Rock n Roll Bride - The ultimate guide for alternative brides

Top Stories

A Day of the Dead Shoot for Madeleine Bride

Kat

April 12, 2012

I have a feeling this is another one of those bridal shoots that you're going to either love or hate. Me? Well I love it! Pushing the boundaries of bridal fashion and taking influences from things that inspire you outside of the wedding world excites me greatly. It's shoots like this, set up by millinery & headpiece designer Madeleine of Madeleine Bride, that reinvigorate my love of the alternative and remind me that yes, it's not for everyone, but oh boy is it exciting to see something different!
Read more...

A DIY Church Hall Wedding: Zoe & Richard

Kat

April 11, 2012

Sometimes I see a wedding and I literally can't wait to learn more about it and (hopefully if the photographer and couple agree) write it up to share it with you lot too. Luckily for me, in this instance both parties were more than thrilled to share this wedding with us today, particularly because newlyweds Zoe & Richard found wedding photographer Joanna Millington on this very wedding blog. Hurrah! Their DIY, family-central wedding was held at Christ Church in St Albans. "When we were first engaged I asked Richard if he knew where he wanted to get married," Zoe explained. "He said he didn’t want to get married anywhere but Christ Church St Albans. It was my childhood church on the estate where I grew up and where Richard and I went to school. We knew it wasn’t exactly the idyllic wedding venue – a flat-roofed, slightly tired and drab looking carpeted church with very green curtains – but it was home. We had our reception in the same place. Luckily they had just built a shiny new hall attached to the old church building, which was very handy. No one (apart from us) had to venture out into the rain!"
Read more...

The Inspirations: Tattooist Mike Harris

Kat

April 11, 2012

I always loved sleeve tattoos on women, so when I finally got up the courage to get one done myself I really did my research to get the very best artist I could. Mike, and the London studio he was working in at the time, was recommended to me by a heavily inked friend when I said I was looking for a cartoony, colourful and fun design - nothing to serious, just like me I guess! After spending 18 hours together I got to know Mike pretty well. I was surprised to find out he was so young but this along made me respect him even more. He is incredibly talented, devoted to his career and seriously inspirational. The perfect candidate for this week's Inspirations interview if you ask me!
Read more...

The Secret Glamour of Hollywood: A Styled Shoot for Alexandra King’s 2012 Bridal Collection

Kat

April 11, 2012

Secret Hollywood glamour was the inspiration for this shoot, set up to promote the new range of wedding dresses from British designer Alexandra King. "The shoot was originally based on the morning after the Oscars, a hazy, sun kissed feel with the soft prettiness of the dresses against the cold concrete and run down beach," Alexandra told me. "As if an Oscar/wedding party traveled down to the beach in Lost Boys and here was the morning after. The shoot then developed to two more locations. To shoot the look book, we found a village hall which had the perfect school play feel to it with a velvet curtained stage and lighting that gave the models the appearance of being a puppet show.The abandoned 1960s caravan images gave a trashy contrast against the dresses again and I love the way some of the images have a romantic gypsy feel to them."
Read more...

WIN One of Five Free Trash the Dress Bridal Shoots with Photographic Blonde

Kat

Photographic Blonde

April 10, 2012

Don't worry you don't literally have to trash your dress (well unless you want to!) to enter this contest with wedding photographer Photographic Blonde! Photographer Emily would like the opportunity to shoot some kick ass Rock n Roll Brides and what could be a better way to do that then to ask you lot if you'd like to model for her? Not only will you have a great day but you'll have some really fun and unique photographs to keep forever.
Read more...

