12 Tips On What To Wear To A Wedding

Written by Layla Rose Ranford

Oh, I do love getting together an outfit to wear for a wedding. It’s a perfect chance to get all dressed up and really make the effort to look and feel your finest. Here are 12 quick tips to help you on your way to looking and feeling fabulous for a day full of love and celebration.

1. It does matter if you're black or white. 

Wearing white is a definite no-no! It may seem obvious to most but avoid wearing white at all cost. Nobody wants to upstage the beautiful bride on her special day. How incredibly embarrassing for everyone that would be. With this in mind try to stay away from white, ivory and cream colours when choosing your outfit. Black is also considered a colour that shouldn’t be worn to a wedding. It’s dark and gloomy, and not appropriate for a day that's supposed to represent so much happiness and merriment. Unless of course there's a dress code that specifically asks guests to wear black and/or white.

2. Bridesmaid blunder.

Try and find out if at all possible what colour the bridesmaids are wearing. You don't want to feel awkward when you turn up as a guest looking like one of the bridesmaids. 

3. Don’t do denim!

Are jeans okay my to wear to a wedding? Absolutely not! Jeans (which you can wear any other day of the week) are way too casual to wear to such an important event. A wedding is a time come out with all guns blazing! In all your glory! Ditch the denim & do dapper... all the way.

4. Shine bright like a diamond.

If you're considering wearing a garment that has a lot of glitter or sequins you may want to reconsider. The only diamond shining bright should be in the wedding ring. No bride wants to be outshined on her wedding day. It would be wise to give the glitz & glamour a miss & go for something a little less in your face. Never fear, you can still pull off being the best dressed wedding guest.

5. Really go to town! 

Don't wear anything casual or under-dressed. This is a time to really endeavour to look splendid for the momentous affair. Pull out all the stops and be prepared to ”party like it's nineteen ninety-nine”!

6. Knowledge is power.

Be sure to read all of the wedding invitation as they may refer to a dress code. Often times it will indicate: “Black Tie”, “Formal or Optional Black Tie”, “Formal or Semi-Formal”, “Semi-Formal or Dressy Casual”, “Cocktail Attire” or “Casual Attire”. When thinking about what would be the right things to wear consider the location, weather and venue. Might you need sunglasses? An umbrella? You want to enjoy yourself and not feel hindered or ill-prepared. That will only end up dampening your fun.

7. Comfort and confidence.

You want to feel comfortable and confident for the whole day and night of festivities. Of course with all the dancing and socialising your feet are going to be constantly on the go. So it's essential that you wear shoes that look the part but bring you comfort too. You don't want to wear shoes that are guaranteed to bring you blisters by the end of the night. Wear shoes that you know will do the job or that you have already worn in. There's nothing worse than aching feet to ruin your enjoyment. Probably a good idea to pop a blister plaster or two in your purse as well, just to be on the safe side. 

8. Matchy-matchy his & hers.

A nice touch is to coordinate somewhat if you have a date, partner or husband attending with you as well. You don't have to pull a Posh & Becks, even just a small detail (like a colour complimenting/coordinating tie or flower) is enough to show you've made the effort and have stepped out looking great together for the event. You can actually have a bit of fun with it too!

9. Simple but effective jewellery.

No doubt there will be a lot of dancing and hugging during the revelries, so wearing earrings, necklaces and bracelets that can easily catch in people’s hair and on dresses etc is not a good idea. Keeping your jewellery simple will help you to avoid this issue. A dainty necklace and some stud earrings are always a good look and don't cause potentially embarrassing or disastrous wardrobe malfunctions. 

10. Minimal essentials.

You want to be able to enjoy yourself and be as carefree as possible in order to let your hair down and enjoy the frivolities. So in your minaudiere, clutch or crossbody, all you need is your lipstick, card/money and the other few things that you really need to see you through the day and evening ahead (like a blister plaster or two!).

11. A classic jacket.

Whether it's summer or winter, a good jacket is the backbone to a stylish outfit and will play a crucial role in your wedding attire ensemble. It would be a very wise move to purchase a jacket that is universal and reliable to support your outfit. Colours like black, navy, tan or blush are all perfect colours to accompany your wardrobe. Also If it's an outdoor wedding a jacket will help you to be prepared for cold or unexpected weather conditions.

12. You're never fully dressed without a smile.

The most important thing of all, wear a smile! Go and relax and enjoy yourself with your friends and family on this special occasion, no matter what you do or don't end up wearing. Smiling is infectious, it spreads like wildfire! Infect that wedding party with beautiful happiness & love. Now go make wonderful memories and have a terrific time together.