Every time I receive wedding invitations, I always feel excited because it is the time when I can meet up with friends and relatives that I haven’t seen in a long time, party with them and at the same time, it is a perfect venue for me to dress up for the occasion.

Gone are the days when weddings only occur in the morning as more and more couples now prefer evening weddings as this will give them a chance to party with their guests after the wedding ceremony. Evening weddings are also more formal and it adds a romantic touch to the event.

Even the venues for weddings have evolved, as it is no longer confine in a hotel ballroom or restaurants as couples are exploring new options. Remember the movie Sex and the City where Carrie chose a city library to be the venue for their wedding reception. Some couples even opted to have a less formal beach wedding or garden wedding.

As guest, you will ask yourself, how do you dress up for these kinds of weddings? To help you plan for your outfit as you attend a wedding, here are a few tips:

1.     Check the time of day the wedding will be held. If it is a morning or afternoon wedding, women can wear a day dress, suit or a skirt with a nice top. For men, suit in lighter shades such as hues of navy, gray, beige or brown is appropriate for a day wedding.  A nice woven tie will also add to the overlook of the suit. Dark colors should be avoided for day weddings, as this color is more appropriate for an evening wedding.

Evening weddings are more formal. For women, long gown or cocktail dress is suited for an evening affair. For the men, a tuxedo or a suit in darker shades is appropriate which should be accentuated with a nice quality silk tie.

2.     Check the location of the wedding. Most of the time a destination wedding such as a wedding held in a beach is less formal than those weddings held in the city. But this does not mean that you can wear casual clothes like a t-shirt and pants. For women, summer dress or less formal day dress can be worn in a beach wedding. For men, linen pants or wrinkle-free Khaki’s paired with a polo shirt is not that formal yet not too casual too, making it perfect get up for a wedding in this kind of setup.

The bride and groom have prepared months to have their wedding of their dreams. It is but a courtesy for the couple that their guests dress appropriately for the occasion. When planning for the attire that you will wear for the wedding, here are a few things that you should avoid:

1.     Avoid wearing clothes in white. Only the bride should be wearing white in a wedding and it is the time for the bride to shine. So do not wear white to avoid stealing the lime light from the bride.

2.     Do not wear anything that is too revealing. Remember that it is a wedding that you are attending so you should avoid wearing anything that is too short, skimpy or is showing too much skin.

3.      Avoid wearing black. Black can be an elegant color but it is not an appropriate color to wear in a wedding. Some cultures even believe that black connotes bad luck and mourning which is something that you do not want to impart in an event such as a wedding.

The way you dress up for a wedding shows your respect and appreciation to the couple who invited you to be a part of this momentous event in their life. So take your time and plan ahead so you will be at your best, which will make the couple happy and feel special, as you witness the day, the couple says their forever.