Husband & Wife Teams and How to Make them Work

Kat

April 10, 2012

Last week I revieved the following email from Green Room reader Kristi, "I would love to see a post about husband & wife teams (or working with your spouse/partner etc) but in a super honest way. I feel like all the husband & wife teams out there only talk about the good and not the real challenges. I myself have always hated the phrase 'husband & wife team' because it makes it sound like we were matching jogging suits and finish each other's sentences. When that is totally not us. We are more likely to argue about the shot one of us missed or the one of us choosing to many of our own photos etc. Please can you help?! P.S Viva la Rock n Roll Bride! Well Kristi that's what I'm here for - and we all know I'm going to be as super honest as possible! As one half of an accidental husband & wife team (the initial plan for Rock n Roll Bride was never for us to work together) there have been lot of steep learning curves that we've had to navigate along the way. We've had to make changes to how we live and work, mostly without any forward planning (I'm sure 'proper' business people are shuddering right now) but I do think we somehow have made it work. Like with anything business-related I think it's very easy to look at other husband & wife combos and think they've got it made, when of course, deep down, we all know they're only sharing the good stuff and keeping the real nitty gritty and blazing rows under wraps. It's certainly not all high fives and long lunches in our house, but there are a few conscious decisions and changes that we've made along the way, all of which have made a huge difference to our work/life balance.
Read more...

An Alabama Cave Wedding: Melissa & Greg

Kat

April 10, 2012

Yes you did read that correctly - Melissa & Greg got married in a cave (and instantly went into my 'coolest ever wedding venue' mental checklist). "Greg and I picked up the love of spelunking (caving) during our 4 ½ year relationship and wanted to show our families what we found so beautiful about underground," Melissa explained when I asked them about their unusual choice. "The ceremony felt very romantic; low lighting, candles everywhere, glowing stalactites and the silhouettes of the people who love us the most. My stepfather Mark became ordained and performed our ceremony. It was very special to have him be such a huge part of my wedding since my father refused to attend for his own personal reasons. One of the more emotional moments of the day was when I danced with my stepfather. I hate crying but there was no holding back my ugly crying face! Greg walked me down the aisle, which was a perfect way to begin our marriage. I was much less nervous than I would have been otherwise. We broke a few traditions that I used to think were important, but now I understand exactly what a wedding is all about; it’s about man and wife and everything else is too insignificant to worry about."
Read more...

Show from Top Stories

The Five-Year Engagement Save The Date Sweepstakes – WIN $1000 of Amazon Vouchers!

Kat

April 9, 2012

Whenever I blog a wedding, I always ask the couples about their engagement story. I don't always include them in the final posts, but it really helps me get to know the couple and what makes them tick - how they got together, how long they were engaged and how they got from 'will you?' to 'I do'. In fact some of my favourite wedding stories have been those with interesting engagement tales. One of my besties, who was married just last month, was only engaged 3 months (in fact her now-husband did a lot of the planning before he even popped the question!) but at the other end of the scale, Emma & Pete were engaged for 3 years before their surprise wedding last year!
Read more...

Something Borrowed, Something Roo: Choosing My Bridesmaids

Kat

April 9, 2012

I’ve been thinking it over a lot this past week, and I figure that we know each other pretty well by now. There’ve been ups and downs as far as our wedding journey goes – so far – and you’ve been there through it all. I reckon I’m right in saying that you all know what makes me tick, but I realise that I’ve neglected to tell you about some of those who make me tick. In this instance, I am talking of course about my bridesmaids.
Read more...

A Sunday Kind of Love: Eggs, Baby Bunnies & An Ombre Wedding Dress

Kat

April 8, 2012

Well what else could I be loving this Sunday but Easter!? I don't like chocolate at all (I know, I'm a freak) but I do love spending the day with my loved ones and taking some much needed time off work. I couldn't leave you without some Easter inspo pretty though could I!? Today I wanted to share something a little different, Melanie & Michael's sweet Easter inspired shoot that was sent over by wedding photographers Jenn & Derrek of Jennifer Sullivan Photography. If this doesn't get you in the Easter egg munching, baby bunny petting spirit I don't know what will. I hope you all have a fabulous day whatever you're up to.
Read more...

