While the bride should be the only one fretting over what to wear to her big day, let’s face it: everyone in attendance of a wedding worries. This includes wedding guests.
We want to be dressy enough to honor the event, but we also don’t want to outshine the bride. We want to avoid wearing white, but we also don’t want to look like too casual. It’s flattering to be invited to attend a wedding, but figuring out what to wear can sure stress us out.
After blogging about easy wedding guest hairstyles, I knew I had to follow up with advice for attire. So, I turned to the bridal specialists at David’s Bridal for assistance.
David’s Bridal took the time to provide us with an easy-to-follow guide, including images from their own collection of wedding guest dresses, to help us figure what’s okay to wear when going to a wedding. So use the guide below, follow the list of Dos and Don’ts, and shop David’s Bridal for your next wedding guest dress. Shop in-store or online at www.DavidsBridal.com.
Informal Daytime Wedding
Tip: Keep it short.
Featured: Bridesmaids Sleeveless Faille Dress with Beaded Neckline in Raspberry, $149.
Informal Evening
Tip: Go dressier than daytime, but you can still keep it short.
Featured: Short Athletic Neck Dress with Full Gold Party Skirt, $149.
Semi-Formal Daytime
Tip: It’s time to think designer.
Featured: Truly Zac Posen Collection exclusively at David’s Bridal, $195.
Semi-Formal Evening
Tip: Go full-length.
Featured: Cap Sleeve Illusion Back Jersey Dress, $229.
Formal
Tip: Keep it long and dramatic. Now’s the time to pull out the jewels and furs.
Featured: 3/4 Sleeve Long Mesh Dress in Malibu, $159.
David’s Bridal Dos and Don’ts:
- If you have to ask if it’s appropriate, it probably isn’t.
- Do use good judgment if the invitation doesn’t specify the formality of the event.
- Don’t wear white because it competes with the bride, unless you ask her first, as a courtesy. There are plenty of other colors available. This rule may seem outdated, but it’s actually just good etiquette to not contend with the bride on her special day.
- Anything too sparkly will make you look overdressed. Don’t wear black or sequins during the daytime.
- Don’t worry about wearing the same colors as the bridesmaids or mothers. You can’t possibly coordinate with everyone in the wedding party.
- Club wear, overtly sexy clothing (strapless, see-through, etc) doesn’t belong at a wedding. A pastel suit or soft floral dress for daytime or a little black dress for evening (after 6 pm.) will take you almost anywhere.
- Casual can mean a pretty sundress (like for a coastal or beach wedding) but rarely means something as sloppy as jeans or shorts.