What Not to Wear as a Wedding Guest

Ok, so many weddings aren’t as traditional as they used to be, but that doesn’t mean wedding guest attire is now a complete free-for-all - it’s still good manners to dress appropriately whatever the occasion, so here are a few rules you might want to follow. As with any rules, there are always exceptions, but using these as a guideline should ensure you avoid most wedding guest fashion faux pas…

No Block White and Black Colours

It’s a bit silly to say completely no black or white, because of course most outfits feature one or the other in some form, but going completely white or completely black for your wedding guest outfit is a complete no-no. Many brides don’t bother with the all-white dress these days, but turning up in a floaty white outfit or two-piece suit might still be seen as an attempt to upstage, and on the flip side, all-black outfits are traditionally associated with mourning, so best not go there either.

No OTT Accessories

For many brides, this is the one opportunity they have to wear a headpiece without going to a fancy-dress party, so don’t ruin it for them by turning up in your own tiara. The same goes for a lot of statement jewellery and accessories – this is not the time or place to make said statement, so even if understated is not your natural default fashion setting, perhaps tone it down a bit, just for this special day.

Colour Scheme Etiquette

Now, there are two ways you could go when it comes to wedding colour schemes: If the couple have mentioned a colour scheme on your invitation and requested that guests might like to follow it if they like, then by all means go for it. On the other hand, if you have knowledge of said colour scheme, but it isn’t mentioned on the invitation, well best avoid as this comes under the ‘upstaging the bride’ category. And if you’re unsure on the latter point, then you can always check.

No Super-Casual or Super-Sexy

Remember, this is someone’s special day, not your average afternoon at the beach or night out on the town. Be respectful of the couple and who else might be at the wedding, because not everyone will appreciate a plunging neckline. And we all love jeans but a wedding in no place for denim. Especially double denim, which is never acceptable at any time.

Of course, it’s all very well saying these two extremes just won’t do, but it is possible to find a happy medium – La Redoute are currently offering 25% off their Spring Collection which contains many different belted, shift and tea dresses is some gorgeous prints, all of which wouldn’t look out of place at a wedding reception this season.

No Workwear Vibes

You might not intend to go dressed as if you’re off to a day behind your desk, but a pantsuit can easily double for workwear if you’re not careful. However, it could be great if paired with the right shoes, top and accessories, so make sure you’ve got the balance right.

As we mentioned earlier, there are always exceptions to these rules (well, some of them) – for example, if the invite specifically says they want everyone to wear shorts and flip-flops, then by all means wear shorts and flip-flops, or if they have an all-white theme, then you are more than welcome to dig out that white suit and heels. But perhaps leave the tiara at home, whatever the dress code.

By Anna Scott, Writer for My Favourite Voucher Codes, 27th March 2017