The Green Eyed Plateau-Puss // How to Overcome Inertia and Jealousy: A Guest Post by Amma of Beyond Beyond

Kat

April 6, 2012

Hi, my name is Amma and I would like to confess that sometimes I have green eyes. Yes, I know that biological anomaly that I, as a child of African parents could have emerald green peepers – but I’m talking about professional jealously and how you get over it. As, some of you may or may not know – I still have a day job; as day jobs go mine is not half bad and given the state of female unemployment at present; I certainly know which side my bread is buttered; so I am more than happy to plod along – albeit sometimes sulkily as a 5-9er until I hit my professional tipping point. Now, without getting into the nitty-gritty of it all – I had some personal stuff going on that really meant that despite streaking the sky like a comet when I first began my foray into business. I got forced to slow down, in fact not just slow down – I had to hit the brakes and I experienced a mega slide into a career plateau. Although, work requests and projects were coming in thick and fast, there was no way that I could take it on, and circumstance meant that ‘my stuff’, blogging, and the day became an all encompassing festival of woe.
Read more...

A Barbie & Breakfast at Tiffany’s Inspired Wedding: Anna-Marie & Paul

Kat

April 6, 2012

Anna-Marie & Paul had a simple, down-to-earth and beautiful wedding. Barbie pink accents sat perfectly with their eclectic styling ideas and Breakfast at Tiffany inspiration. The reception was held at The Grand Café in Oxford, as the bride explained, "We went for a high tea affair in a beautiful 1920s style café. It is a special place for us as we started our dating years visiting Oxford and The Grand Café. In fact Paul proposed in Oxford too. We were aiming for a relaxed and informal atmosphere. No cutting of the cake, no first dance - just tea, cake and friends. We created a playlist of all our favorite songs and put it on shuffle throughout the night. It isn’t a wedding venue, partly why we picked it, we didn’t want anything typically wedding style. We aren’t crazy party animals so we only hired it for 4 hours, (5pm – 9pm). We wanted maximum impact, and minimal drunk people (the latter bit didn’t work out, It seems people cram more in a short space of time!!) All in all, it was the perfect choice for our wedding reception."
Read more...

Most Popular

Wedding Planning Advice

Equality Ever After: Obstinate, Headstrong Bride!

Rachel Darwin

The Shukans

November 11, 2025

It is a truth universally acknowledged that an engaged woman in possession of a good wedding plan must be a bridezilla! Well, here at Rock n Roll Bride magazine, we don’t believe in such a thing. We don’t think you’re the villain at all. We think it’s all those bossy, nosy, old-fashioned relatives who keep sticking their oar in and trying to tell you what to do! So, let me don my bonnet and ready my carriage… because I’m about to set off with you… into the land of obstinate, headstrong girls…
Read more...

So, You’re Getting Remarried: What Couples Wish They Knew Before Their Second Wedding

Guest Contributor

November 6, 2025

Planning a wedding is a massive undertaking. The venue, the decor, the guests, the reception– it can all feel like too much. And to do it all over again after losing your previous partner? It’s tough! But this just means that we have so much to learn from the people who have been there, done that, and come out the other side stronger than ever. Here are 10 practical lessons from six different remarried couples, so you can learn what they wish they knew before their second wedding:
Read more...

Something Bold, Something You, Something Boundaried, Something Woo: Emotional Tools for the Wildcards of Wedding Planning

Kat

October 28, 2025

You know that one table in your seating chart that’s kind of a wildcard? Maybe it’s your old boss with a heart of gold and opinions of fire… right next to your second cousin who, for better or for worse, always spices up family gatherings.  Well. When you’re wedding planning, your mixed emotions are all sitting at that hodgepodge table in your mind. And some of them? You definitely don’t remember giving a plus one (rude!) But there they all are, in their creative cocktail finest.
Read more...

Texture, Joy and Rebellion at New York Bridal Fashion Week 2026

Kat

October 22, 2025

New York Bridal Fashion Week has wrapped, and this season it was all about reimagining the bridal rules (something we are, of course, a huge fan of at Rock n Roll Bride!) One thing stood out to us the most: the next generation of brides are more focused on self-expression, comfort, and the meaning behind their choices. The biggest shift? Texture, tactility, and detail took centre stage. Designers are crafting gowns that feel alive with things like pleats, layers, feathers and even sculpture. There was pleasing amount of colour too! The modern nearlywed isn’t content with a plain white dress. She wants depth. She wants movement. She wants to feel something.
Read more...

