they decided they wanted a second day that marked the marriage in a different way. So, in October they drove four hours south from where they live in Kansas City to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Waiting for them were Courtney and her assistant Kendal, along with a loose plan to say some vows at sunrise at Lover’s Leap, a scenic overlook just outside the town.

Tiny Gretna Green Wedding with a Jellycat Bouquet

Kat

I Love You Thirteen

March 11, 2026

Laura and Jordon married in the original marriage room at Gretna Green with 13 people present, including themselves. The day was intentionally small. The couple got ready together and walked from our hotel to the venue hand in hand. They also walked to the anvil together. "Jordon struggles with anxiety at times so being with me helped reduce a lot of nerves for him", Laura wrote. "We also only had 13 people including ourselves at the wedding and then wedding meal with no big evening do. We wanted the wedding to reflect our love and not put on a show.

Kitschy, Vintage & Colourful Wedding at the Madonna Inn

Kat

Jenny Markham

March 4, 2026

Samantha, who works in influencer marketing, and Josh who is a videographer and director, approached wedding planning in a similar way that do their jobs. They pooled their creativity to plan a wedding which felt entirely right for them. Their venue choice really set the tone too. The Madonna Inn gave them pattern, colour and kitsch without needing to go overboard on the decorations.

Fun & Flirty Vegas Wedding at the Neon Museum

Kat

Jamie Y

March 2, 2026

Beth and Elliott, who travelled to Vegas from the UK for their wedding, described their day as “Fun, flirty, and so Vegas!” They brought some close friends and family members with them and treated the whole experience like a holiday. “Honestly, we just know what we like and ran with it." Beth told us. "We work so hard in our everyday lives we just wanted a big break. A day for us, about us and overflowing with love!”

Colourful Yet Gothic Wedding in Italy with Tarot Cards, Ouija Boards & Nerdy Details

Kat

Studio Fotografico Bacci

February 16, 2026

Sara and Alessandro waited eighteen years before getting married so they wanted full control over how the day looked, felt and functioned, without having to compromise for other people! Sara is a wedding florist, so did all the flowers herself. They wanted the day to have a gothic, nerdy flair but also have colour. They were married in Italy at La Fornace di Sammontana.

Coffee & Crystal Candelabras: Romantic Romeo + Juliet Inspired Wedding

Kat

Alesia Hardy Films

February 3, 2026

The main visual reference point for Jenna and Chad's wedding was the final church scene in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet. They wanted candles everywhere, a blue neon crosses, dark red velvet drapery, vintage furniture and low lighting.

Goths on the Beach: A Moody Californian Beach Elopement

Kat

Photos by Beck

February 2, 2026

Nikki and Nate got married on the Californian coast in winter, dressed entirely in black. Their inspiration was creating something intimate, alternative, moody, and a little bit boho with a dramatic, non-traditional twist. "We were inspired by the beauty of the coastline, earthy textures, and darker romantic tones", Nikki said. "We wanted the day to feel intimate, atmospheric, and authentically ‘us’ and a touch of edge that reflected our personalities."

Elegant & Moody Til Death Wedding

Kat

Trevino

January 27, 2026

Victoria and Jonathon chose the Emerald Theatre in Mount Clemens, Michigan, for a their moody yet elegant, 'til death' inspired wedding. The venue really helped set the tone, with guitars lining the walls, a giant stage and coloured lighting throughout. They used black everywhere from her dress to linens, chairs and flowers.

Cherry Bomb: A Rock ’n’ Roll Wedding Shoot for the Wedding Rebels

Kat

Juliana Noelle Jumper

November 4, 2025

The concept for Cherry Bomb came straight from Vegas glitz and rock ‘n’ roll grit. Conceptualised by Heavy Petal and shot by Juliana Noelle Jumper, this shoot palette slams the door on restraint, leaning into saturated reds, punchy pinks, and metallic shine - all with an unruly 70s edge.

A Hauntingly Beautiful Corpse Bride Editorial

Kat

Lauren New

October 31, 2025

Nothing says Halloween wedding more than the Corpse Bride and this shoot may be one of the best homages we've ever seen. In fact we loved it so much, we made it the cover shoot for our November/December print issue which dropped yesterday! It blends slight Victorian-inspired details with modern drapery and design elements, bringing together a touch of the past and present for a hauntingly beautiful, editorial goth vibe.

This ‘Goth Glam’ Shoot Is Proof That Weird Is the New Luxury

Kat

Stag & Bird

October 29, 2025

This shoot, dubbed Goth Glam by everyone involved, was created out of a need to shake things up. The team wanted to bring together Kansas City’s weirdest, boldest, and most unapologetic creatives and make something that proved “high-end” doesn’t have to mean beige. They called it a love letter to the alt-lux side of weddings: velvet and smoke, drama and decadence, edge and elegance. The goal was to show that goth, glam, and alternative can sit right alongside luxury, without losing the grit.

Forbidden Fruit Alternative Bridal Editorial

Kat

Tia Leigh

October 23, 2025

A single bite can change everything. That’s the energy behind Forbidden Fruit, a conceptual bridal meets boudoir shoot dreamt up by Suzy Marrero of Pepper Lavender Events. She calls it her “version of temptation meeting wedding day glam, where indulgence, lust, and allure take centre stage". It’s unapologetic. It’s decadent. And it dares you to look a little closer.