What Should You Wear as a Wedding Guest?

Weddings are the highlight of every social calendar. No two weddings are ever the same. A wedding is a celebration of love between two people, and each is a reflection of that. By being invited to a wedding, you’re playing a small role in one of the most important days in someone’s life. Naturally, we all wonder what we should wear to weddings. Gone are the days when every wedding was a church service followed by the hotel reception. Weddings are as unique as the couples whose love it celebrates. We have a few tips to help you decide on what to wear as a wedding guest.

The invitation is usually the first indicator of what kind of wedding it will be. Weddings come in all shapes and sizes. You could attend a wedding with 20 guests or 200 guests. If you’re a social butterfly, you might find that you get invited to six or seven weddings a year. As much as we all would love to buy a new dress for every occasion, it often isn’t feasible or sustainable. You want to have a few dresses in your wardrobe that you can rely on to see you through the wedding season.

At Especia, our dresses are designed with versatility in mind. Don’t fall for the trick that every wedding requires a formal dress. You want a dress that will remind you of the day and that you can wear for years to come. Whether the wedding is at a courthouse or in a glamorous estate, our dresses will see you through the day in style.

The key to styling your outfit as a wedding guest is to know how to accessorise. You can take one of your favourite everyday dresses and make it wedding appropriate with the right jewellery and shoes. Weddings no longer come with a formal black-tie dress code, and you shouldn’t stress about what to wear. After all, it’s a long day, and you want to feel comfortable enough to get up on the dance floor by the end of it.

Putting together a wedding guest look is about more than what you wear. You want to think about your hair, makeup and accessories. It all plays into how you look as a wedding guest. Choose a versatile dress that you’re comfortable in, like one of our midi dresses, and build your outfit around that. Depending on the venue, a blazer or shawl is the perfect way to elevate your outfit. You can easily put them aside as the day goes on. Traditionally, the ceremony is the most formal bit of the day. You’ll often find guests – and even the bride - changing into a different outfit for the reception. Don’t feel like you have to wear a formal outfit all day.

You want your outfit to feel sophisticated. The right accessories will help you along the way. Choose a pair of heels that you’re comfortable walking in and preferably a pair that you have worn before and broken in. Metallic shoes are a popular choice for wedding guests as they shimmer while you dance. 

If you want to elevate your outfit, you can give it a monochrome look by matching your shoes to the colour of your dress. Simple jewellery is always best. You can choose silver or gold jewellery, focusing on a pendant necklace and a classic pair of studs. If you’re wearing your hair up, you can experiment with your earrings and add a little sparkle.

A wedding should be a joyful occasion. You don’t want to stress about your outfit or be uncomfortable with what you’re wearing. At Especia, any of our dress would work for a wedding day look. The modern wedding guest no longer has to abide by the black-tie dress code, and weddings are as unique as the couple they celebrate. Have fun with your outfit, and don’t feel like you have to go outside your comfort zone with something formal.