How to Dress For a Beach Formal Wedding

Light colors work well for formal beach weddings.

The romantic setting of a beach wedding leaves the bride and groom, the bridal party and all of the guests with some decisions to make when it comes to dressing for the occasion. Quite often, given the unique location of a beach wedding, the bride and groom will adopt a very relaxed and informal dress code to rule the big day. However, sometimes the bride and groom will choose to dress formally for their beach wedding, presenting guests with a bit of a challenge. What is appropriate when choosing what to wear to a formal beach wedding?

Instructions

1. Confirm what the bride and groom mean by dressing in formal attire. Given the special conditions of the wedding, formal attire for a beach wedding may not mean the same as formal attire for a traditional church wedding. Perhaps the wedding invitation specifies "formal attire" but the bride and groom have included this phrase to indicate that guests should plan to dress more formally in contrast to showing up to the wedding in Hawaiian shirts and Bermuda shorts. This is an important distinction and it is worth checking into.

2. Choose a simple but elegant ensemble and you will not have to worry about being overdressed or underdressed. This means choosing something that leans toward classic as opposed to trendy. Choose a breathable fabric. Linen is an excellent choice as it can be very formal looking yet very lightweight.

3. Choose a light color so you will be cool and comfortable. You can even wear white--as long as your ensemble in no way threatens to compete with the bride's dress.

4. Keep the wind in mind as you make your clothing choice for the beach wedding you will attend. Beaches are especially windy, so while a large floppy hat may be a great way to protect you from the damaging rays of the sun, you will need to secure it so that it does not blow away. You'll also want to be careful about long and flowing dresses or skirts as the wind may make wearing such designs an uncomfortable experience.

5. Make footwear an important consideration. Obviously you will be walking in the sand--so high heels will be hard to manage. If you are determined to wear your newest strappy sandals, consider wearing them until your feet reach the sand and then carrying them until you are in your place.

6. Choose an opaque tight instead of pantyhose. Sand can easily work its way into the nylon mesh of pantyhose, and can be notoriously difficult to get out, which could become quite uncomfortable as the ceremony progresses.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear your hair up or pulled back to keep it from being blown into your face during the ceremony.

• Be sure to wear the appropriate sunscreen.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish