How to Dress for Summer Weddings

Well, y'all, it's wedding season.

Gulp.

With M's brother getting married this weekend, I figured now would be a good time to post about what to wear to summer weddings. Most summer weddings fall into either the dressy or informal categories. There are always a few exceptions though...for example, if your invitation asks you to come in costume...or, perhaps, it's an evening gala style wedding where tuxedos and ballgowns are required.

If you have any of THOSE weddings this summer, my apologies. (Both for the fact that you have to go to wedding and because this post won't really help you.) Also, if you don't wear dresses and/or if you're male...this post probably won't help you. So...yeah.

how to dress for summer weddings by aprilanne147 featuring dorothy perkins

For the other 70% of you who have a wedding this summer that falls into these categories, here is my advice for planning your wedding attire...

Dressy Weddings: These are usually categorized as being after 4pm, held in a church or more formal location (ball room, museum, etc.) and contain some formal elements like men in suits, a cocktail hour and/or a separate site reception at a hotel or nice restaurant. The majority of weddings will probably fall under this category as this is pretty much the norm.

Dressy Wedding Dresses: These are generally more of a solid or very, VERY subtle print. Fabrics are richer in weight (think silk, satin, chiffon, lace, heavy cotton/linen blends,  etc.) and in color. Usually, more pastel colored dresses are better for informal affairs.

 

Informal Weddings: This is a new crop of weddings that usually take place outdoors or at an indoor/outdoor location like a barn/garden or a winery. Suits are not mandatory and you may even see jeans on guys at these weddings. These weddings are very casual both in style of ceremony and reception...utilizing things like hay bales for seats, mason jars for glasses and lots of arts and craft elements.

 

Informal Wedding Dresses: These can be more flexible with prints and patterns. Pastel colors and sundresses are also appropriate for these types of weddings. Since most of these weddings are outdoors, you generally find lightweight fabrics like cotton, jersey, cotton blends, linen blends, etc. Lace dresses can work for these weddings too, as long as the dress is cut more casually. The mint/aqua lace dress on the top right is more casually cut with cap sleeves than the blue lace dress on the left "dressy" side. The blue dress has more of an Aline cut and is sleeveless.

 

If you're not sure what type of wedding this might fall into, take a cue from the location (for ceremony and reception) and invitation/save the date style. Is is elegant and classic or sophisticated? You're probably going to a dressier wedding. Is it casual and simple or rustic? Probably an informal event. Also, take into account the couple themselves and their own style. This should help you determine which dress style is best for the event.

 

Hopefully this helps. I hope to post some pics next week of what I wore for M's brother's wedding. This one will be on the dressier side...even though it's outdoors. So, yeah, I'll just probably be contradicting everything I said above...but...oh well. :)

 

Happy Wednesday!

 

~April