Wedding Advice – Here Comes the Blog

You may have been invited to several dozen weddings in your life, or this may be your first. Both veteran wedding guests and newbies alike should follow some simple wedding attire etiquette rules so that they appear well-dressed and understated. How formal the occasion is will drive your choice of outfit. But just because you’re invited to a backyard summer wedding doesn’t mean you can show up in cutoffs and a halter top. There are still rules to consider.

First, if you are close to the bride or groom, ask them how fancy the wedding is. Will it be held in a church with a full catered reception? Or can you expect to eat barbecue off paper plates? Then, start choosing your attire from there. If it’s casual, you still have to dress up. You want every eye to be on the bride, not your short shorts. So think elegant daytime. Casual wedding attire would be a lovely knee length dress. If you are going sleeveless, plan to wear a cardigan or jacket over your dress, especially if part of the ceremony is in a church. No bra straps should ever show from any outfit you wear.

Tight clothing of any kind is out. Choose the next size up if a dress doesn’t fit in your standard size and don’t feel badly about it. Often, dressmakers use different measurements for the same size. So one designer’s 12 may be another designer’s 10. Just buy what fits and forget about the size on the tag. Ultra-spiky heels are best left for a night out with the girls. Yes, you want to look dressed up, but heels that you can barely walk across the dance floor in should be left at home in the closet.

Choose a shoe that looks good but is of a moderate height heel. Stacked or wedge heels are nice because you can actually walk and dance in them without breaking your neck. And you still have a heel to elongate your look. Don’t wear anything flashy or sequined especially for a day wedding. You will look and feel out of place. It might look great at home while you’re trying it on, but once you hit daylight and your dress is blinding people with the glare, you’ll be very embarrassed.

Go with a subtle sheath dress in a neutral color instead. You can always dress it up with some personalized jewelry. A necklace and bracelet set, even if it’s costume jewelry, can really turn a plain dress into something special. And because you chose a basic color, you can wear it again and again without it looking like the same dress. Add gloves or hair jewelry and you’ll look like you went out and bought an entirely new outfit the next time.

Other things to avoid are white dresses as they compete with the bride. Anything ultra sheer should have a slip under it. Try it out in the bright sunlight. Ask a friend to let you know if it’s still too sheer before you make your way out the door to the wedding. If it’s too sheer, change. The bride’s Uncle Murray and Aunt Rita do not need to know what color underwear you have on.

Read more on this topic at the Knot, Marie Claire, or Glamour.

More on being a good wedding guest:

How to Make a Wedding and Honeymoon Gift Basket

Tips - Wedding Gift Baskets

Congratulations Card Message Ideas