I’m always flattered when I receive a wedding invitation; I think it’s an honor to be a wedding guest. Think about it like this, a couple has chosen you to be one of the few to participate in one of their most private and sacred moments. You’ll be a witness as they pledge their love and fidelity to one another ’til death do they part. They’ve invited you to become a part of their intimate world of family and friends. Cool. Great. Exciting even. Your RSVP has been sent in, the date set-aside on your calendar and now, you’ve got to figure out what to wear. You’ll know if a wedding is black tie or formal because the invitation will state it plainly. Otherwise, it’s sometimes difficult to know how dressed up you’re supposed to be at a wedding. Often the wedding invitation and other collateral will give you clues as to the direction the bridal couple is heading in. And some bridal couples have taken to giving their wedding guests cues with cute phrases like “Resort Chic”, “City Sophisticate”, “Cocktail Attire” and the like on their wedding invitations or wedding websites. While the bridal couple knows exactly how they want their guests to dress, their cues may not provide enough direction for some of their guests. My husband and I were one of these couples – we used what we thought were great phrases and believed they spelled out exactly what the attire was for each of our wedding weekend events. Some of our friends and family got it; those who didn’t called for more explanation. Lesson learned? Be as explicit as you can. No one’s going to take offense, people just want to make sure they’re dressed appropriately.
As a general rule of thumb, weddings are dressy affairs. Unless otherwise indicated, one should assume that the Bride and Groom are going to be strolling about in their “best” and they’d love it if their wedding guests did too. For women, this translates into no white and really no black if you can help it. White is the province of the Bride on her wedding day and she should be accorded deference, point blank, no room for discussion. While black is no longer a “no-no” at weddings (traditionally black was believed to be too funereal), some cultures do believe that wearing black to a wedding is bad luck for the bridal couple. A pretty dress that can be dressed up or down with accessories is a wonderful option. Find a dress that you feel comfortable in and a pair of heels as well as flats to match (trust me, Havaiana‘s paired with your silk dress isn’t the best look). For men, it’s much more simple, wear a suit and tie or a blazer, slacks and a tie. In the Summertime, a light-colored linen or seersucker suit is perfect; you’ll be cool and stylish all at once. Remember, the tie and jacket can always come off after the ceremony, but it’s better to be overdressed than to show up in shirt-sleeves when everyone else is suited-up. When it’s all said and done, it’s about celebrating your friends and family in style!
Guest blogger, Kalyn Johnson is a fashion stylist who specializes in helping brides navigate the path to I DO stylishly and sanely. Recently married, Kalyn learned more about weddings than one has the right to keep to herself so she decided to share some of the nuggets she gathered along the way. Check out Kalyn’s blog, Wedding STYLE by Kalyn Johnson.
