Guide to Wedding Dress Codes
When planning for a day as big as this one, there are a number of details you should pay attention to, some of which wouldn’t even cross your mind, but are in fact, extremely important. One of these details is informing your guests about the dress code, and it’s important for two reasons. First, you’ll save your guest once you inform them of the type of event your wedding will be, you make it a whole lot easier for them to make proper attire choices. The second reason is you. You want your guests to blend in, mesh well with not only your wedding look but also with the venue and the general color palette. You want this to be a picture-perfect day; therefore clashing is out of the question. Therefore, let’s discover what options are out there, see which ones are closest to your heart.
The most upscale of all
Photo by Morgan McDonald on Unsplash
Very few people opt for this kind of extravaganza nowadays, but the basics should be known. A white tie wedding dress code indicates that this is the most upscale type of event, one for which the bride will be in a spectacular ballgown, trumpet or mermaid wedding dress, and the groom will be wearing a tuxedo. This makes things easier for you as this type of wedding calls for full-length ballgowns and long-tail tuxedos for the guests as well, which will break the bank, but you will look phenomenal. Black tie dress code is quite similar, in the sense that this will be an evening event, but you can get away with a gown of any length and a regular tuxedo. If the invitation states ‘black tie optional’, you can choose the type of suit that speaks of your style persona, but it has to be a suit. For ladies, this still means a formal dress, floor-length or not, even a pantsuit, but formal nonetheless.
The opposite end
An increasing number of couples are going for casual weddings, even alternative and theme weddings that reflect their lifestyle and even quirky obsessions. This means that they can wear virtually anything, from costumes and casual sun-dresses. Most casual brides go for low-key dresses, and some even break with convention by opting for sneakers instead of sky-high heels and gemstone-encrusted sandals. To stay on the romantic side while breaking the rules, the New Balance pale pink sneakers are often the go-to choice of quirky brides, and we love how these brides pull the look off, not only on wedding photos but the event itself. The groom can choose to wear a suit or go for something in his own style, which leaves guests with the freedom to dress however they want. Everything from sundresses and flat sandals to a nice blouse with a pair of wide-leg pants and jumpsuits works. As long as you’re comfortable and chic as the bride and groom, you’re good to go. That being said, if it’s a theme wedding, like gothic, steampunk even Star Wars you have to put in the effort and show up in a costume that goes in line with the story.
Somewhere in between
Photo by Everton Vila on Unsplash
Whether it’s a beach wedding or an indoor summer one, if the invitation states something like ‘semi-formal’ or ‘dressy casual’ the bride and groom could be in anything from bohemian-style wedding attire to formal wedding wear, but the safest approach for the guests is the following. If the location is a beach, a formal summer dress is your best option, but even here you could take things up a notch with a classic cocktail dress most flattering for your body type, a nice clutch or micro-bag in a contrasting hue and open-toe pumps or even strappy sandals. For guys, it’s pretty straightforward a classy pair of chinos and a polo shirt will do, and if they want to lean towards the ‘dressy’ area, there is always the classic choice a suit and tie or a colorful shirt with a sports coat. You can even get away with sleek tennis shoes, like Adidas Stan Smith or DC Astor Shoes.
It is the time to make a choice so there is plenty of time for your guests to make their choices as well.
Many thanks to Claire Hastings for this article
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