Not every couple wants blush, pastels and a sunny garden. Some want black lace, candlelight, deep purple, a live band and a walk into the woods after dark with lanterns in their hands. If that sounds like you, keep reading. This one is for you.
A dark and moody wedding can photograph beautifully. The secret is planning around light: tell your photographer the mood early, pick one strong accent color to go with the black, protect a few minutes at blue hour just after sunset, and bring your own light into the dark with lanterns, candles or string lights. Your photos keep the atmosphere, and your faces still look like you.
A real weddingBlack lace, purple and a band on stage
Maddy and Dan were married at Stratton Creek Inn, just outside Ithaca, on the Sunday before Halloween. They skipped the blush entirely. Maddy wore a black lace gown and veil. Her bridesmaids wore deep royal purple, and the groomsmen wore black with purple vests. There were pumpkins at the red barn doors, a black-draped arch for the ceremony, a black drip cake, and plates with ravens on them.
Their guests got the memo too. We photographed vampires, masquerade masks, elves and at least one Starfleet officer on the dance floor.
Dan plays in a band, so the band played the reception, with his groomsmen on stage beside him. Then Maddy joined them and sang. Most couples spend their reception watching the entertainment. These two were the entertainment.
After dark, we took them into the woods with glowing lanterns for the portraits that closed the night. Those lantern portraits are some of our favorite photos we have ever taken.
Planning tipsHow to plan photos for a dark and moody wedding
1. Tell your photographer the mood early
"Dark and moody" means different things to different people. For some it is Halloween. For others it is gothic, vintage, black tie by candlelight, or simply less pastel. Send a Pinterest board or a handful of photos you love, and say what you don't want too. It changes how we light, where we take you for portraits and how we edit the whole gallery.
2. Protect a few minutes at blue hour
Blue hour is the short window just after sunset when the sky turns deep blue and everything glows. It is the best light there is for a moody portrait, and it lasts about twenty minutes. Check the sunset time for your date and build a short portrait break around it. In the fall it comes early, often right in the middle of dinner, so plan it with your timeline, not after the fact.
3. Bring your own light into the dark
Lanterns, candles, string lights and sparklers are not just decor. They light your faces in the photos. Maddy and Dan's lanterns turned a dark patch of woods into the best portraits of the night. When we do add light, we keep it soft and low so the room still feels like candlelight and your skin tones still look natural.
4. A black dress photographs beautifully, with a little care
Black lace has more texture than almost any white gown, and it looks incredible in soft window light. The trick is exposing for the dress so the lace keeps its detail instead of turning into a black shape. Give your photographer a few minutes near a big window while you get ready. That is where Maddy's portrait below was taken.
5. Pick black plus one accent color
Black with one strong accent photographs better than five dark colors competing with each other. Maddy and Dan chose deep royal purple. Deep red, emerald, burgundy and gold all work beautifully too. Put the accent on the wedding party and the flowers, and the photos will look planned even in a dark room.
6. Let your guests play, then get the group photos early
If your guests are coming in costume, plan the big group photos before the sun goes down, while there is still daylight to see everyone. Once the party starts, the best costume photos happen on their own on the dance floor.
7. Don't skip the film
A moody wedding is as much about sound as it is about look: the vows, the band, the crowd singing along. Maddy and Dan's film has all of it, including Maddy on the microphone.
Not into Halloween?Moody doesn't have to mean spooky
Plenty of couples want the candlelit, dramatic look without the pumpkins. At The Riverdale in Endwell, one couple dressed the ballroom in black linens with gold chargers, red roses and floating candles on every table. Same idea, very different wedding: elegant, warm and a little bit black tie.
FAQCommon questions
Do you photograph Halloween, gothic and alternative weddings?
Yes, and we love them. Tell us the mood you want, whether that is dark and moody, gothic, vintage or something nobody has tried yet, and we will plan the light, the portrait locations and the timeline to match it.
Will a black wedding dress photograph well?
Yes. Black lace and fabric have beautiful texture in soft light. Your photographer just needs to expose for the dress so the detail doesn't disappear, and a few minutes near a large window while you get ready makes a big difference.
What time should we take portraits for a moody look?
Plan a short portrait break around sunset and the blue hour right after it, which lasts about twenty minutes. Check the sunset time for your date and build it into your timeline, especially in the fall when it comes early.
Can our guests wear costumes in the photos?
Absolutely. Plan the big group photos while there is still daylight so everyone is easy to see, and the rest will happen naturally on the dance floor.
Planning a dark and moody wedding?
See Maddy and Dan's full story, gallery and film, browse our venue guides, or tell us your date and the mood you are going for.
Check Your DateSee Real Weddings