This site contains affiliate links, please read our disclosure for more information. The content on this website was created with the help of AI.
Weddings are important, and the dress code for both the bride and groom is important. It’s generally a good idea to wear something that will match the wedding theme, but it should never be jarring or offensive. As far as colors are concerned, it’s best to stay away from anything too loud or garish. Stick with classic bridal white. Black is also a safe choice, with navy blue being slightly less so. Gold tones can be used, particularly in case of an Indian wedding (which tend to use red more), but not more than half a dozen gold accessories or anything else that might feel too ostentatious or flashy.
The same goes for guest attire: no shorts—it’s not even casual since you’re at a wedding—and definitely no tank tops; if you want to wear cut-off sweatshirts you should wear them in your bedroom (and only then). Don’t get all dolled up just because of the whole “wedding” thing; it will only make you look tacky and overdone. Stay grounded and practical when it comes to wearing clothes on your special day, unless you want to look like everyone else at the party… which is probably not what you want anyway!
Do not wear black.
Weddings are usually a time to celebrate, and that’s why wearing black tends to be a no-go. Black is not a color one should wear if they want to make an impression at their wedding. Wearing black at your wedding will guarantee that you look more like a guest than the bride. When you go to your friend’s wedding in a heavily decorated, elegant dress with lots of jewelry and makeup (and maybe even some flowers), how do you think she feels?
Weddings are unique events where the bride and groom get their guests hyped up on excitement before the big day. We all know what it means when the bride wears white , which signifies purity, youthfulness, innocence… but black? That represents anxiety, depression, death—it’s not something we associate with weddings. You can’t wear black unless you’re going for a funeral or as part of some sort of funeral-themed costume party , such as dressing up as vampires or zombies . So then why do so many people wear them to weddings? There might be an element of fashion involved—many brides choose to wear black because that is what other brides are wearing , and so many people copy others blindly —but there’s also an element of trendiness at play. In recent years, fashion trends have shifted away from more conservative colors and more toward daring colors like purple . Nowadays it seems that women are not supposed to wear black except for special occasions; stricter rules around what colors and fabrics can be worn apply during special events. This rule goes beyond just tuxedos: whether it’s Halloween costumes or a wedding gown , most people think something is wrong when someone wears black at such an event. As we mentioned earlier, although it is sometimes acceptable for certain occasions (like Halloween ), this rule still applies even though both parties agree on doing something in bad taste: only city hall affairs have a uniform policy on these things!
Do not wear brown.
Wearing brown to a wedding is often seen as disrespectful, and if you want to go against the grain, then please do. It’s also okay to wear black or red to a wedding, but they are formal colors that should be reserved for occasions such as weddings and funerals. Let’s start with brown, which is considered to be an unappealing color. The reason why it is seen as such is because it has the same appearance of dirt and “inappropriate” clothing items such as sweatpants; this makes it seem cheap. Brown goes well with certain items of clothing too—for example, some people choose brown belt buckles or shoes purely because they look nice next to jeans—but we’re sure you agree that wearing brown on top of that would not look nice at all.
We know what you’re thinking: “But I like my brown leather shoes,” you may say. Well, even if wearing leather shoes does make your outfit look a little more sophisticated than using an ugly floral shirt with ripped jeans and pink Converse shoes, think about how much better your life could be without those hideous belts and shoelaces? You’d win friends for life by switching out those awful belt buckles for something a little more tasteful!
Do not wear white.
One thing you should never do at another person’s wedding is wear white. While it might seem like a cute idea, going in for that “bridal” look with your all-white ensemble, you will be doing the bride and groom a disservice by ruining their photographs. Not only does white take away from the specialness of their big day, but it also means that you’ll be taking attention away from them and onto yourself.
How can we know this? It’s an unbreakable rule passed down through generations of wedding attendees. Some say it’s tradition; others say it comes down as divine law. But as far as we’re concerned, there’s no reason not to avoid white at all costs here on earth—and the key word here is “costs”; because just like in any other industry, people who break these rules tend to pay more than they bargain for (cough cough).
Do not wear red.
Weddings are full of color, and the invitations, flowers, and décor all scream out to you: “You are here to celebrate with these happy people. This is your day! You can wear whatever you want!”
But there’s one color that shouldn’t be a part of your celebration: red.
Red can be incredibly powerful. It is often associated with danger and anger, as well as bad luck (which we don’t want!). Red usually represents love and romance in media—think of it as a symbol of good luck or happiness—and it can make people feel uncomfortable when they see you wearing it.
Wearing red to a wedding isn’t just wrong; it’s downright dangerous. When the bridesmaids attempt to match each other’s dresses in their rowdiness for photos, everyone will likely look like a train wreck—like something from Charlie & the Chocolate Factory gone horribly wrong. There are plenty of other colors that show up at weddings that don’t have negative connotations: blue and pink being two common alternatives that you may already know about. So what should you wear instead? We’d say a more neutral shade would work best for bridesmaids: black could work if you’re not worried about trendiness or going against any convention…and if you don’t mind looking like an undertaker on Halloween!
Do not wear orange, yellow or gold.
