Smart Casual Wedding Attire For Guests
Received an invite to a smart casual wedding? Dont panic. This relatively informal type of attire leaves you with plenty of outfit options. To nail the look, remember to keep your ensemble elegant and easygoing. Instead of fancy dresses and gowns, try opting for a stylish midi dress. Alternatively, consider pairing a midi skirt or cropped pants with an on-trend top. As for footwear, stick to sandals, wedges, or block heels.
Indian Wedding Attire Etiquette
Its acceptable to wear a formal gown for the engagement party, cocktail night, or reception but stick to traditional or fusion Indian looks for the other events. The Mehendi can be more playful and colorful while the sangeet calls for formal Indian occasion wear . Indian brides tend to wear red or pink for the main wedding ceremony so steer clear of those hues so as to not upstage the bride.
Malhotra adds that there are no rules the bottom line is to have fun with fashion. Yes, you can let your lace bustier work double duty as a sari blouse. Own a taffeta maxi skirt? Pair this with a white shirt and uncut diamond jewelry for a modern Indian look. Just be inventive.
Wedding Casual For Men
For men, there are no rules on exactly what you can wear. Smart casual dress codes often lead men to a classic suit. Go with a light color or the traditional navy or gray, depending on the season. A dark suit may be too formal for summer weddings, however.
A sport coat and slacks are also a stylish option, or if the weathers warm, go with a collared shirt or other dress shirt and pants. Sport coats can coordinate with slacks, but these jackets can also make a statement with bright prints or solids. A light, unconstructed sport coat in linen would add instant style and sophistication to a summer wedding outfit.
Plan to go without a necktie since the wedding is casual, unless you have one that makes you happy every time you wear it. A less formal statement tie in a bright, happy color could complete your casual ensemble. Save your bow tie for a formal dress code event.
Is the wedding a country-themed affair at a barn venue? Men could wear blue jeans but go with a dark wash pair thats not distressed.
A luau theme along the beach? A Hawaiian shirt with light-colored dress pants would be perfectly in place.
Unless your wedding invitation has specific instructions, there are plenty of outfit ideas that are appropriate.
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Garden Wedding Attire For Men
The obvious move here is a floral tie with a light colored suit, but try to find a tie with a subtle floral patternif such a thing exists. Otherwise, a not-too-dark suit in grey or blue is a good base to work from, and those suit colors will complement almost any accessory or tie you can throw at them.
Garden Wedding Attire Inspiration:
Cruise Ship Wedding Attire For Men
Depending on the formality of the wedding, a cruise ship wedding is the perfect opportunity to bust out a white dinner jacket. The ivory jacket was actually invented for use in tropical climates, where, weve heard, cruise ships tend to sail. But even if youre on one of those Alaskan cruises, a white dinner jacket will stand out at a black tie optional cruise ship wedding. If the dress code is more relaxed, watch the weather and dress accordingly: Lighter suit colors for warm weather, darker suit colors for cool weather.
Cruise Ship Wedding Attire Inspiration:
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Summer Wedding Attire For Guests
To nail summer wedding attire, all you need to do is embrace the spirit of the season. To do so, choose a dress in a bright color or bold print. One in a lightweight fabric will also work to keep you cool when things heat up. Likewise, whether you opt for a mini, midi, or maxi, be sure to avoid overly structured and restrictive designs. You can also keep your feet fresh and stylish with a pair of heeled sandals.
Beach Formal Wedding Dress Code
How to say it on your invitation: Beach Formal Attire
What it means: Beach inherently indicates casual, which is why formal is tacked on to the end it’s still a classy affair.
What to wear: We recommend a formal summer sundress with flats for the ladies and a summer suit with linen shirt, linen pants or khakis and sandals for the guys.
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What To Wear To A Formal Beach Wedding
Beach = casual, yes? Thats typically a solid conclusion, but all those assumptions quickly get tossed out the window when you receive a wedding invitation with the words beach formal stamped on it. Youre probably wondering what that means for the guest dress code. The answer isnt as complicated as you might think. If its a formal wedding, dress for the occasion.
Beach formal is just a fancy way for the hosts to communicate that although the wedding is set on a beach, guests shouldnt show up in their usual beach getup, like shorts, tank tops, or a bathing suit . If youre invited to an event of this sort, we recommend cocktail attire with a beachy twist.
For Men
- Boat shoes, loafers, or leather sandals
For Women
Dressy Casual Vs Semi
Occasionally, dressy casual and semi-formal are used interchangeably. While the styles are similar, a few nuances differentiate the two. Lighter fabrics are ideal for a dressy casual wedding. But at a semi-formal fête, stick to materials like silk or chiffon. Mini and midi dresses and skirts are great options for both dress codesâbut for a dressy casual wedding, you could also pair a statement blouse with a pair of chiffon pants or slim-fit cropped slacks.
If you’re still unsure of what to wear to a dressy casual wedding, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite wedding attire looks for men and women. Browse through our editor-approved picks to help guide your dressy casual outfit, or better yet: Buy your favorite styles on the spot.
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Mountain Top Wedding Attire For Men
You probably wont feel like youre climbing Everestunless youre actually climbing Everest but its going to be colder in high altitudes than it is at the base of the mountain. Even if the dress code isnt tux-level formal, youll want to stick to dark colors, and a 3-piece suit isnt a bad move for some extra warmth. And add a tie with an appropriately rugged texture to your look.
Mountain Top Wedding Attire Inspiration:
Black Tie Wedding Attire For Guests
Black tie is a highly formal wedding dress code that is typically called upon for evening weddings. For female guests, it requires a formal, floor-length gown. However, you may be able to get away with a sophisticated cocktail dress. Just be sure to double-check with the bride or someone in the bridal party beforehand to ensure you dont appear underdressed.
