Skip to main content

Anti-Clueless Advice: Wedding Guest Attire Decoded

unbelievable; covering eyes; man 

In the movie "You Again," Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney Weaver — as mothers of bride and groom – both wore red, off-the-shoulder dresses to the rehearsal dinner.  Yikes!  All eyes traveled to the attractive red dots floating around the room. 

This, of course, isn't the best attire for mothers to wear to any wedding-related event.  But, what about wedding guests?  What is proper attire for wedding guests to wear to the wedding and how is it determined?

Pay Attention to the Details

The wedding invitation is our first clue to the formality of the wedding, and thus to our attire.  The heaviness of the paper, time of day, and the type of venue give us hints.  Usually, daytime weddings are less formal.  Couples use heavier paper for invitations for formal weddings.  Most often they will include the wording, "Formal" or "Black Tie" in the lower left-hand corner.   And, if the venue seems formal, the wedding usually is as well.  Of course, there's nothing wrong with asking the couple what their dress code expectations are. 

Dos

  • Pay attention to the dress code and dress accordingly.
  • Attention to hygiene!
  • Both genders should choose high-quality accessories, especially for formal events.

Women:

  • Dress to impress, but not to draw the eye—quality attire and not too revealing.
  • May now wear black, as it is no longer taboo.
  • Wear understated makeup and style your hair.
  • Take gloves off to eat or drink.  

Men:

  • Shave.
  • When in doubt of formality, wear a dark suit for evening weddings.

Be careful experimenting with the tuxedo. The classic black tux, white shirt, and black bow tie is a perfect choice.  If the invitation uses an odd word when requesting formal attire (ex: creative formal), it might be best, and less embarrassing, to go with a tux paired with a trendy black shirt with no tie. Consider the venue, region, and couple when making these choices.

Don'ts

Ladies:

  • Wear all white, red, or any other bright color, unless a part of the culture.
  • Wear sequins during the day.
  • Show off the sisters.  A wedding really isn't the best place to bare too much flesh.
  • Wear nylons with open-toed shoes. 
  • Wear opera-length gloves with gowns with sleeves.

Men:

  • Wear a tux during the daytime.
  • Wear jeans, shorts, or beachwear unless instructed to do so.

More by The Polite One

Is a 30th-anniversary vow renewal in Hawaii proper?

Wedding renewal after a long separation?

Which Color is or is not Taboo for Wedding Attire?

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bride Doesn’t Wants Alcohol or Dances at Reception

Dear Polite One, I've always dreamt that my wedding reception would be alcohol and dance-free - except for the first dance of the bride and groom.  When running the idea past a few people they seemed shocked that I've taken out both of these elements and are making me doubt my idea . The wedding will be in the evening, and then dinner. Is there a steadfast rule that there must be alcohol and dance at a wedding?  Isn't a nice dinner enough? And what things could be added to make it fun for the guests? Thank you, Visitor from Yorkton Saskatchewan Dear Yorkton Saskatchewan, People typically expect alcohol with their dinner at evening wedding receptions .  So, it would probably be better if this were held earlier in the day.  Dancing isn’t that important.  However, it is better to skip all dances, rather than just the one dance with you.  That may seem awkward.  The only hard and fast rule is that we, as hosts, offer our guests wha...
Post a Comment
Read more

Do I wear nylons with strappy sandals for a fall evening wedding?

  Dear Polite One, From what I have read on your site, I should wear a cocktail (little black dress or equivalent) to a fall evening wedding at a golf country club.  Do, I need to wear nylons with my strappy sandals? Wedding Newbie in Wisconsin Dear Wedding Newbie in Wisconsin, Bravo on doing your attire homework!  You are absolutely correct about your attire choice.  Nylons aren't nearly as popular or expected due to our love of sandals. Strappy sandals look splendid with nice dresses, even in the winter.  FYI: It is a faux pas to wear nylons with open-toed shoes. Sincerely, The Polite One More by The Polite One How to dress for a wedding as "the second wife"? How to Dress for Formal Wedding in New York ? What to wear to a formal evening wedding in Napa?
Post a Comment
Read more

Anti-Clueless Advice: What to Wear and What Gifts to Give

How to Decode the Dress Code and to Give the Right Gift Many questions I receive as an etiquette consultant are from wedding guests. Guests are especially concerned with what they should wear and what they should give as gifts .   All who contact me are deeply worried about committing any type of faux pas, as many weddings tend to be surrounded by drama these days. For example, one guest shared that the bride called fuming that the gift she shipped to the bride's home was inadequate, so she returned it to the store for cash—true story.     With crazy, hurtful behavior like that, it is no wonder wedding guests are apprehensive about wedding guest protocol. How do we know what to wear to a wedding? Wedding invitations are supposed to help guests understand the formality of a wedding.   Often, this is not the case.   Here is a real-life example: a guest received an invitation of heavy-weight paper indicating a formal wedding, but the location listed was a...
Post a Comment
Read more