Tips On Wedding Attire
Most couples expect guests to dress in formal or semi-formal attire unless specified otherwise. However, there are multiple events within wedding rituals, and you may need to bring dresses, suits, and casual options depending on what kind of wedding it is. Here are some tips for deciphering wedding dress codes and ensuring youre among the best dressed.
Whats the Wedding Dress Code?
If the invitation doesnt mention a dress code, its best to follow up with someone whos at the wedding party. You dont necessarily have to reach out to the bride and groom to ask what to wear to the wedding, but they are the best sources to get more information if its not specified.
Otherwise, the most common wedding dress code is formal or semi-formal. Another way to determine whats best to wear is to look up the venue. The wedding location often sets the tone for the entire event. Churches are typically formal or semi-formal, but beach weddings often have a tropical, semi-formal, or dressy casual dress code.
- Outdoor Wedding Venues.
- Farms & Vineyards.
When looking at the location to determine wedding attire, check out the website and look up weddings previously in that location. You can also assess the season and weather depending on the date. If its an outdoor wedding during the summer, you may want to pick attire thats comfortable yet fits the dress code for that venue.
Respectful Color Choices.
Another essential tip is knowing what colors to avoid wearing as a wedding guest.
What To Wear To A Beach Wedding: Women
- If the invitation indicates that you should wear beach formal attire, then a long, elegant gown is perfectly appropriate.
- Semi-formal beach attire calls for short or tea length dresses, which are great because they wont drag in the sand, plus they transition beautifully to a reception venue held at a restaurant or oceanfront hotel.
- Are you wondering what to wear to a casual beach wedding? Our advice is a nice Maxi dress. A maxi dress is loose fitting, especially around the bottom of the dress so you can easily sweep it across the sand and brush it clean on land for a seaside reception.
Jeans Aren’t Appropriate At A Casual Wedding
If you are invited to a casual wedding, appropriate attire includes dresses, jumpsuits, khakis, and lightweight jackets, according to Brown and Sabatino. Not included? Denim jeans.
“Regardless if a wedding is casual or formal, it’s respectful to dress nicely for your hosts,” she said. “I would not wear something that you’re going to hang out in on Saturday afternoon.”
Brown suggests a sundress or other look that feels breezy. The trick is to style it more elevated than day-to-day casualwear.
“Something in a floral would be really lovely, especially in spring and summer,” Brown said. “You could also go for a linen suit or a lightweight tropical jacket. It’s something you could style with a t-shirt underneath, instead of doing the button down or tie. You can loosen it up and even pair it with a sneaker.”
It’s a broad range, but comes with a stipulation: Sabatino recommends avoiding everyday fabrics like denim to show respect to the couple.
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Tiaras Or Sparkly Headpieces
If youre married yourself, you may have a tiara carefully wrapped up in tissue paper somewhere that youre just dying to wear again. Well, forget it and keep your sparkly headpiece for a Christmas party or ball. Have a great up-do instead if its an elegant evening event you can always wear a sparkly diamante clip or accessory in the back of your hair.
13 Contrasting Colors For Summer Weddings
Summers are a great time to experiment with light colors and you can do that at summer weddings as well. Wear plain shirts with complimenting pants or trousers, to add on more to the outfit wear the contrasting colors in a printed coat. This will give you the cool look that youve been wanting to achieve. Dont forget to add on some really nice loafers.
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You Are Discouraged From Wearing White
The premise of this Muslim wedding dress code guideline is similar to the one above some Islamic sects associate white with funerals. Thus, a white dress will seem both out of place and distasteful.
In other cultures and traditions, such as that of the USA, white is a color reserved for the bride. In fact, the topic of whether guests are allowed to have white in their outfits is still heavily debated. Overall, it is in your best interest to go with a different color green and pink are particularly well-loved choices for Muslim wedding ceremony attire or guests.
What To Wear For Men: Wedding Types
How many times have you received a wedding invite only to find theres no dress code specified? What should I wear to a wedding with no dress code? If that happens, you dont need to panic. Theres a really easy way to figure out what to wear: just look at the venue and date.
