What to Wear to a Wedding

What to Wear to a Wedding?

You’ve officially sent back your RSVP, and you’ve marked your calendar for an upcoming wedding for a friend or family member. Most people’s next question is, “What do I wear?”

Getting dressed for a wedding can be stressful and overwhelming, especially if you don’t know much about acceptable attire. Each wedding has its own accepted dress code, and the formality of each wedding varies, which can make it difficult to know where to start when getting dressed. In this blog, we’ll cover the basics of what to wear to a wedding.

Where to Check for Dress Codes

First things first, check the wedding invitation for details about what to wear (or not wear). The invitation will often have key phrases regarding the dress code such as “white tie” or “black tie optional” which will give you the necessary clues to begin putting an outfit together. We’ll cover the most common types of wedding dress below.

Typical Wedding Dress Codes

1.    “White tie”

White tie is the most formal of all wedding dress codes. It’s akin to what you would wear to a state dinner or the Oscars (fancy!). Men should wear a long black jacket with tails, a white pique vest, a bow tie, formal black shoes, and white gloves (if desired). Women should wear a formal, full-length ball gown, glamorous make-up, and dramatic jewelry and hair (if desired). 

2.    “Black tie”

Black tie is the next most formal of wedding dress codes. It requires that men wear black tuxedos, black bow ties, a cummerbund, and patent leather shoes. Women should wear a chic cocktail dress or a long evening gown. For any questions about appropriate attire (including dress length), feel free to ask the couple, wedding party, or close friends of the couple.

3.    “Formal attire” or “black tie optional”

This phrase is often meant to indicate dress slightly less formal than black tie. In general, men can’t go wrong with a tuxedo and women should gravitate toward a gown. If you’re not sure what’s appropriate, lean toward being overdressed rather than underdressed as you can always deformalize your outfit (i.e., taking off a bow tie).

4.    “Cocktail attire”

This option is slightly less formal than “formal attire” which means men are not required to wear a tux and women shouldn’t feel obligated to wear a floor-length gown (unless it’s wintertime). Men should consider a suit and tie while women should wear a cocktail dress or dressy suit/jumpsuit.

5.    “Beach formal”

If your favorite couple is getting married on the beach, then their wedding invite may read “beach formal.” Men should consider wearing a summer suit with a linen shirt (no tie), linen pants or khakis, and sandals. Women should wear a formal summer sundress at tea or knee-length with flat sandals. Natural hair and makeup are a good route for a beach wedding.

6.    “Semi-formal” or “dressy casual”

Even semi-formal still has the word “formal” in it, and dressy casual is still intended to be “dressy.” This is not a license to wear shorts, sneaks, polos, jeans, or t-shirts to anyone’s wedding. You still want to wear something elegant and sophisticated. Men should wear a suit and tie (color depending on the season). Women should wear a cocktail dress or dressy skirt and top.

7.    “Casual” or “daytime”

In this category, you can be a lot more flexible. That said, you should still steer clear of jeans, shorts, and tank tops. Men should wear dress pants with a button-down shirt or polo while women should wear a sundress or skirt/pants with a nice blouse. Hair and makeup can be natural.

WHAT TO AVOID

While learning how to dress for a wedding, you should also keep in mind how NOT to dress. Here are some quick rules.

• Do NOT wear white. It’s frowned upon for guests to wear any white/cream/ivory variation unless it’s specifically requested by the couple. This color is reserved for the couple.
• Do NOT pick a dress that looks like a bridesmaid dress. You’ll spend the entire evening explaining that you’re not a bridesmaid and didn’t intend to look like one.

• Do NOT underdress. As noted above, jeans are rarely okay (if ever) okay for a wedding. Always dress up…not down.
• Do NOT dress for the club. We know the reception can sometimes feel like a nightclub atmosphere, but that doesn’t mean you should dress like it. Keep it classy!

Final thoughts

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