How to Dress for a Wedding as a Guest
The actual phase of uncertainty about clothes starts as soon as you get over with the initial phase of being 'all excited' for the couple who is getting married (friend or a relative). Happening a lot with a lot of women and a few men, choosing the best wedding dresses is a common and genuine dilemma. What to wear to a wedding as a guest is the biggest question that literally starts to haunt you. Well, learning how to dress for a wedding as a guest is not that easy, if you do not pay attention to some important details that are typically overlooked. These details include wedding theme, etiquette for wedding attire for guests, and most importantly, the time and season of the year in which the wedding is held. Once you find out about these details of the wedding that you are attending, you can easily choose the best dresses to wear to a wedding as a guest.
Tips on How to Dress For a Wedding as a Guest
Choosing the best wedding attire for guests is a delicate affair. Staying firm on the fact that wedding dresses of guests should never upstage the wedding couple, they should still be the best pick amongst the guests! This makes it a tough job, since you have to look at your best and yet less 'special' than the couple who is getting married! We will learn more about the dos and don'ts for that as the article progresses. When it comes to the basic guidelines for the dresses to wear to a wedding as a guest, first of all make yourself aware of the wedding guest attire, which will be indicated in the wedding invitation card itself. If a dress code is indicated, then half of your job is already done. If not, then these following tips will always come in handy.
Dresses to Wear to a Wedding for Men as a Guest
First of all, you need to stop those thoughts of 'trying something different' with classic tuxedo. If no 'creative black tie' or 'Texas formal' is mentioned in the invitation card, then stick to the basics and wear the regular combination of black tux, white shirt and a black bow necktie. If you have to wear a Texas formal or creative black tie attire, then you can wear a black tuxedo with black shirt sans tie. Secondly, if it is not a black tie wedding or out-and-out formal wedding, then you need to wear dark-colored suits (only). This is mandatory especially for evening weddings. However, avoid wearing a tuxedo for daytime weddings, both formal or informal. I would also like to tell you that if you are getting too confused about all these mood, theme, season, time and dress code things; then trust your judgment and choose to wear any suit in a dark color shade with a conservative type of necktie. This attire goes well with almost all the occasions.
However, when it comes to deciding how to dress for a wedding as a guest for a destination wedding, casual wedding or beach wedding, then let me tell you that you should choose the best casual or beach wedding dresses for guests. There something that you should keep in mind while selecting proper dresses to wear for an indoor wedding and outdoor wedding. For instance, if it is an indoor daytime wedding, then avoid dark colors and choose coats that can be removed when and if necessary. If it's a winter wedding, then choose warm boots, coats, wraps and gloves. For an indoor wedding in the utmost traditional church surroundings, wear three piece suits or a classic tuxedo. Here are the quick details about men's wedding attire etiquette for guests:
- Formal Morning or Daytime Wedding: A classic tuxedo or dark-colored suit.
- Formal Evening Wedding: A tuxedo or a dark suit. While choosing a suit, make sure that it is complemented by your woman partner with a short black tie dress!
- Informal Morning or Daytime Wedding: A chic dress shirt with a pair of pants in contrasting color and a trendy sports jacket.
- Informal Evening Wedding: A dark-colored suit.
- Semi Formal Morning or Daytime Wedding: A dark-colored suit.
- Semi Formal Evening Wedding: A dark-colored suit.
- Ultra Formal Evening Wedding: Also called 'white tie' wedding, prefer wearing a shirt, white tie and vest.
When it comes to searching the best dresses to wear to a wedding for women, the decision gets even more difficult. However, there are certain easy rules that you can follow and decide what to wear to a wedding, to be the best dressed guest. First of all, since you won't be really aware whether the bride-to-be has chosen a colored wedding dress, you need to assume that she will be wearing the classic pristine white bridal gown. Hence, completely avoid white and shades that go near white and then make the color choices. Secondly, if it is a daytime or morning wedding, avoid wearing dark-colored (read: black) sequined dresses, no matter how elegant and classy you find them. This is an important point to remember while choosing dresses for summer wedding. Dark and sequined materials do not go with the mood of a morning and formal wedding affair.
Choose something feminine and apt for the kind of function (wedding precisely) that you are attending and you are almost done finding answer to the question - how to dress for a wedding as a guest. To be able to find some cute dresses to wear to a wedding, you need to refrain from wearing revealing clubwear and raunchy or overtly sexy clothing like see-through dresses or strapless cocktail dresses. If you have to, then make sure to make them less revealing, by covering them up with a matching jacket. Similar to what I advised above, you need to act upon your judgment. For instance, if it is a daytime wedding, then choose pastel colored and printed dresses and if it is a evening wedding or formal wedding then simply choose a chic little black dress. You can easily find some cheap dresses to wear to a wedding at discount online stores. Here are the quick details about women's wedding attire etiquette as guests:
- Formal Morning or Daytime Wedding: Dressy short cocktail dress, sundress, or an elegant suit. You can decide gloved and hat.
- Formal Evening Wedding: A long evening dress or a dressy cocktail dress with detailing like sequins and wrap dresses.
- Informal Morning or Daytime Wedding: Same as formal daytime wedding, you can wear a short dress or business attire too!
- Informal Evening Wedding: A dressy cocktail dress or evening gown would be best bet.
- Semi Formal Morning or Daytime Wedding: A short dress, tea length dress or suit.
- Semi Formal Evening Wedding: A dressy cocktail dress or evening gown.
- Ultra Formal Evening Wedding: Choose any of the above dresses with extra bit of glitz like diamonds, fur and sequins.