The Rock n Roll Bride Manifesto (Because We Actually Give a Shit)

Kat

October 16, 2025

For over 18 years, Rock n Roll Bride has existed to celebrate creativity, individuality, and honesty in weddings. We’ve never chased trends or played the popularity game, and we never will. This manifesto is our line in the sand, what we stand for, what we promise you and what we stand against. As the world feels like its going even more mad, as the wedding industry gets even more expensive to work in and be a couple in, we felt it was a good time to remind you exactly what we do - and don't - stand for.
Read more...

Show from Wedding Planning Advice

You Can’t Buy a Perfect Wedding, But You Can Make a Meaningful One

Kat

October 13, 2025

At some point in your wedding planning journey, it probably hit you: the internet lied. Not maliciously, maybe, but persistently. It told you a wedding had to look a certain way - curated, coordinated, colour-coded to the Pantone shade of the year. That the tablecloths mattered. That the signage had to rhyme. That you needed eight matching friends in identical outfits standing behind you or the whole thing didn’t count.
Read more...

Pre-Wedding Dreams: WTF Is Going on in Your Head?

Guest Contributor

October 6, 2025

Wedding planning messes with your brain. Even if you’re the most laid-back human alive, your subconscious will still find ways to throw curveballs at 3am. Don’t panic: pre-wedding dreams aren’t omens, they’re just your nervous system running dress rehearsals for all the big stuff - love, money, family, visibility, identity. Basically, your brain is binge-screening your anxieties like it’s Netflix.
Read more...

Las Vegas Weddings

When We Were Young: Gothic Desert Elopement at Eldorado Canyon

Kat

Electric Sugar Elopements

November 5, 2025

Aimee and Jon left Birmingham to get married in the Nevada desert. The bride loved the idea of Vegas, the groom wanted something outdoors or in the mountains, so as soon as they found out about the little chapel at Eldorado Canyon, they knew it would be the best of both worlds. Eldorado Canyon gave them the intimacy they wanted, but they still ended the day in true Vegas fashion. After the ceremony they changed outfits and headed to the Strip and Downtown to celebrate.
Read more...

Show from Las Vegas Weddings

Old Vegas Meets New Vegas: A Bold, Maximalist Elopement

Kat

True Colors Creative

August 25, 2025

Alyssa and Tay, a real couple, became the focal point of this gorgeous shoot set inside the newly renovated themed suites at the Westgate, Las Vegas. Photographer and stylist Jazzmin of True Colors Creative wanted to create something bold and maximalist, and the patterned interiors ending up being the perfect inspiration. After the ceremony set up, they travelled around the city, shooting in the monorail and in front of the iconic Bonanza Gift Shop.
Read more...

A Little White Chapel Wedding with All The Rock ’n’ Roll Vibes

Kat

Jamie Y

August 22, 2025

Jade and Stu had been together for ten years when they decided to combine their honeymoon with a wedding in Las Vegas. They wanted a day that reflected them, and that meant stripping away most of the formalities. No bridesmaids, no first dance, no “something old, new, borrowed, blue.” They stayed together the night before, got ready side by side, and walked into the ceremony at A Little White Chapel together.
Read more...

Tattooed Weddings

When We Were Young: Gothic Desert Elopement at Eldorado Canyon

Kat

Electric Sugar Elopements

November 5, 2025

Aimee and Jon left Birmingham to get married in the Nevada desert. The bride loved the idea of Vegas, the groom wanted something outdoors or in the mountains, so as soon as they found out about the little chapel at Eldorado Canyon, they knew it would be the best of both worlds. Eldorado Canyon gave them the intimacy they wanted, but they still ended the day in true Vegas fashion. After the ceremony they changed outfits and headed to the Strip and Downtown to celebrate.
Read more...

Show from Tattooed Weddings

Renaissance Inspired Beauty and the Beast Wedding with a Gothic Twist

Kat

Laura Fitzgerald

October 15, 2025

Do you love Disney but in a dark, alt way more than a girly fairytale way? Then you’re going to love this gothic-meets–Beauty and the Beast inspired wedding shoot. Although it wasn’t a real wedding, there are so many creative ideas you could steal for your own. Think: moody candlelight, corseted gowns, blood-red roses, gilded mirrors, dripping wax, and that perfectly haunting mix of romance and rebellion.
Read more...