You can look up a venue online to see what kind of weddings are typically held there. And if its held in the summer or during an extremely warm season, you can also expect to wear a lighter fabric, such as a linen suit.
Here are some definitions of popular dress codes for weddings and what men should wear depending on the wedding type.
White Tie Dress Code for Men
If you ever receive an invitation with a white tie dress code, youre likely attending a royal or celebrity event. This is the most formal type of wedding, and it typically requires a tuxedo with tails, as well as a waistcoat and bow tie. Youll need to break out the white pocket square, fancy cufflinks, and matching leather oxford shoes.
Black Tie Dress Code for Men
Almost as formal as the white tie wedding, men should expect to dress in a black tuxedo or dinner jacket. These are typically formal weddings where a cummerbund and black bow tie are expected. But you can show personality through your shoes, cufflinks, and pocket square.
Black Tie Optional Dress Code for Men
Cocktail Dress Code for Men
Semi-Formal Dress Code for Men
Casual Dress Code for Men
Come As You Are
What to wear to a Beach Wedding?
What Not to Wear to a Wedding for Men
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What The Experts Say
Despite the seemingly simple nature of this discussion, color and psychology experts have also weighed in on what colors should and should not be worn to weddings and why that may be.
Were going to explore the rich history behind wedding customs, where they came from, and why color is so important at weddings today.
To start, in Clare Finnells dissertation on the subject entitled A History and Analysis of Weddings and Wedding Planning, she goes into great detail on the origins of current cultural traditions for Western weddings.
Originally, the idea of the traditional western wedding originated in Medieval Europe. Finnell explains that At the time, what we now think of as a wedding was typically just a nice feast, not necessarily even one with decorations or special outfits unless the couple was very wealthy, in which case occasionally new or matching outfits would be worn for the wedding during this time period.
As Finnell stated, color was not even an issue in early Western weddings. So, when did it become so important?
Indeed, the major concern of early weddings was security. Finnell goes on to explain that the groomsmen were originally knights whose job it was to protect the bride from potential kidnappings. Thankfully we dont have to worry about that in modern times.
Knights were the original groomsmen at weddings.
Lot Of Dancing And Celebration
Mormon weddings are typically joyous occasions, with a lot of dancing and celebration afterwards. The weddings are usually very colorful and festive, and often include a lot of traditional Mormon music and dancing. After the wedding ceremony is over, the newlyweds and their guests usually celebrate with a party that lasts well into the night.
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What To Wear To A Wedding As A Guest
If you’re not sure what you should wear to a wedding, we’ve got you covered. When it comes to wedding fashion etiquette, there are a few rules that’ll help you find an outfit that’s appropriate and stylish. Brush up on these fool-proof tips below before you start shopping so you know exactly what kind of clothes you can wear to a wedding.
Aria Floral Print Midi Dress
From weddings in the city, country or further afield, this floral frock from Kitri is the perfect purchase to have ready and waiting in your wardrobe. It has a silky satin-like fabric with a versatile navy hue to firm its status as the ultimate transitional piece. Finished with a stunning floral design and a puff sleeve embellishment it will look gorgeous in wedding snaps.
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What To Wear To A Wedding Reception: The Rules The Outfits
Stylistically, weddings arent the straightforward, traditionally formal affairs they once were when everyone wore their Sunday best, got a bit boozy and that was that. These days nuptials can be casual, overtly formal or even themed ranging from the unusual: dress Hawaii, to the ultra-specific: wear pink stripes.
Arguably even more confusing is figuring out what to wear to a wedding reception. If youre only attending half the day, can you make half the effort? Of course not.
The only saving grace here is that because youre avoiding all the pomp and ceremony, you can afford to have fun with your attire, as befits an upbeat, positive occasion. But, unless youre also the entertainment, fun is not wacky. There needs a degree of sobriety in your outfit, even if its lacking from your behaviour by the end of the evening.
