ellelauri: Wedding invitation? Here's what to wear

Wedding Etiquette: Fashion Faux Pas and How to Prevent Them

by Etiquette Expert and founder of Beaumont Etiquette, Myka Meier

With wedding season finally here, you may be invited to your fair share of summer soirees!

The first question many of us ask ourselves:
What am I going to wear?

Before you start planning your perfect outfit, remember there are a few details that are predetermined by the bride and groom which may factor into what you should wear:

1. Is there a dress code on the invitation or wedding website? You’ll need to know if the wedding is beach chic, a casual affair, or perhaps even an elegant black tie

2. Seasonality - In order to pick out the perfect summer wedding outfit, be conscious of the season - you may be the only one wearing a black floor length dress in summer otherwise! Stick to pastels and bright colors until Labor Day

3. Is the ceremony at a church, synagogue or other religious establishment? In some cultures and religions, women’s shoulders should be covered

4. Is the reception in a different location than the ceremony? Make sure your outfit is appropriate for both

5. What time is the wedding? A day event will see you dressing differently than a night event. Typically day events are more garden party elegant, while an evening event may require a bit dressier of an outfit

So now that you’ve got your checklist of factors, here are a few other wedding etiquette fashion faux pas to keep in mind when picking your outfit:

Never wear white, off white or anything that even slightly could be mistaken for white! It’s the color reserved for brides and is considered disrespectful to wear it on their special day.

Don’t “outdo” the bride - a nice dress is one thing but to wear something which commands too much attention should be put away for another day (No full sequin dress!) All eyes should be on the bride.

Keep it classy - this day should be about showing love and respect to the happy couple - wearing something that has too short a hemline, is see through, shows too much cleavage or is too revealing in any way is not appropriate

Here are some top picks for best dresses for different occasions:

Beach Chic Wedding