FINDING something to wear to a wedding can be stressful, especially if there’s no dress code.
The rules around what you can and cannot wear might be influenced by themes picked by the bride and groom.
A black tie dress code to a wedding means you must be dressed in formal attire.
For suit wearers this often means a literal black tie or bow tie with a formal suit or tuxedo.
Ballgowns are appropriate for events that are black tie, but it is possible to wear a cocktail dress as long as it is sophisticated and above all formal.
If a wedding is going to be this formal, the couple will usually tell you in the invite.
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Normally, if a wedding does not say black tie, you can be slightly more casual and ditch the tux in favour of a simple suit.
There is nothing stopping you from wearing a bow tie to a wedding.
Unless the bride and groom have specifically requested no bow ties – unlikely but not impossible – it is acceptable to wear one.
If the wedding is black tie, make sure your bow tie is also black for the formal event.
A bow tie can help your personality shine through the formal attire, but be careful not to upstage anyone.
Sometimes a couple will give a colour scheme rather than a theme for a wedding, in this case you must adhere to that.
Most colours are fine but you should avoid wearing anything close to white.
Brides will often wear white or off-white shades in their bridal gown.
It can be a sensitive topic if guest arrives in a full white outfit and it is seen as bad etiquette.
If you’re in a suit or similar, a white shirt is fine but make sure the main colour is not white.
That is unless the bride and groom have stated for guests to wear white, in this case you can throw the rulebook out the window.
Always follow the guidance given by the couple, it is their day and guests should remember this when outfit shopping.
As well as the big rule of no white outfits, men should avoid wearing floral boutonnieres.
This is usually reserved for the groom and the groomsmen.
Make sure if it is a formal wedding you do not mix your suiting separates, you need a full suit with a jacket.
Even to a casual wedding it is not generally deemed acceptable to wear jeans, t-shirts or trainers.
You might get away with flipflops at a beach wedding but it is best to wear smarter shoes regardless of the location.
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If you’re wearing a dress, make sure it is appropriate, nothing that you would wear to a club or bar.
The most important thing is to make sure when the couple looks back at their wedding photos they only have happy memories.
