Wedding Guest Outfit Guide

Wedding season is still going strong! It can be hard to think about what is appropriate to wear as a guest, especially considering the type of wedding it will be and even time of year. We all know the eyes will be on the groom and bride, but let’s be real, we want to take pictures with the bride and groom and definitely don’t want to clash with them. Which brings me to a side note - two common questions that I have been asked frequently are, “Is it appropriate for a guest to wear black to a wedding?” and “Is it appropriate for a guest to wear white?”

For my personal opinion I think black is 100% ok to wear to a wedding. I don’t think it looks like the guest is mourning about the couple deciding to get married. It’s just so chic and timeless. I feel it’s always important to have at least one little black dress in the closet that can be pulled out even for a wedding.

However, when it comes to white, unless the wedding is a white theme and you are asked to wear white, I personally feel your white attire can be left at home for this one day. There are just so many days that you can wear white, just let the bride enjoy wearing all white, as many brides typically are not keen on seeing other guests have white on. If a guest decides to wear white. It is obvious that no one will be confused on who is the bride, however, there are exceptions to the white rule. For example, a dress with white mixed into it or a white top with a different colored skirt…at the end of the day to each their own and I respect it. Rule of thumb, I would suggest, if in doubt just don’t wear it.

But even still sometimes it can be confusing to really pinpoint what is the best thing to wear to a wedding. I started thinking about types of weddings that have been popular trends and ideas of what to wear to these kinds of weddings.

Formal Banquet Wedding

When it comes to formal, I like to think red carpet. If you were to be photographed by the paparazzi, which would be the dress you would want to be captured in? For this theme I went with this beautiful blue empire waist style dress. The bottom of this dress is full and I’m obsessed with the texture. The sheer mesh that lays over the shoulders and chest adds a feminine touch. Of course once I saw the subtle accent added to the middle of the dress, I was sold. Dark blue is one of those colors that I feel you can wear at anytime of the year. This was the dress I wore in late November, but I would not hesitate to wear in June. To finish the look I wore dark blue block heels and added some extra sparkle with my earrings and bracelet. I definitely wanted the dress to be the showstopper within the outfit.

Garden or Golf Course Wedding

For garden or golf course weddings, I would suggest wearing a shorter style dress, as you will be outside and the weather during the spring and summer can get a bit warm, and shade is not guaranteed. For colors, use the flower colors as guide, floral patterns and lace. I decided to wear a burgundy colored dress with floral lace applique. It has a very feminine feel to it. The material is comfortable to wear on a hot day, however, will not be bothered with wind. I accessorized with a beautiful statement necklace and earrings that I found in TJ Maxx, to give the look a bit of a pop. With my shoes, I went with a classic sandal heel in beige.

Beach or Island Wedding

Everyone loves the beach, so what’s not to love about a beach wedding. There is really no guide when it comes to colors, but take advantage and use colors, but maybe something more in the lighter tones. This gives it a nice effortless look, especially against the colors of the sand and ocean. Material wise, I would suggest using something more lightweight, and that would look beautiful blowing in the breeze. When it comes to shoes, many people go bare feet in the sand, but if that is a no-no in your rule book, I would say skip the heels this time, and go with sandals. There are just so many beautiful sandals with different types of embellishments. I decided to wear this beautiful satin periwinkle blue wrap dress. The dress is comfortable and effortless form fitting style that has a beautiful mini train. I decided to use my sandals that are embellished with pave stones that I found at tjmaxx.com to add a little extra wow factor to the outfit, and of course, little touches of sparkle throughout in my earrings and bracelet.

Barnyard or Vineyard Wedding

Barnyard and vineyard weddings have been very trendy and go so well with the rustic theme. It has great character and just something that’s so simple and effortless but still so romantic. As a guest that’s what you want to achieve in your outfit. For this type of wedding, go a little more laid back but not too laid back where you are wearing denim jackets and jeans. This is still a wedding where the couple will be dressed up. Again, you do not want to clash when taking pictures with the bride and groom. I decided to skip the dress, and went with a chiffon blue floral skirt, and stain lace ivory cami. This is where the white rule comes to play. The white is not the wow factor nor is it the main attraction. I decided to go with my heel brown sandals to keep this outfit elevated, still wedding and theme appropriate. To keep it romantic, I decided to use dainty gold jewelry throughout the look.

Great Gatsby Wedding

Everyone gets so excited when they find out they are going to a Gatsby wedding, but then blank out when it comes to finding something wedding and era appropriate. The tricky part is no one really wants to buy something that they will only wear once and then just taking up closet space. Many guests would go with flapper dresses, but don’t forget the roaring 20’s also was all about lace too. Trying opting the flapper look for a vintage lace dress, accessorize with pearls, how you style your hair will give an effect and of course red lipstick play a big part one making your look come complete….not just the dress. I decided to use a blush vintage looking pink lace dress. Even though this dress goes to the floor, you cannot deny that it is a factor helps contribute towards the vintage look that can definitely be seen in a Gatsby party. To add a bit of glitz and glam, I used my beautiful sandal heels.

Morning Wedding

Morning weddings are another tricky type of wedding. There is no right or wrong when it comes to the length of your dress. As this is a morning event, and not an evening event, I would suggest going more the cocktail dress route. Think glamorous brunch. There is no right or wrong with how bright or subtle you choose to go with color. Keeping that in mind, I went with a satin blue dress with a beautiful pattern. There are hints of whites in this dress, but again that’s not the main attraction of the dress itself. I wanted to make the outfit feel a bit more glamourous and have a romantic touch, so I paired this look with my blush pink satin peep toes, and accessorized with a few dainty jewelry pieces, but still included a bolder earring.