Wedding Guest Etiquette for Dress
Wedding guests have etiquette for their dress to avoid someone's outfit taking away from the bride and groom being the center of the party. Dressing appropriately demonstrates a sign of respect to the bride, groom and the hosts. Guests can evaluate whether their clothes should be formal, informal or semi-formal by the type of wedding it is. Fancier events call for fancier clothes.
Other People Are Reading
-
Beach Formal
-
A beach formal wedding means that the couple wants the simplicity of an outdoor wedding and the elegance of well dressed guests. The key word is formal, which means that you should put out the effort to look well groomed. According to Microsoft Network Relationships article "Wedding Guest Attire Cheat Sheet," you should prepare for the outdoor elements. You never know if the outdoor wedding will be interrupted by rain, and you should plan on your clothes getting sandy. Your clothes should include sandals and a formal summer sundress or suit. Most beach weddings mean hot weather, which means you should avoid thick fabrics and socks.
Semiformal
-
Guests may have to decipher what dress code to use for a semiformal wedding by looking at the time of the wedding. According to The Knot article "Semiformal Wedding Invitation," dress in formal clothes for a nighttime wedding and wear light clothes for a daytime wedding. Wear nice clothes for a daytime wedding too, although your style can be somewhat relaxed. For women, a daytime wedding calls for a medium-length skirt paired with a dressy top. Men can wear light suits for a daytime wedding, and they can dress in dark suits for nighttime weddings. Women can wear a little black dress for nighttime weddings.
-
Black Tie Optional
-
Black tie optional means that guests can dress formally if they want, although they are not compelled to do so. Men are not required to rent tuxedos, which typically makes them uncomfortable. They should wear dark suits that are black, navy, dark brown, or dark gray. Women can wear long formal dresses if they want. They can also wear short dresses that have formal accents.
Wearing White
-
The only person wearing white to the wedding should the bride. The tradition started with the advent of the white wedding gown in the 1800s. Although men can wear white shirts, women should avoid white dresses, shirts and skirts. People who break tradition should make sure not to upset the bride. If a woman finds a white outfit she likes, she should decide whether guests who do not know the bride will will think she is the bride.
Wearing Black
-
Traditionally, only men wore black to weddings because many chose black suits. Black clothing for women was saved for funeral attire. Most people today do not assume that black is only funeral attire. Black cocktail dresses are significantly popular for semiformal weddings. Many brides choose black bridesmaids dresses so they can wear them again. If women are uncomfortable wearing black, they can add decorative, colorful details. Bright scarfs and colorful belts can add pizzaz to a drab outfit.
-
References
- Photo Credit wedding image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
