Color Theory: Wedding Guest Edition

If you’ve been invited to a wedding, then you might struggle to decide what to wear. If you’re a woman, then wearing white is traditionally a no-no – but beyond that, the possibilities are boundless.

Let’s look at a few ideas for wedding attire, and see whether we can provide some inspiration.

Embrace Rich Jewel Tones

A wedding is an occasion for flamboyance and bright colours. You might look to complement any jewellery you’re wearing with a matching deep-hued wedding guest dress. Think emerald greens, ruby reds, and sapphire blues. Of course, the outfit doesn’t need to match your jewellery precisely – it might be that you can use a complementary colour, like oranges, to match with blue gemstones.

These kinds of hues tend to convey a sense of elegance and glamour that can work well for this kind of formal occasion. If it’s a big, expensive wedding, then so much the better.

Consider Classic Neutrals

Of course, you might go in entirely the other direction, by looking at pale, desaturated colours. Blacks, greys and beiges all tend to provide a backdrop, against which the other elements of your outfit can contrast. The best thing about this kind of outfit is that it’s flexible – by swapping in different accessories, you can create an entirely different look.

Avoid White

As we’ve mentioned, white is to be avoided, since tradition reserves it for the bride. This is actually quite a recent tradition, relatively speaking. Though white gowns had been worn before Queen Victoria’s wedding to Albert in 1840, it was this particular wedding that marked a sea change in Western attitudes toward the wedding dress.

It must be said though that, in most cultures around the world, a bride wears something other than white. So, if you’re attending a different kind of wedding, then you might be able to get away with wearing something different.

Coordinate with the Wedding Colours

In many cases, the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and various decorative elements throughout the ceremony will be colour-coordinated. If you want an idea of the colour palette, then you can speak to the bride and groom – that way, you can avoid standing apart from everyone else, and really look as though you belong to the proceedings in those wedding photos.

Balance Your Look

Your wedding outfit should ideally be balanced and even. Look at the lengths of your dresses, and experiment with layers to see whether your outfit can be refined. It’s also often a good idea to adhere to basic principles, like the rule of one, when putting the outfit together.