The bride and groom are about to be married. The wedding invitations read “Gold orchid, ivory, orange blossom.” You can’t help but think that the bride is wearing gold. And there’s no doubt she’s wearing orange. Why? Because she invited you to their wedding, and she’s clearly never heard of pink or red.
There are a few other things wrong with her outfit as well: she’s wearing ivory, which is neither ivory nor yellow. Ivory isn’t just white with gray flecks; it’s pale yellow with gray flecks. And this shade of green? It doesn’t go with any of the greens in nature; it doesn’t even look like grass—it looks like a sickly shade of fluorescent lighting at a shopping mall on the afternoon before Thanksgiving, when they’re kicking off the Christmas sales (which they have to do because they’re so poor). Finally—and this may be the most important point of all—she has worn orange in front of some people who think that might be offensive to them.
It really does seem like an odd choice for someone who wants everyone else to see her as beautiful. If you want everyone else to know how beautiful you are, then don’t wear anything without thinking about how it’ll make other people feel.
Do not wear bold reds, oranges and yellows when choosing bright colors for a wedding.
There’s no doubt that our wedding colors will look gorgeous when illuminated by the sun, but choosing a color that makes you feel radiant and confident on one of your most important days is an art. It’s easy to get carried away with the idea of being bridesmaids, or pick out your dream dress, but it’s imperative to keep in mind what colors others might like as well. If you’re going for something bold, consider the following:
- a bright color for your hair will make you stand out
- a bright color for your makeup will seal the deal
Do not wear shades of purple.
Purple is the color of many things: royalty, woad, eggplants, and Barney the Dinosaur. It’s a bold choice for an outfit to wear to a wedding. However, it seems like everyone and their grandma has been wearing purple to weddings lately. If you’re looking for a good time to wear it (or if you just don’t want to look like you were accidentally transported from your local sci-fi convention), here are some tips on how not to wear purple like the rest of us plebes:
- Weddings in summer are too hot for purple
- Weddings during harvest season or any other time with lots of browns, oranges, and reds make purple look unwelcoming
- Any shade of gray is out-of-place at a wedding
- Any shade that isn’t blue can clash with bridesmaid dresses during a spring or summer wedding
Do not wear blue.
Wedding season has officially started, which means it’s time for bridesmaids to shop for dresses. A bride’s dress is an important decision, and brides should take care to choose an outfit that fits the occasion. This year, we decided to ask our friends and neighbors what colors they’d advise brides not to wear on their big day.
- I would strongly recommend avoiding midnight blue dresses in summer—it’s a particularly harsh color that can look washed out against the sun. If you want your dress to stand out while still fitting in with the rest of your wedding party, choose something bright and more complementary instead. In later months of the year (August through October), I recommend choosing a color that complements your skin tone: a rose pink or peach would look great with tan skin tones and will be better than any other color at evening weddings in warm weather.
- Trying to choose between white or ivory? For summer weddings, I would encourage you to pick one of those two rather than ivory: white brings out the blues and yellows of wedding attire much more effectively, so if you want your dress shirt or skirt to stand out over aquamarine taffeta or mauve satin, go with white instead (or even blue).
Do not wear green, but there are exceptions.
Weddings are supposed to be a happy time, but did you know that there are certain colors that can ruin that happiness? Green is one such color.
What do you think of when you hear the word “green”? If you’re like most people, your thoughts immediately jump to trees, grass, and money. We all know those things are green—and those same things remind guests at weddings of their own backyard barbecues and the dirty dollar bills they have stuck in their pockets.
If you want everyone to enjoy themselves at your wedding, we recommend avoiding green at all costs. But just in case there’s some situation where it’s unavoidable (you’re getting married in Ireland or on St. Patrick’s Day), here are a few more exceptions that don’t involve any mention of plants:
- The wedding takes place during springtime
- The wedding has a lot of plants and greenery as decoration anyway
- You get married somewhere tropical so sand isn’t an option
Follow these tips on what colors NOT to wear to a wedding, and YOU’LL be the best-dressed guest!
Weddings are a celebration of two people coming together in love and joy. They’re also a chance for you to be the best-dressed guest there—with your body language, how you dress, how you style your hair, and what colors you choose to wear. We’ve put together a handy guide to help you avoid looking like a bridesmaid, or worse: an out-of-place slob.
The bride is the center of attention at any wedding, so she gets to wear whatever colors she wants. For the rest of us, however, it’s important that we don’t stray too far from the color palette that’s presented to her by her mother or something similar (i.e., white). This rule holds true even if that color pops out in bright hues; think pastels if necessary instead of bold colors such as red and blue. Another rule is that we should avoid shades of purple and blue; instead go with shades of browns or golds for your choice of color palette.
If you can remember these two rules then you’ll be sure not to look like an overdressed bridesmaid (or worse than nondescript guest), but rather look tasteful enough for your outfit to not stand out from everyone else at the wedding but still compliment each other harmoniously.
Conclusion
If you’re attending a wedding with a dress code at all, it’s likely to be formal. But there are plenty of other factors that can affect the specifics of your outfit: the season, location, time of day, and tone of the celebration. To avoid feeling out of place or even disrespectful on such an important day, consider these tips when making your decision.
Which colors are best for weddings?
