The Ultimate Guide To Dressing As A Wedding Guest

Sabine Scherer Photography

So you have the pleasure of being the wedding guest on a special couple's big day. Now, if your first thought was “what on earth am I going to wear?”, you are in the right place. It can be a tough decision and there are many factors to consider. Have you been given a dress code to stick to? Or have the couple trusted their guests to completely wing it? This can leave much room for speculation, therefore I have whittled down some of the main points to ease the process within this blog.

No Go’s

Let’s get the negative stuff out of the way. After all, you need to know what not to wear to better understand what you can wear. You must acknowledge that wearing anything too revealing is bad guest etiquette. The last thing the bride would want is the attention to be on anyone but her. Also, anything too casual is a definite no-go. Denim jeans are something you could wear to the pub, therefore wearing them would make you look like an ungrateful guest. On the colors and print side of things, anything too bold such as animal print or extreme sparkle may again steal the attention or spotlight from the bride. Save the animal print for your holiday in Costa Blanca, and the sparkle for hitting the town.

Keep the season in mind

What season the wedding is in can be a key factor. Summer, autumn, winter, and spring can completely differentiate fashion trends and practicality. For example, you may be attending an overseas wedding so not only do you need to dress for the summer (something that gets some air in, is easy to move around in, and does not insulate the heat), but you need to consider what to pack when traveling overseas. Assuming this is going to be an all-day event in the summer, a good bright-colored maxi dress would be an ideal option. Perhaps go for a satin finish for that extra special look. Autumn and winter will be similar to each other, darker, and thicker with a posh hat and big jewelry pieces to accessorize. A glam jumpsuit would also be a good option. I would definitely suggest a little black dress for most of the seasons, simple, elegant, and easy to dress up or down. Despite controversy about wearing black to a wedding, I believe that 99% of people would not have any issues. Finally, spring is a fairly simple one, you should go for pastel and floral prints. Do not forget a small cute jacket for the evening as that's when you will feel the cold!

Sabine Scherer Photography

Location and the theme 

Where is the location and how can you reflect the theme onto your clothing choice? For example, are they going for a rustic ranch wedding, saying “I do” in a beautiful church or are they modernizing a traditional wedding and going for a country club setting? Some guests may think that the cost of the outfit must reflect the suspected cost of the venue, but it really depends on your own budget and what you are happy to spend. You do not have to break the bank, especially if the location and accommodation are factored into costs. As long as it is appropriate for the setting, for example, you wouldn’t wear a ball gown to a wholesome farm wedding, you should not face any issues.

Dressing for your body shape

I believe that one of the best things you can wear is confidence. The last thing you want is to be worried about how you look and focus on how unconfident you may be feeling. A lot of women underestimate the power of dressing for your body type. Here are some brief examples of body types you may identify with. An inverted triangle body shape is if you have a larger top half than the bottom, and you will find the shoulders are broader than the hips. Opt for a thinner strap top half, and a wider bottom half to accentuate. The rectangle body shape is where your hips and shoulders are equivalent and nothing is overly defined. In this instance, it's beneficial to create the illusion of a smaller waist through the use of corset-style top halves, with maybe an outer flowing bottom half to give the bottle shape illusion. A triangle or “pear-shaped” body tends to look wider at the bottom and more narrow up top. Cocktail dresses or flowy maxi dresses tend to complement this body type most. An hourglass figure speaks for itself, anything that cinches the waist and elongates the bottom half, potentially a bodycon midi dress. Finally, the round body shape, also known as the apple body, is broader on top. A more oversized top blouse with a pencil-like bottom can really accentuate all the good features.

Guest Author Bio

Daisy Moss is a freelance writer specializing in fashion, with a particular love for all things glam. In her spare time, she loves heading out to find hidden gems in both high street shops and vintage shops, whether it’s little black dresses or cute loungewear.