The "I Do's" and Don'ts

I was recently invited to a wedding in which my boyfriend was in the wedding party, but I had only met the bride and groom once. It was really nice to be included in an event that celebrates two lives joining together. Luckily for me I already had a staple dress to wear. However I know that weddings can only send shivers down others spines when the dreaded question comes to mind, what will I wear?!?

There a few faux pas to avoid. For traditional weddings no one would dare to wear black (except maybe the groomsmen and groom himself) under any circumstances. Why you ask? Well because in a lot of cultures such as ours, black is seen as a mourning color. It doesn’t look too well when one of the mothers shows up all in black. Some people think it sends out a signal of ill wishes on the couple. More recently however, the color choice of black is becoming more acceptable. One trend (that I personally don’t understand) you will see is even sometimes bridesmaids are wearing black. The reason it is becoming less of a faux pas probably stems from the fact that black is also used as a way to express formality. Think of how many times society stresses that “little black dress”. Personally, I would still suggest staying away from black, why look all gloomy when you can add life with color.

Fashion at weddings doesn’t have to be restricting but there are a few lines you should never cross. Men, please tuck in your shirts. There is almost nothing worse than a sloppy wrinkled shirt tail hanging out (cringe). Show some respect for the couple and tuck it in. It won’t hurt you for one day to wear a belt. Also gentlemen, please no Hawaiian print shirts. Huge flowers or surf boards (and I don’t care if you got it from Tommy Bahama) do not really say I care to be here, the message you send is I’d rather be on a beach in Mexico. Along the lines of beach attire, please no flip flops. This goes for ladies as well. I’m sure you have a pair of more polished sandals you could wear. Though sometimes a casual wedding like a wedding on the beach might be flexible on a few of these rules, they are still good rules to follow.

Now are you ladies searching in that closet for a nice dress to wear? Best rule of thumb, dress conservative. Remember this isn’t your day, so don’t choose a dress that looks like you belong on the red carpet (you wouldn’t believe how many mothers of the bride and groom I see try to pull that one) or the one that shows so much skin. Good rule of thumb, nothing above the knee. Remember nice slacks are completely appropriate too.

The “I Do's” for weddings: Dress like you care about the event and the couple. Think conservative. Remember this is the bride’s and groom’s day to stand out. Best advice if you really aren’t sure about what to wear ask the bride, groom, or their families on what they believe is acceptable.

Always

Kristin

.