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What Exactly Does A ‘smart Casual’ Wedding Dress Code Mean
- 14 Dec 2020
Deciphering wedding dress codes these days can be a difficult task. From today’s take on black tie dressing to new-age cocktail attire, determining what to wear tends to require a bit more thought than it used to.
And there’s perhaps no dress code that requires more deliberation than ‘smart casual’. Although it sounds deceptively simple, it’s arguably trickier than its more dressed up counterparts, thanks to its ability to rapidly veer into the ‘too casual’ or ‘too formal’ territories.
So, in order to decode the ‘smart casual’ dress code for women today, we consulted wedding planner Nina Ma’Belle Wiener of Nina Ma’Belle weddings for all the dos, the dont’s and everything in between.
Keep reading for all the details on how to do ‘smart casual’ in style.
Cocktail Attire For Men
Though cocktail attire for men typically includes a suit and tie, guests have flexibility to experiment with colors, textures and prints. “Starting with the jacket, go for alternative fabrics and textures,” Shugar advises. A linen suit would be ideal for summer weddings, while a heavier fabric like velvet, tweed or herringbone would be suitable for cooler months. Pair it with corresponding dress pants and a button down shirt. To finish off the look, add a tie , a pocket square, cufflinks and a pair of dress shoes
Shugar also encourages men to experiment with pops of color or bold prints on their accessories to elevate a cocktail attire wedding outfit. “There is no color you can’t build around,” he says. “But the bolder the color, the less of it you should have.” If you opt for a printed bow tie, your pocket square should be a solid color that matches the printâor vice versa. No matter your fashion taste, a pop of color will bring excitement to an otherwise formal outfit. Below, we’ve rounded up our favorite cocktail attire wedding outfit ideas for men.
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Cocktail Wedding Attire For Men
What It MeansImagine your work is business casual, but youre going out for the evening and cant stop home to change your outfit first. Cocktail attire is that happy medium dress code that covers all bases. If thats too vague, just make sure your outfit shows a little more personality than your office 9 to 5 go-to.
What to Wear
Themed Style Wedding Attire
For a themed wedding, first and foremost, attire should match the theme appropriately. Often done to enhance the aesthetics of the wedding, a couple may ask guests to wear a particular color or color scheme or choose attire that meets a specific concept, such as a white party or Gatsby-style wedding.
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Tips And Tricks For Beginners
- The first rule is DONT BE TOO CASUAL!
- Remember that you always have some restrictions. Do not select shorts for weddings.
- You cannot wear sandals in casual weddings.
- Do not wear long ties with a tuxedo.
- Always keep the look simple and not too much funky.
- If you go for a printed shirt, printed suit or blazer and printed tie, it will look horrible!
- Do not go for suits and blazers in summer casual weddings.
- Wear light and bright colored outfits in the day.
- If the wedding is at night, go for dark colors.
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A Black Tie Wedding At A High
DO: Walk the line between black tie and white tie. If the wedding is at, for example, the New York Public Library, its one of the most sophisticated settings a couple can choose, says Hovhannisyan. Yes, its formal, and yes, men need to wear a tux! For womens wedding guest attire, lean toward a floor-length gown – and even consider a train. It doesnt need to be as structured as a gown for a white tie affair, but should still be elegant and regal. It could be an a-line, Grecian, slinky, or poufy design, as long as it touches the floor. Bonus points if your dress has a slit! she adds, And heels are a must.DONT: Go too casual. With such a formal setting, even a cocktail dress isnt quite enough unless the invitation specifically asks for it. Err on the side of fancier for wedding guest outfits, as the bride will definitely be wearing a statement gown to match the setting.
Tips For A Perfect Suit Experience
Having the right outfit laid out is not enough to give you the perfect look if you dont observe some suit etiquette during acquisition, fitting and wearing of your suit. Some commonly ignored but very important rules when it comes to wearing suits include:
- Ensure that your suit fits if you buy it ready-made, you can have it altered such that it doesnt scrunch onto your body or loosely hang.
- The stitching on the vents and pockets is meant to be removed immediately you bring your suit home.
- Match your belt to your shoes and any other leather that you are wearing e.g. your watch.
- Always leave the bottom button of your coat unfastened and ensure you unbutton your suit whenever you are getting seated.
- Your shirt cuffs should reach your wrist and be half an inch longer than your coat sleeves.
- Dont use excess accessories if you already have a tie and a pocket square, adding other things such as a lapel pin, scarf, and tie bar is overdoing it.
- Bulging pockets do nothing to flatter your look that said, keep your wallet, car keys, phone and other things off your trousers pockets.
- When buying a shirt, ensure that you can button it all the way without chocking you shouldnt leave the button at the top open.
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Shoes For Casual Wedding
Shoes for Casual Wedding
Casual wedding attire for men usually puts less emphasis on outfits and more on comfort. But what do you think about casual wedding shoes?
Wholecut Oxfords are mostly popular as wedding shoes for men. You can go for cap-toe-oxfords or loafers too if you feel comfortable.
To be a little unique, you can wear double monk straps in casual weddings. Boots will also look great with slacks.
What Is Casual Mens Attire
In general, casual mens attire means a suit, dress shirt. The optional list includes a necktie , bow tie, pocket square, cufflinks, and suede belt to complete a look. The term casual is risky, but men should understand that casual wedding attire requires at least dress slacks and a blazer if you are respecting such an important event. Remember to think tailored and dressed stylishly, but through a more laid back approach.
A casual wedding calls for a suit that pops with color. Although you could stay within the more traditional colors, this would be the perfect opportunity to go big on color or patterns that stand out. If you go bold with your suit jacket or blazer, pair them with dark chinos to effortlessly pull off a smart casual wedding look. There are a slew of options at your disposal, but the mission is to look well put together.
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