What Colors Are You Not Supposed To Wear To a Wedding?

We’ve all been there before…you’ve been invited to your bestie’s wedding but you’re not sure what colors to wear because you’re afraid of clashing with the bride’s color scheme.

A wedding is not a one-day thing. It’s done for the memories so you want something pleasing to look at but that won’t hog the limelight from the bride.

If you are having trouble finding the perfect dress to wear for your friend’s wedding, we have a few pointers.

What Colors Are You Not Supposed To Wear To a Wedding?

1. Don’t wear a white dress

It’s the bride’s day and because she has spent months choosing her gown with consideration for every detail, including if it clashes with your outfit, avoid wearing anything too similar in color or style.

Over 80% of brides’ dresses are white, while the groom and groomsmen are in tuxedos. This means that wearing a white dress as a guest will clash with their outfits. Unless the bridal team has specifically requested you to don white, avoid a white dress that will make you grab attention away from the bride. If you have to wear white, limit it to an accessory such as the scarf or purse.

2. Ditch any shade of white

Any off-white color – from white smoke, snow, honeydew, azure, beige, to ivory- is going to make you the bride’s worst nightmare on her big day! Unless requested to do so, or unless it’s a floral print, guests should never wear any shade of white to a wedding.

Shades of white are typically reserved only for those in attendance as members of the bridal party or family, but even then it can seem unintentional and tacky if you are not paying attention to what other guests have chosen.

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3. Gold and sparkly metallics are for the club

Avoid wearing any outfit that looks too close in color or style as the bride as it will seem like an easy way out of putting a speck of thought into what you’re going to wear. If gold is not one of your favorite colors and you know it might clash with other people at the event then do both yourself and them a favor by avoiding this attire altogether. Leave the sequins and gold prints to your swimsuits, swimsuit coverups, and off-shoulder night out dresses.

If there was ever such thing as “being overdressed”, then I would imagine guests who show up sporting anything sparkling – from sequins on their dresses all the way down to shiny shoes- such that in some cases they don’t even need makeup because these accessories give off enough glow themselves!

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4. Sparkling neon

Steer clear of your sparkling neon dress as it will steal eyeballs from the happy bride. This is not the time to show it off. An overly bright neon yellow, green, or orange dress will steal the gaze throughout the day and in every photo you appear. That’s counterintuitive to your attempts to build a bond with your best friend who is getting married.

5. Is it OK to wear black to a wedding?

A wedding is a celebration of love and life, not just the union between two people. Anyone who attends should be fully committed to that joyous occasion and show it through their attire.

Black has come to represent somber moods in many cultures across the globe. The person you are attending this event for will wear white, so why wear a “mourning” color? Unless the bride or groom has consented to you wearing black, avoid wearing all black to a daytime wedding ceremony.

6. Is it OK to wear red to a wedding?

There are many misconceptions when it comes to wearing all red at a wedding. You may be thinking that you want your outfit to pop or you just really like the color red, but this is not the appropriate attire and will make for an awkward situation with other guests.

Orange too can be too bright and flashy, drawing attention away from the bride and groom.

7. Brown and other dull hues

Brown is a great neutral color when you’re looking to blend in with your surroundings, but it’s not appropriate for this type of event. That’s the same thing with other dull hues like gray, blue-gray, and army green. These colors aren’t exactly festive or celebratory so they’re better off avoided at weddings altogether.

8. The bridesmaids’ color scheme

Wearing the same shade and dress style as the bridal team may make you seem like you’re revenging exclusion from the bridesmaids’ list. If you are not sure about what to wear, you can check the invitation color scheme or the wedding website if they have one, and come up with a complementary color scheme.

Alternatively, don’t feel shy to ask one of the bridesmaids or the couple themselves, what color the bridal team will be wearing so you can know what hue you should and shouldn’t wear.

Here is how to choose the colors to wear to a wedding as a guest

  1. If you are unsure of what colors to choose, ask the bride or someone close to her for their word on which colors are preferred for the day.
  2. Choose accessories in your own color palette – it is easy to find coordinating shoes and jewelry if they match your skin tone.
  3. Make sure everything matches – remember that people will be taking photos of you throughout the whole event so make sure everything looks perfect from head-to-toe!

Tips for choosing your wedding guest attire based on the wedding invitation dress code

  1. If the invitation dress code is gold, choose a dress in a complementary color such as navy blue or silver.
  2. If the invitation is red, wear something with white accents to offset it.
  3. If the invitation décor has two colors that contrast each other on opposite ends of the spectrum, consider wearing one of those colors and pairing it with an accent color that matches one of them (e.g., if you’re invited to a black and pink party, wear either black or pink but complement it with raspberry-colored accessories).
  4. If there are three different colors on your invitation card, try matching all three hues for maximum impact.
  5. For invitations in pastel shades like lavender, mint green, or baby blue, go for vibrant pops of color by selecting clothes in coral reds and hot pinks.
  6. When deciding what shoes to wear based on your outfit choice for your wedding ceremony or reception dinner attire make sure they match both outfits!

Best Colors to Wear to a Wedding

Here is the list of colors you should consider wearing as a wedding guest

If you can’t get clues from the invitation card or the bridal team about what colors you should wear, you can’t go wrong with these choices:

  1. The color to wear if you are a woman is pale pink
  2.  
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  3. For men, the color to wear is any shade of blue

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Other awesome colors:

  1. Navy Blue – This is the perfect color for those who don’t want to stand out too much
  2. Mint Green – A great option that will make people remember you as the girl in green
  3. Baby Pink – It’s not too bright, but it’ll still get your point across about being a bride’s BFF

Extra tips on wedding guest dresses

  1. Remember that this day is about celebrating love and happiness! So don’t stress out too much over what you will be wearing; just go with something comfortable and stylish.
  2. Try not to wear any jewelry more than earrings and a bracelet – this will keep you from looking too fussy.
  3. Make sure all of your clothes fit well to avoid ruining the pictures by having an awkward wrinkle or loose fabric hanging out. If you are in an off-shoulder gown for a daytime beach wedding, either get more creative with a backless bra or do away with the bra altogether.
  4. Don’t forget about makeup! It’s important for making yourself look more polished and less tired; it can also help cover up any blemishes on your skin that might be visible when photographed (especially if you have oily skin).
  5. Don’t forget to bring some extra clothes in case there is an accident or spillage during the reception.
  6. Bring a spare pair of flats because heels can become uncomfortable after standing all day long at the wedding ceremony (plus it might rain!).

7. It’s always nice to have an outfit change before heading back home from the reception- so pack a light coat or cardigan for when it starts getting chilly outside.

Wrapping Up

A wedding is the bride’s day and so you shouldn’t compete with her for attention. You dress’ design and color should complement that of the bride. But you shouldn’t just assume that the bridal dress will be white and it’s important to check the invitation dress code. Whatever the case, you can’t be wrong going to a wedding in a hue like gold, silver, coral red, pale pink, and mint green.

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