What Not to Wear to a Wedding As a Guest

You’ve been invited to a wedding and you need to find yourself an outfit to wear. There are so many acceptable colors to wear to a wedding depending on the formality and the season. However, we all know that there are colors you should never wear to a wedding as a guest, like white. That is the biggest no-no you can do. You also do not want to be mistaken as part of the bridal party. Let’s go over what not to wear to a wedding as a guest and the colors and patterns to avoid.

White or Ivory

White, ivory, cream, and any other shade of white are off limits to wear to a wedding if you are not the bride. This is the number one wedding faux pas. Even a white dress with a pattern on it is off-limits. The only exception to wearing white is if the bride and groom ask all of the guests to wear white.

Champagne, Beige, or Anything Similar to White

Beige, champagne, eggshell, off-white or any other super light colors that can be mistaken for white should not be worn by a guest to a wedding. There are so many other acceptable dress code options that this shouldn’t be an issue.

Super Light Pastels

The “don’t wear white” rule is so important that anything that looks remotely close to it — even if it is a different color — is a no. Super light pastels can easily be mistaken for white even though they are not. A super-light yellow could look like white depending on the lighting. Even super pale pinks and blues in sheer fabrics can look white in different lights. It’s best just to avoid it.

Same Color as the Bridal Party

You don’t want to get mistaken as part of the bridal party, so avoid wearing that color. If you don’t know what the color is, do your best to find out. You can ask the couple, another guest who is going, or someone who is part of the bridal party.

Lots of Glitter and Metallics

It is best to avoid anything too shimmery, shiny, and distracting overall. Avoid glittery fabrics and all-over sequins that sparkle. The main reason is that these draw a lot of attention away from the bride and onto you. Your outfit can have a little bit of sparkle, but make sure it is not all over to cause distractions.

Neon

Neon colors are not wedding appropriate. They are more for casual wear and sports looks. Plus neons are so bright, that they will draw so much attention on to you. It is best to avoid them.

Denim

No matter how casual the wedding dress code is, denim is never acceptable. This means denim jeans, skirts, overalls and dresses are not appropriate unless requested by the couple.

Busy Prints

You can wear prints to a wedding but try to avoid anything too busy or distracting. A busy print can take away attention from the bride and land on you.

Keep Culture in Mind

If you are going to a wedding with different cultural traditions, it is good to note that not all brides wear white. For a lot of Chinese weddings, the bride wears red. For Indian weddings, red, peach, orange and gold are all popular colors for brides. You also shouldn’t wear white to an Indian wedding because it is the color of mourning. Be sure to research if you are going to a cultural wedding.

As a wedding guest, there are so many different dresses and colors to choose from. When shopping for your wedding guest dress, it is important to remember the dress code to choose an appropriate outfit for the venue and time of day. Avoid the colors and prints above and check out our post on the best colors to wear to a wedding if you need help!