The Phantom of the Opera at the Madonna Inn

Kat

Lacey Moranville

October 14, 2025

Cassie and Curtis matched on Tinder and bonded over a shared love of alternative music. Early on, they made a promise: if they ever got married, they’d do it their way. Years later, they kept that promise with a darkly romantic celebration at the Madonna Inn in California, complete with red velvet walls, golden cherubs, and a red wedding dress inspired by Cassie’s parents’ first dance song, Lady in Red.
Read more...

Gothic Weddings

When We Were Young: Gothic Desert Elopement at Eldorado Canyon

Kat

Electric Sugar Elopements

November 5, 2025

Aimee and Jon left Birmingham to get married in the Nevada desert. The bride loved the idea of Vegas, the groom wanted something outdoors or in the mountains, so as soon as they found out about the little chapel at Eldorado Canyon, they knew it would be the best of both worlds. Eldorado Canyon gave them the intimacy they wanted, but they still ended the day in true Vegas fashion. After the ceremony they changed outfits and headed to the Strip and Downtown to celebrate.
Read more...

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.
Read more...

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.
Read more...

Show from Gothic Weddings

Renaissance Inspired Beauty and the Beast Wedding with a Gothic Twist

Kat

Laura Fitzgerald

October 15, 2025

Do you love Disney but in a dark, alt way more than a girly fairytale way? Then you’re going to love this gothic-meets–Beauty and the Beast inspired wedding shoot. Although it wasn’t a real wedding, there are so many creative ideas you could steal for your own. Think: moody candlelight, corseted gowns, blood-red roses, gilded mirrors, dripping wax, and that perfectly haunting mix of romance and rebellion.
Read more...

Taylor Swift Meets Gothic Summer Wedding

Kat

I Love You Thirteen

October 10, 2025

Ruby and Rebecca’s wedding was a perfect collision of dark romance and pop-star sparkle. They tied the knot at their local town hall before heading to the Stock Exchange Bar in Haven, for a reception that felt equal parts gothic soirée and Taylor Swift fever dream. “We wanted to incorporate Ruby’s love of everything gothic and my love of Taylor Swift,” Rebecca said. “We kept the colours and theming dark but the welcome signs and mirrorballs everywhere were themed for Taylor.”
Read more...

Photo Shoots

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.
Read more...

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.
Read more...

Renaissance Inspired Beauty and the Beast Wedding with a Gothic Twist

Kat

Laura Fitzgerald

October 15, 2025

Do you love Disney but in a dark, alt way more than a girly fairytale way? Then you’re going to love this gothic-meets–Beauty and the Beast inspired wedding shoot. Although it wasn’t a real wedding, there are so many creative ideas you could steal for your own. Think: moody candlelight, corseted gowns, blood-red roses, gilded mirrors, dripping wax, and that perfectly haunting mix of romance and rebellion.
Read more...

Show from Photo Shoots

Darkly Devoted: A Soft Goth Bridal Editorial for Rock n Roll Bride Magazine

Kat

Katie Rogers

September 11, 2025

This latest shoot from our editorial team, was part of our wider exploration into quieter forms of rebellion. This is your reminder that you don't have to go all-out goth to be an alternative bride! Shot on location at Crowcombe Court in Somerset, we paired gothic undertones with fine art photography, using soft layers of lace to create a mood that felt romantic, restrained, and just a little haunted
Read more...

Old Vegas Meets New Vegas: A Bold, Maximalist Elopement

Kat

True Colors Creative

August 25, 2025

Alyssa and Tay, a real couple, became the focal point of this gorgeous shoot set inside the newly renovated themed suites at the Westgate, Las Vegas. Photographer and stylist Jazzmin of True Colors Creative wanted to create something bold and maximalist, and the patterned interiors ending up being the perfect inspiration. After the ceremony set up, they travelled around the city, shooting in the monorail and in front of the iconic Bonanza Gift Shop.
Read more...