Stine Goya Karla Printed Satin Wrap Dress
Break away from the monotony of your lockdown wardrobe with this Stine Goya dress that is bright, fun and playful, while still adheres to any cocktail dress codes. It has an almost kimono-like wrap silhouette with a juxtaposition of clashing floral designs. Wear from your best friends wedding to Saturday night at the pub.
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When In Doubt Ask For Help
Once you have RSVPed to the wedding and you are still unsure of what to wear, there is nothing wrong with reaching out for help. The bride, groom, or anyone you know that is Muslim will be more than happy to guide you with details. However, it is worth reiterating that this should be done with respect for their beliefs and their time.
Follow The Guidelines Outlined On The Rsvp
The good news is that even if you don’t know much about the venue you’re attending or are still feeling unsure what is appropriate, most invitations and RSVPs provide additional information and guidelines that may be useful when determining what to wear.
“Consider the setting and time of the wedding to decide how to dress,” said Sharon Schweitzer, an international etiquette expert. “If the invitation dictates it is in the evening, then you know you have to dress up. If the invitation states the wedding is in the afternoon, then it can be more casual and informal.”
These days most invitations will also specify “formal attire requested” or any other additional requests the bride and groom may have for their special day. Appropriate attire often falls into a few categories, including white tie, black tie, dressy casual, or casual. White tie is at the top in terms of formal attire and would indicate to break out a beautiful floor-length evening gown black tie indicates a fancy floor-length gown or a short, yet still dressy cocktail dress for dressy causal a cocktail dress will suffice and for casual a simple summer sun dress is acceptable. If you follow these guidelines, then you know you’re in the clear.
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What Do You Wear To A 4 Pm Wedding
If you are attending a 4 pm wedding, you must first note the location and any dress code that the invitation has required. If it is a formal event or casual one, dress appropriately, choosing something that can easily be transitioned from day to night. You may want to bring a shawl or something similar to cover up in the evening if you expect it to get cold.
White Tie Wedding Attire For Guests
White tie is the most formal and sophisticated of all dress codes. So, be prepared to dress to the nines with an elegant, full-length evening or ball gown. Traditionally, long gloves are also worn for white tie. However, theyre more of an optional extra in todays modern world. If you do choose to wear gloves, you should leave them on while drinking and dancing and take them off for dinner.
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Fall Wedding Attire For Men
We all love bundling up in the fall, but on any given day, this season could serve up temps from 48° to 84°. The key to fall wedding suits is layering. Wear a vest that you can easily lose if it gets too warm. If the dress code is casual, let the colors of the season play into your outfit. Choose a pocket square and tie in complementary colors, and find a nice pair of brown leather or suede shoes.
What to Wear:
Fall Wedding Attire Inspiration:
Hamaji The Nomad African Night Dress
Made to order, this stunning Italian silk crepe dress by Hamaji The Nomad via Akojo Market, has been embroidered with eye-catching botanical designs and decadent details.
The craftsmanship of this piece is truly exceptional – each dress has been embroidered by a group of skilled artisans the designer works closely with in Nairobi, Kenya.
Expertly stitched at the Hamaji studio at the base of Mount Kenya, this is the artisan showstopper for wedding season and beyond.
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Can You Wear White To A Wedding
The colors white and ivory are frowned upon by many wedding guests. Wearing these colors makes you look like you are trying to compete with the bride. If you wear white to a wedding, some people might get the impression that you are jealous. If you really want to wear white, wear accessories in other colors. Prints with white as the background are also welcome. Also, be careful with the design of your white dress. If it looks like a bridal gown, it is not appropriate for a wedding guest. Better yet, just choose a different color.
Abercrombie & Fitch Tie
This trendy floral print dress is, without a doubt, one of our favorite fall wedding guest dresses for 2021and not just because it’s part of our exclusive “Best Dressed Guest” collection with Abercrombie & Fitch. This flirty frock is completely on-trend with allover smocked fabric, tie straps and a square neckline, and the ruffled skirt serves as the perfect finishing touch.
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