Choosing the Perfect Dress to a Wedding

By Anna Lynn C. Sibal ©2006

It’s your friend’s wedding and you have just received your invitation. You are happy for her and for her man and you are excited that they are going to get married. Your mind is all agog, busily going over mental lists of what would be the perfect wedding gift for the two of them, and you can’t wait to rush to the mall and to some shopping. But wait… what should you wear to the wedding?

We women know that it is important to look our best all the time, and the importance of looking great goes a notch higher when weddings are involved. The wedding is all about the bride and the groom, and they have spent so many months planning for this big day. Naturally, they would want it to be perfect. You have been honored to share this big day with them, so you have to give back the honor that is bestowed upon you by looking your best.

However, you have to keep in mind that there is a wrong way and a right way to doing it. Remember, this is a wedding you are going to, and not just some party. Thankfully, choosing the perfect outfit to wear to a wedding is not as difficult as you might seem to think. It only takes a little looking.

What you have to consider in choosing the perfect attire to a wedding is what the wedding is going to be like and where the ceremony and the reception are going to be held. Is it going to be a formal, black tie affair or just a casual gathering of friends and family? Where is it going to take place – a church, a fancy restaurant, a beach, a garden or someone’s home? Is it going to be in the daytime or in the evening?

You can find the answers to these questions by looking at the invitation itself. An engraved and formally-written invitation on heavy, embossed paper means the wedding is going to be a formal event. On the other hand, if the look and the language of the invitation are friendly and casual, it is going to be just that: casual. Also, the time and the place of the wedding and the reception are always indicated on the invitation.

Now that you have the necessary information at hand, how then should you choose what to wear? Here are the pointers:

Daytime weddings. Weddings held in the morning or in the afternoon are often casual affairs. Or at least, they are not as formal as weddings held in the evening. Depending on the degree of formality, you can choose between a stylish, floral dress, a smart skirt-and-blouse ensemble, or a light-colored suit. Stick to light colors and try not to look like you are going to report to the office. Never wear black to a daytime wedding.

Evening weddings. Evening weddings call for something more dressy and sophisticated. In this case, you can bring out those long dresses and you can try out darker colors, even black. However, determine if the wedding is going to be casual, a black-tie optional or strictly black-tie. In a casual or a black-tie optional wedding, a cocktail dress or suit will do, and avoid wearing sparkly, beaded things. In a strictly black-tie event, floor-length ball dresses, formal jewelry and fancy wraps are definitely in order. Wear something comfortable, though, because there is always dancing in an evening wedding.

Here are other things to remember when picking out an outfit for a wedding:

• Never wear white, whether to a daytime or an evening wedding.
• Never wear jeans or denims.
• Dress with modesty. Don’t wear anything that is too sexy, revealing or provocative. It is a wedding you are going to, after all, and not a date. If you are going to wear something sleeveless or strapless, bring a wrap or a jacket to church; you may take it off at the reception.
• Do your best to look fabulous but don’t overdo it, or else you are going to overshadow the bride. You wouldn’t steal the limelight away from the bride on her big day, would you?

Weddings are happy and enchanted affairs. Memories of a wedding should last the wedded couple’s lifetime. It is your duty as a guest of the bride and the groom to help make these memories beautiful for them. Dress appropriately and look your best.

Many more wedding ideas