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What to Wear to a Wedding
This edit holds 775 pieces chosen for wedding guests, sorted by dress code: black tie, cocktail, garden and daytime, destination and winter. Nothing in it is white, ivory or cream, because those belong to the bride.
Start with the invitation
The invitation usually tells you the dress code, and the dress code decides the length. Black tie means a floor-length gown, or at most a very dressy cocktail dress. Cocktail or formal means knee to midi length in silk, satin or crepe. A daytime or garden wedding allows prints, cotton and linen. When the invitation says nothing, look at the time and the venue: an evening reception in a hotel ballroom leans formal, a lunch in a barn or on a lawn does not.
Colours to avoid
White, ivory and cream are the bride’s colours, and a pale dress that photographs white counts too: very light blush, champagne and silver can read as white in photographs. Black is now widely accepted at evening weddings, especially black tie. If the couple has asked guests for a colour, or asked them to avoid one, follow that over any general rule.
Shoes for the day
Think about the ground before the heel. On grass, gravel or a beach, a block heel, wedge or flat sandal will carry you through the day; stilettos sink. At a long wedding you will be standing for the ceremony, the photographs and the drinks, so a mid heel you can wear for ten hours usually beats a high one you can wear for two.
Bags and cover-ups
A clutch or small shoulder bag holds a phone, a lipstick and a card, which is all you need. For a church, a cathedral or a cool evening, bring a wrap, a jacket or a dress with sleeves; some religious ceremonies expect shoulders covered.
Destination and winter weddings
For a wedding abroad, pack fabrics that travel well: linen, cotton and silk that can be steamed. Check the venue before choosing shoes, since many destination weddings are on terraces, lawns or sand. Winter weddings call for velvet, heavier satin, long sleeves and a coat you are happy to be photographed in.
What it costs
Across the 775 pieces in this edit, prices run from £89 to £6,525, and half cost under £650. Every piece is sold by the store that stocks it; prices are checked daily and you buy from that store directly.
What to Wear to a Wedding: your questions answered
What should I wear to a black tie wedding?
A floor-length gown is the standard for women at black tie. A very dressy cocktail dress can work if the invitation allows it, but a long dress is the safer choice.
What does cocktail attire mean for a wedding?
A dress from knee to midi length in a dressier fabric such as silk, satin or crepe, with heels or smart flats. It is less formal than black tie and more formal than daytime.
Can I wear black to a wedding?
Black is widely accepted at evening and black tie weddings. For a daytime wedding, colour or print is the more usual choice. If the couple has given guests a colour scheme, follow it.
What colours should a wedding guest avoid?
White, ivory and cream, and anything pale enough to look white in photographs, such as very light blush, champagne or silver. This edit leaves those colours out.
What shoes should I wear to an outdoor wedding?
A block heel, wedge or flat sandal, because stilettos sink into grass and gravel. If the wedding is on sand, a flat sandal is the most practical choice.
How much does a wedding guest outfit cost in this edit?
Pieces run from £89 to £6,525, and half cost under £650. Prices are checked daily against the store that sells each piece.
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