What To Wear To A Summer Wedding

Ah, friends, we have once again stumbled upon the age old question of what to wear to which occasion. Weddings, in particular, can be difficult to gauge, style-wise, what with all the complicated old and new lingo like “white tie” and “festive” floating around. Luckily, you have happened upon Splendicity’s handy dandy, quick and dirty guide to what to (and not to) wear to all those summer weddings eating up your vacation time this 2009.

First, let’s review the basics:

1. DO NOT WEAR WHITE UNLESS YOU ARE THE BRIDE. No, not even ivory. Not cream, either. Not unless you know FOR SURE that the bride herself is wearing fuchsia.

2. Do not wear heels when you know the wedding is outside. This may sound obvious, but I have made this mistake twice already this season. Once as a guest (and I muddied up a perfectly lovely pair of black satin pumps), and once as the bride at my second wedding (embarassing!). Sure, there was an aisle runner. Made of fabric. The day after a rainstorm. Just wear flats.

3. Pay attention to what the invitation says. If it doesn’t specify a dress code, look at the location and time of day. If it’s at 10 am in a church, probably skip the six inch stilettos and ultra short skirt. If it’s at the fanciest restaurant in town, you can forget about the polymer clay peace sign necklace. If it’s a barbecue, your flouncy chiffon might be out of place. Use common sense.

4. If you have questions, ask them. Again, this may seem like common sense, but a lot of people don’t do it. Ask the person accepting RSVPs. Ask a bridesmaid. If all else fails, ask the bride. I promise you that SOMEONE can help you.

Okay, now that we have that out of the way, let’s look at some examples of what to wear to different kinds of weddings.

The Daytime/Casual Wedding

A casual wedding does not mean casual wear. Not unless the invitation says “Come as you are,” in which case you may wear any fool thing that you please. Casual, in terms of wedding wear, just means not formal. You don’t need to wear a long dress, fancy jewelry, or high heels, but you do need to look nice. Think in terms of sundresses, day dresses, and wrap dresses. You may wear short skirts, fabrics that aren’t shiny, and things that will generally be comfortable for daytime.

If the wedding takes place in a church, mosque, or synagogue, and you are wearing a sleeveless dress, make sure you have a shawl or sweater to cover your shoulders. If you know that the wedding is going to be religiously conservative, skip the short skirt, too. You can wear heels to a daytime wedding (as long as it isn’t in the grass!), but you don’t have to. And you don’t have to break out your bejeweled ballet flats, either. Keep your hair and makeup simple. Nothing too flashy is the name of the game.

The Festive/Formal Wedding/Black Tie Optional

For a wedding that requests “festive” attire, you wear basically what you might wear to a formal function. Cocktail dresses and shiny fabrics are in order. Jewelry is a matter of preference, but stay out of your cheap, trendy accessories drawer. Imagine what you might wear to a really nice night on the town. Get your hair done, paint your nails, and break out the red lipstick. This is a serious event, but that doesn’t mean you have to wear black. It’s summer! Wear colors if you like them. And, yes, it’s okay to wear short skirts as long as you keep it classy.

The Black Tie, White Tie, Ultra Formal Wedding

This is the cream of the wedding crop. A long gown is in order. In fact, a ball gown is in order. Wear your best jewels, or borrow some from Harry Winston. This is the kind of event you can wear a tiara to, and it may be one of the few occasions, so eat it up if you’re into that. White Tie is the most formal of the formal wears. Men will wear white bow ties with their tuxes, thus the name. Outside of weddings, white tie can mean that a white dress is required, but this is NOT the case for weddings, unless it has been specified. There is really no reason to wear a white dress to a wedding unless the bride asked you to.

Think about what you might wear to the Oscars if you were nominated, to the opening night at the opera, or to the Inauguration of the President. That’s about the stratosphere you should be thinking in. And, I, for one, am jealous, because although I detest them, I can’t remember the last place it might have been okay for me to wear a tiara.

All Photos via Polyvore, Click Images for purchasing information.

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