What To Wear To A Wedding

Can you tell I’ve recently discovered how to use PicMonkey (I know, not that difficult, but I never bothered before!) with all my little graphics on posts recently?! Pretty impressed with my new skillz!
Anyway, on with the post! I’ve suddenly reached that time in my life where my friends are getting married and having babies – some people seem to be horrified at this and hate seeing their Facebook timelines packed with weddings and children, but to be honest I love it! Deciding on what to wear for a wedding though can be a little bit of a struggle, even with all the clothes I have packed into my wardrobe (ahem, on the floor…). There are a lot of factors to consider, so much so that it almost outweighs the stress of what to buy for a wedding present! You never want to look like you tried too hard, but you do want the effort you put in to be appreciated. It’s exhausting. But with a few simple ideas, you can show up looking appropriate, comfortable, and fabulous.

Pick One Statement Piece

Guests often think that they have to dress modestly for weddings so as not to outshine the bride. While this is somewhat true, it doesn’t mean that you have to show up looking like a beige blob. A little bit of colour and sparkle is welcome at a wedding! Pick one thing, like a dazzling necklace, or a bold dress to wear to the wedding. The rest of the outfit should be relatively modest, but one statement piece will be a way to show off your sense of style without outshining the bride.

Shop Your Own Wardrobe 

With the many brides nowadays that opt for a second-hand wedding gown from Gumtree.com or online wedding sites like preownedweddingdresses.com (which I totally approve of – I’ve spotted many a preloved dress in perfect condition at like half the price it would have originally been!), it is completely appropriate to bring a little bit of your own established wardrobe to the party.

You can absolutely wear something you already own and dress it up to fit the occasion. Have a pair of boots you totally love? Pair it with a mid-thigh sundress for a cute country-Americana look. Wear anything from your closet that makes you feel comfortable and happy and class it up to make everyone happy.

You could even find a nice dress at a charity shop. If you need something new, but are a bit strapped, there are loads of places to grab a bargain – I even picked up my shoes for my graduation (pictured above) at a charity shop the day before (talk about leaving it till last minute – oops!).

Echo the Colour Scheme and Wedding Theme

Pay attention to the save-the-date, invitation, and wedding website for any common colour themes. If you notice any similar colours used by the couple, try to honour their special day by showing your support in your outfit. You don’t have to be a cheerleader for their wedding and dress head to toe in their theme; just one or two nice pieces will do. Such a small effort will go a long way with the bride and groom and will ensure you’re not looking like the odd one out. It’s popular to have themes at weddings now, and 50s style is one I’ve heard of a lot, so the poppy printed Hell Bunny dress (above) would work ideally for that.

Consider the Venue

Think about the actual location of the wedding, as well as whether the wedding and reception will be indoors or outdoors. Church weddings call for respectful attire; nothing strapless or too short, and I like to make sure my shoulders are covered just in case. Outdoor weddings, however, are much more casual and are a great place to wear your favourite sundress or a floaty skirt like this one that you wouldn’t usually consider for a big white wedding day. Indoor weddings are a bit more sophisticated, so a nice cocktail dress or strapless gown may be the way to go for something so intimate.

If you’re still stressing out about what to wear, the best thing to do is just to wear something timeless and classic. Look in your wardrobe for a basic outfit that will cover the required dress code. From there, you can spruce up your outfit in multiple ways and look as though you spent hours putting together the look. As long as you wear something appropriate and do your best to showcase your own personal style, there’s only one thing left to do: put on a smile and have a great time.

Consider the Weather

This is probably a major one for most people – whether it’s a spring, summer, autumn or winter wedding, you really need to be in the right attire. Not necessarily to “match” the colours of the season, but because you’ll end up freezing or sweltering if you get it wrong! If it’s a winter church wedding, or held in a marquee outside, make sure you’ve got something to use as a cover up so your arms aren’t getting chilly, and even consider wearing a pair of tights under your skirt or dress too. For a summer wedding, you’ve pretty much got free reign, but do bear in mind that rain (there was a bit of a pun there!) can happen any time, so ensure you’re covered on all bases, maybe keep a pair of flats in your handbag in case your stilettos disagree with the muddy ground!