(featured bridal image — Marchesa)
Ahhhh, the ever-popular, age-old question, that is still heavily debated today — should you wear white to a wedding?!? Summertime is definitely “wedding season”! And thus, I’ve been asked/invited by Lover.ly to weigh in on this ongoing debate. Lover.ly is a one-stop shop for wedding planning. It’s a site where brides & grooms can search/find wedding ideas, hire people for their wedding, and make purchases.
Lover.ly polled their own team of experienced wedding editors & more than 250,000 Lover.ly readers. Needless to say, there was not an agreed upon verdict. But here is Fashion Nexus’ take on this great debate — NO!! I do not think you should wear white to a wedding and it comes down to 2 simplified reasons.
(featured bridal image — Irina Shabayeva)
1) Do not detract attention from the bride — It’s the bride’s big day!!
From what I see, attending actual weddings & viewing bridal collections, white is most likely the color the bride will be in. It’s been a tradition for the longest time that no one else should then wear white to a wedding. Call it tradition, dress code etiquette, being respectful, but I still say don’t wear white. It’s not that someone is going to mistake you for the bride, but if the bride is the only one in white, plain & simple, she stands out.
It’s not likely a big deal if 1 or 2 guests happen to wear white. But think what would happen if this concept were to vanish. Twenty or thirty guests all of a sudden think it’s okay to wear white. It’s less likely the bride will still feel as special and be the focus on her big day.
The point is to not detract attention, right? If you are the only one, or 1 of 2 wearing white, people might start talking about it or the bride could become upset. This could all lead to unnecessary commotion and distractions from the event at hand — THE WEDDING! I would just say, why risk it? You don’t know who it might upset, a member of the wedding party, the bride, her family, etc. And you never know where or what these upset feelings and gossip might lead to.
(featured bridal image — Monique Lhuillier)
If you are enjoying checking out some of my featured bridal images, definitely visit Lover.ly’s bridal gowns’ page & see what they have featured!
There is really no need to take this risk, which leads me to my 2nd reason —
2) Logic — You don’t need to wear white. It’s not like it is your only option!
There are so many events and holidays which call for limits as to what you should wear, specifically the color schemes. For a funeral, you should wear black. For Valentine’s Day, you should wear red. For Christmas, you should wear red or green. Or for the 4th of July, you should wear red, white, or blue. You might be attending an event or a party where preselected colors have been chosen.
Bailey 44 tribal dress
But a wedding is completely different. It’s an event where color options are limitless with one bright line rule — DO NOT WEAR WHITE! And really it’s just all white that I feel is the essence of this rule. You could wear white as part of a print or if it’s not predominant in a color-blocked dress. But with all of the other color options and prints, there is no logical reason for someone to end up wearing a white dress. If you happen to have a white dress that you love, I’m sure there is another occasion on which you could wear that dress. If you are out shopping, it’s not like stores are packed to the brim with only white dresses — just pick something else!
Paper Crown lace dress
Do you need some other ideas of what to wear as a guest? If so, check out Lover.ly’s specific page, featuring dress options for wedding guest attendees.
**Exception to this Rule!!**
(featured image Elaya Vaughn Bridal)
With pretty much every rule, there is always an exception. I say you can wear white to a wedding if (a) the bride is not wearing white, or (b) you asked the bride and she said it was okay.
This is of course just my opinion, the Fashion Nexus take. But definitely let me know you think! Would you wear white? Why or why not?
(Vera Wang bridal)
I think you should wear whatever your heart desires on your special day! But I don’t recommend wearing anything out of this world over the top! Although I love black and white. I would not wear a black dress for me wedding or brides maids and etc. The traditional white is always great but sometimes it’s time to create your own tradition.
No, 100% Sorry for any confusion, but would you as a wedding guest wear white to a wedding — What are your thoughts!
As a guest I would stay away from wearing white. I think its just safer not to even go there! It is the bride’s special day so no matter what color she is wearing, white is off limits for guests.
Great answer Rochell! My sentiments exactly. Lover.ly’s original post, embedded within my article, showcased some vast differing views on the subject so it was interesting to see the arguments for wearing white!
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No way would I wear white to a wedding. It’s definitely the brides special day and the focus should be in here looking glamourous! xoxo….Sg
My thoughts exactly! Tons of other color options you can wear, we can leave this rule as sacred, should be of no issue! xoxo
Unless it’s a themed wedding where white is requested, I wouldn’t risk it. I know some brides choose not to wear white these days, but as a guest I would stick to tradition to be safe
I agree! Not all fashion rules need to be challenged and this is one. For me, even if the bride isn’t wearing white, I likely still wouldn’t. And really, I’m not sure you would even know the color unless you were close to the family. I say don’t risk it. Never could convince me you have nothing else you could possibly wear!