The answer to the age-old question, “Can you wear white to a wedding?” is not always, well, black and white. For guests, there are often questions around what colors to avoid and what technically qualifies as too much white. But rest assured, you can have fun with wedding guest fashion and still avoid a faux pas.
“I see people rolling up in like Jacquemus and Gucci,” says stylist Micaela Erlanger, who works with the likes of Lupita Nyong’o and Diane Kruger. “Guests are selecting and injecting their personal style into their wardrobes, but there’s some decorum and respect that comes with it.”
So, for an expert guide to dress-code etiquette, we turned to Erlanger and bridal stylist Anny Choi for guidance.
Can you wear white to a wedding?
“The simple answer is ‘no,’ unless the invite calls for it,” Choi says. At spring and summer weddings, it’s popular for couples to throw a themed event with an all-white dress code on the big day or in the lead-up to it. In that case, Choi advises guests to choose solid white styles versus white floral prints, for example, because that’s probably what the bride will be wearing.
What about ivory and cream?
“It’s all white!” Erlanger says. Indeed, the no-white rule also applies to cream, ivory, beige, and all of the above, Choi concurs. Again, consider the ever-expanding palette that the bride may be playing with—and when in doubt, err on the side of caution. “It’s old-school to think, ‘Oh, the bride will be wearing a big white princess dress,’” Choi says. “What a bride looks like today varies and can be so different.”
How much white is acceptable in a wedding guest outfit?
“As long as the main color doesn't read as white, you’re in the clear,” Erlanger says. As Choi points out, certain colors can be photographed to look like white—blush, for example.
The Princess of Wales arrives at her wedding with her maid of honor Pippa Middleton in 2011.Photo: Getty Images
What can brides and grooms do to communicate the dress code?
One of the best perks of hiring a bridal stylist are the mood boards that will spark inspiration for you as well as your guests. “Now more than ever, this idea of giving your guests recommendations or suggestions, along with the dress code, has become more common practice,” Erlanger says. “I’m frequently asked to provide mood boards that are linked to clients’ wedding websites with suggestions for what guests should wear. Part of the invitation design, and part of the idea of curating your event, also includes really fun attire recommendations. By no means is it an instruction manual, but it points guests in the right direction.”
What other color(s) should you avoid at a wedding?
“Unless it is a wild disco party, avoid colors that really stand out,” Erlanger says. “Avoid neons, avoid red, avoid anything that’s super loud. Unless, of course, your friend’s getting married at a rave. And don’t get me wrong—I’m sure that’s happened before!”
