
When Ayla from @reelallaboutit came to us with the idea of a black wedding dress, deep burgundy tones, and Stanlake Park - we were in straight away. The moodboard had us hooked, and we knew this shoot would be something special.
What everyone wanted to achieve was that this wasn’t about the super goth style, using what we call ‘halloween decor’ or everything being black. We wanted to show that you can have this new theme which we call ‘Modern Goth’Â
What is Modern Goth?
Modern Goth is for couples who want their wedding dark, moody, and full of attitude with props like a skull or the gothic colour palette, but with that touch of class and that feel of expensive. It’s gothic with sophistication. No Halloween vibes. Just raw, real gothic beauty.

Dark Wedding Styling
Pumpkins were a must for October, but we weren’t about to go overboard. Too many, or the wrong shade, and it would have felt like Halloween.Â
We kept it chic with white pumpkins - seasonal, but bougie. We also paired them with darker fruits like black grapes, blueberries, figs, and plums for that perfect deep, autumnal, moody tone.
Stanlake Park doesn’t allow candles, so we swapped them for fairy lights hidden under a white cheesecloth runner. White isn’t our usual choice, but it worked perfectly to let the black dress and red flowers stand out. The contrast was everything.
And of course, skulls. You can’t do a gothic wedding without them!
We added black paper butterflies to the pumpkins and the moon arch, carefully placing them to create a subtle, almost ethereal effect. The butterflies felt like a quiet nod to the corpse bride; delicate, dark, and beautiful. We didn’t want it to scream for attention, though. The idea was to let it linger in the background, like a hidden message that only those paying close attention would notice. It was a touch of whimsy amidst the darkness, giving the whole scene a sense of mystery and depth without feeling gimmicky.

Dark Wedding Details
@adaelledesign stationery was minimal, modern, and pretty. And not what you’d expect from a more gothic wedding vibe.
The cake? The Viking Bakehouse created something truly striking. Dark, sleek, and we set on a barrel as it was the perfect way of combining rustic charm and gothic style.

Modern Gothic Wedding Credits
Content Creator / Concept and planning @reelallaboutitÂ
Photography @candc_imageryÂ
Venue @stanlakeparkweddings
Models @the_dembenskis
Makeup @mua_chloerebecca
Dress @scarlettayla
Veil @rebeccaannedesigns
Florals @smallwondersflorals
Styling @untraditionalweddingstylists
Confetti @yourconfetti
Stationery @adaelledesign
Celebrant @cat.hopkins.celebrant
Rings @oliveandedenvintagejewellery
Necklace / earrings @wisterialondonltd
Cake @the_viking_bakehouse
Leather jacket @niamhdesignsÂ
Audio guestbook @discophoneuk
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