How to Dress for a Formal Wedding

Sometimes choosing what to wear to a wedding is as difficult for the guests as it is for the bride. Knowing what's appropriate is not always easy. If the wedding you've been invited to is a formal affair, though, then that's your cue to go all out and doll yourself up. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you choose your attire for a formal wedding.

Instructions

For Her

1. Wear a short dress for a daytime wedding. Go a little dressier and more conservative than you would for a casual wedding, though. Leave the summery sundresses at home.

2. Opt for a nice suit as an alternative to a dress for a daytime wedding. Look for something in a light shade that is well-tailored, as opposed to a dark and frumpy business suit. You don't want to look as though you are heading into work.

3. Slip on a short cocktail dress for an evening wedding if it's not an overly formal event. A dressy pantsuit would also be an appropriate choice.

4. Go all out for a very formal or black-tie evening wedding with a long and glamorous cocktail dress. Hold the beading and sequins unless you know that it's a black-tie event.

5. Deck yourself out with jewel-encrusted accessories and an extravagant wrap for a really formal evening wedding.

For Him

1. Wear a dark suit and tie no matter the time of day for a formal--but not black-tie--wedding. If the wedding is only semiformal, then you can get away with a lighter-colored suit during the day; otherwise, stick with something dark.

2. Sport a tuxedo for black-tie and black-tie-optional evening weddings.

3. Stick to the more traditional tuxedo look for a black-tie event unless the invitation specifies "creative black tie."

Tips & Warnings

• Dress up your outfit with a hat and gloves for a daytime wedding.

• Save the darker colors for a wedding taking place after 6 p.m. Black is fine for an evening wedding but shouldn't be worn during the day.

• Remember to choose something that will be comfortable to dance in.

• Refrain from wearing anything too sexy or revealing. It's always better to go too conservative than to look inappropriate.

• Never wear a tuxedo to a daytime wedding.

• You can assume that a dark suit will be appropriate for a wedding after 6 p.m. if the invitation does not specify black tie.

• A nice, dark suit is an appropriate alternative to a tuxedo for a black-tie-optional wedding. Dress it up with accessories, though, so that you look more formal.