Top 10 Tips for Deciding What to Wear to a Wedding as a Guest (Hint: Not White!)

Do you have a long list of weddings to attend this year?

If so, you’re probably at the stage where you’re deciding on the perfect outfit to wear.

After all, deciding on the perfect outfit to wear to a wedding is often the most challenging part. To ensure that you have found the perfect outfit, a number of factors must be considered. These factors are anything from the location of the wedding itself to whether the wedding is formal or informal.

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If you have a long list of weddings to attend this summer, you’re going to want to ensure that you read this. Knowing these facts before the big shop is always a bonus!

We’re unveiling the ten best tips for what to wear to a wedding as a guest. Once you have curated the perfect outfit from head-to-toe, you can sit back and wait for the big day to arrive without stress!

Tips for Deciding What to Wear to a Wedding

1. What Season Is It?

First and foremost, you’re going to want to consider the season in which the wedding is taking place.

Is it a summer wedding taking place on a hot, sticky July? Or is it a winter wedding in which heaps of snow are expected?

For winter weddings, you may want to consider a dress that is longer in length and is outfitted with sleeves. You can also allow yourself to have fun with the accessories. You may consider a fur shawl, a formal hat or even elegant gloves.

For summer weddings, you will want to ensure that your fabric is relatively sweat-proof. This means avoiding any heavy types of cotton that are more prone to showing sweat on a hot day.

2. Determine the Style of Dress

These days, wearing a simple dress to a wedding isn’t the only option.

Within the last few years, jumpsuits and pantsuits have become extremely popular options for wedding guests. This is a fun way to add some creativity to the mix and resist opting for the usual dress.

Before you begin your search, be sure to decide which type of dress you are most interested in.

Jumpers can be perfect for fall weddings in that they provide coverage that is often lightweight.

However, a dress may be more appropriate on hot, summer days.

A pantsuit, on the other hand, is the ideal choice for a winter wedding. It provides adequate coverage whilst looking elegant and matching a formal dress code.

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3. Formal or Informal?

Does the wedding invitation request a formal or informal dress code?

This is the basis that outlines what you are going to wear to the wedding. If the dress code refers to black tie, you’re going to want to pull out all the stops and fashion yourself in an elegant gown.

If it doesn’t state the dress code, consider other factors that are present on the invite. A wedding taking place in the day is often more informal and an evening wedding is often more formal.

You can also take into account the location of the wedding to determine the dress code. For example, a backyard wedding is sure to be more relaxed than a church wedding.

4. What Is the Flooring?

This one might sound silly, but it’s an extremely significant factor in deciding which shoes to wear.

The flooring of the venue is essentially what is going to decide the type of shoe that you wear.

For example, a backyard wedding will often mean a lack of flooring and lots of grass. This means that stiletto heels are probably not your best option. Instead, consider a shoe with a wedge or a shallow heel. This is also the case for any beach-themed destination weddings.

If the wedding happens to take place indoors, this is where your stilettos are going to shine. For these weddings, you may want to consider a second pair of shoes for dancing or events taking place later in the night.

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5. Who Is The Audience?

Understanding who is in the audience is another important factor in deciding what to wear to a wedding. Having a keen understanding of who is going to be there will help set the tone for the expected style of dress.

It will also give you a sense of whether or not you can repurpose a dress. Considering that the average person attends two weddings per year, it’s easy to see how expensive buying new dresses can become.

For example, if the wedding is taking place in another country, the odds are you can wear the same dress that you wore to your last wedding.

Because the audience will be so different, this means you can get away with recycling the same shoes and dress.

6. Is the Ceremony Conservative?

One thing to consider is both how conservative the family and the location of the wedding are.

This is especially the case if the wedding is taking place in another country with different customs and cultural appropriations than you are used to.

If the ceremony is religious, this will have to be taken into consideration for your outfit selection.

Likewise, if the ceremony is taking place in a church, you may want to consider an outfit that is going to cover your shoulders and chest.

This doesn’t mean your dress has to be entirely modest but consider bringing a shawl or drape to cover yourself with during the ceremony.

In these circumstances, it always pays to be as safe as possible with dressing appropriately.

Dressing respectfully will ensure that you can have a great time and not have to focus on whether or not your outfit is appropriate.

Considering that 80% of weddings take place in a church, it’s best to have certain dresses set aside for more conservative ceremonies.

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7. Daytime or Evening?

The time of day in which the wedding takes place is one of the most important factors in deciding what to wear.

Consider that a daytime wedding is often less formal than an evening wedding. For daytime weddings, use this opportunity to flaunt your most colorful dress or suit. You can also use this opportunity to show off your favorite patterned or floral dress.

Come evening, these bright colors and patterns are not likely to fly. That being said, save your dark colors for evening weddings. This can be anything from blue and dark blue, to red and silver.

In general, daytime weddings often produce outfits that are flowing and lightweight. Come evening, the outfits transition to formal, more heavy options and dark colors.

8. Just Don’t Wear White

While this should be a no-brainer, it’s well worth documenting that no guests should wear white to a wedding.

If you’re worried that your pale blue dress looks a little white, best to move onto another color that will provide you with more piece of mind.

If you feel most confident in white, try opting for a neutral shade instead. This can be anything from a dusty rose to a light lavender.

Considering the bride likely took months to find the perfect white dress, it’s just best that you avoid white in all respects.

9. What Is The Venue Like?

The venue itself says a lot about the wedding and the dress code alike.

For example, if the wedding is in someone’s backyard, it may be a little more casual and warrant a more informal dress. If, however, the wedding is taking place at a well-known and expensive urban hotel, you can assume the dress code requires your most elegant of gowns.

Do yourself a favor and research the venue online. This research will give you a better idea of what the tone of the wedding will be.

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10. Better to Overdress Than to Underdress

At the end of the day, our mother’s are always right: in those moments of uncertainty when it comes to the dress code, it’s always better to overdress than to underdress.

Those that are underdressed at a wedding often stick out like a sore thumb. Styling yourself in a more casual and informal attire gives the impression that you are not taking the event seriously.

Remember, this big day has taken months of planning for the married couple and isn’t exactly cheap. This warrants an outfit that is clean, well-prepared and is going to look attractive and fitting in the wedding photos.

What to Wear to a Wedding

Deciding what to wear to a wedding is no easy feat.

And, for those with plenty of friends and family approaching their thirties, deciding what to wear to a wedding can be even more difficult.

Before you begin your official search, there are a number of factors you are going to want to consider when it comes to your outfit. This can be anything from where the wedding is taking place and at what time, to who is in the audience and what the season is.

Once you consider these factors, you’ll feel more properly equipped to face the shopping mall.

Taking the time to select the best wedding guest outfit means you can curate an official wedding guest wardrobe that can be used time-and-time again for upcoming weddings!

For more articles on the best tips and tricks, be sure to visit our blog!