Where to Buy a Red or Black Wedding Gown

White and shades of off-white are the traditional colors of wedding dresses, but the wearing of white wasn't always standard practice for brides. Queen Victoria started the trend when she wore a white gown in her 1840 wedding to Prince Albert. Prior to that, brides wanted their gowns to reflect their social status, which often meant dresses were made of bright, vivid colors.

Contemporary women are creating new traditions by getting married in dresses in a variety of colors to reflect personality, mood, and wedding-themes. If you can't find a colorful gown at your local bridal shop, here are some places to look for gowns online.

Red
One of the boldest statements a bride can make is to wear a red gown. I personally love this idea, as red is one of my favorite colors. It's a classy, vibrant, and fun hue. Your dress could be a bright true-red or a wine-red. Wedding Dress Fantasy has a selection of red gowns from $299-$399 and range from simple to intricate. This elegant dress with rose detailing is one of my favorites. Ella Park Bridal carries a smaller and more expensive selection. For around $725 Etsy designer Rubypearl can fashion a gorgeous red gown in a few months. Unique Vintage offers a one-shoulder gown reminiscent of Old Hollywood at the low, low price of $98. Romantic Gowns' Bella dress features an ornate bodice and retails for $499.00. Amazon can also be a useful resource for locating gowns. This red ball gown sells for $164.99 and could be worn by a bride.

Black
Black gowns don't have to be reserved for "gothic" weddings. A beautiful raven-colored dress can be the centerpiece of a very sophisticated ceremony. This gorgeous ruffled-taffeta frock is on sale for $299 at Wedding Fantasy. From the same shop, this gown has enough black on it to be considered non-traditional without being totally black. This dress, advertised as a bridesmaid's gown, sells for $89.99 at Amazon and could easily be worn by the bride. Bridesmaids.com has several black dresses that would be beautiful as bridal gowns, such as this floor-length satin gown.

While not pictured on Wedding Fantasy's black gown page, any of the gowns on the site can be made in black, which is fortunate for the lucky bride, as there are a number of gorgeous gowns shown in other colors that would be perfect in black like this yellow gown.

So whether you're wearing red or black to fit a particular wedding theme or just to have a little fun, there's a gorgeous dress out there somewhere to set you apart from all the other brides. These were just a few suggestions. If you can afford couture, this black and white wedding dress from Max Chaoul is to die for!
Sources:
Amazon.com
Bridesmaids.com
Ella Park Bridal
Etsy
History of the Wedding Dress-Love To Know Weddings
Paris Wedding Trends 2008: The Black Wedding Dress
Romantic Gowns
Unique Vintage
Wedding Dress Fantasy