Did you recently get invited to some upcoming nuptials?

Because they are such an infrequent event in our lives, it can be hard to know what to wear.

In this post, you’ll get ideas for what to wear to a wedding as a female guest so that you can fit in, feel comfortable, and enjoy the event.

Dress Code

When you receive a wedding invite, it may come with a dress code. This is a common occurrence if the wedding is taking place at a formal location, is an evening wedding, or the bride wants the wedding to have a theme.

If no dress code is noted in the invite, it’s safe to assume the following standards are adhered to.

Wedding Formality

Because weddings are very special events and often occur in a church or synagogue, there is a level of formality and respect you’ll want to consider when choosing an outfit.

If the ceremony occurs at a church or synagogue, you’ll want to have your shoulders covered. That doesn’t mean you can’t wear a strapless or off-the-should dress, just wear a wrap or shawl during the ceremony.

Outfit Colors

You may be wondering what colors you can wear to a wedding as well as what colors should you avoid.

Weddings are a joyous event be sure to reflect that in what you are wearing with color.

Since many of us tend to wear neutral colors most of the time (beige, khaki, black, navy, gray), think of a wedding as a time to have fun with color!

Do you have a favorite color? Go full-on in a dress in that shade.

Floral prints are also a great way to engage in the feelings of the special event.

For afternoon weddings opt for pastels or bright colors while evening weddings darker shades are also acceptable.

There are only two colors you want to avoid when dressing for a wedding - white and black.

Don’t wear white because the bride will most likely be wearing white and you want to be sure she stands out - it’s her special day.

You also want to steer clear of black because black is most often reserved for funerals. Now, as I’ve mentioned before there could be changes to this rule. The first could be if the bride is having a themed wedding and requests her guests wear black. The second is if it is an evening or black-tie wedding, then you have a green light on black attire.

Wedding Outfit Style

All of the outfits featured below are dresses because they are most commonly worn to weddings.

However, you can also wear a jumpsuit, pantsuit, or skirt outfit so long as it’s dressy enough for the occasion.

Midi and Maxi Dresses

Longer-length dresses are an excellent option for weddings. Midi dresses also known as tea-length dresses hit below the knee to mid-calf length, while maxi dresses are long-length dresses that reach from the ankles to the floor.

The midi and maxi dresses below include cocktail dresses, a-line, shirtdress, fit and flare, shifts, and swing styles. Look for interesting details and textures such as eyelets, floral prints, pompoms, tassels, slits, bows, and ruffles.

Lilly Pulitzer midi and maxi dresses featured above:

Marilisa Midi Shirtdress in floral print
Amrita Eyelet Midi Dress in royal blue
Carabella Midi Dress in pink elephant print
Malone Maxi Dress in cabana green print
McKinnon Midi Dress in navy floral print
Amrita Midi Shirtdress in bright pink
Zalie Off-the-Shoulder Midi Dress in floral print
Maybella Tiered Midi Dress in pink stripes

Accessories featured above:

Short Dresses for Wedding Guests

Shorter dresses are also great for wedding guest outfits! Here are eight above-the-knee dresses that will have you celebrating and twirling the night away on the dance floor.

There’s something for everyone - the styles include a-line dresses, shift dresses, babydoll dresses, swing dresses, and fit and flare dresses.

You’ll also find interesting details such as floral prints, eyelets, ruffles, and bows.