Style Advice: What To Wear To A Wedding

With a slew of friends getting engaged and/or married, wedding season is definitely upon us! I was delighted with the response I received from commenters and readers on my post about Dummeow's wedding dress picks last week. Indeed, when I tweeted the link to the post, gorgeous Twitterer Jennifer_Lee tweeted in reply:

"I love weddings in the summer.. I have one to go to this August.. you should do an entry on what to wear to a wedding! :)"

Just as wedding ceremonies and receptions differ according to the couple's tastes and culture, there is no one right dress code for a wedding. What you wear to someone's wedding depends on a number of things:

1. Does the invitation specify a dress code?
2. If there's no specified dress code, what time of day are the reception and ceremony? For events happening during the day, more casual dress is acceptable.
3. Where is it all happening? If you'll be outdoors in a park or on a beach, opt for flats or wedges instead of heels that will sink into lawns and sand.

Now, I have to say this for the benefit of the socks-with-sandals, casual-or-die crowd: Please do not wear jeans or casual garb to someone's wedding. There are so many everyday occasions where jeans are acceptable. Weddings are not everyday occasions. This is a very special day for the happy couple and for the friends and family members who love them. Show some respect for everyone involved and dress appropriately.

Alright, onto the fun part! I've whipped up some Polyvore sets to illustrate different outfits for different types of weddings; if you want more information about the featured items just click the links provided below. Enjoy!

Afternoon wedding: Save the sequins and skin-baring numbers for the raucous bachelorette party! Daytime weddings call for something more demure. This full-skirted colour block dress is bold yet classic and feminine; add a silver pendant and pearl stud earrings for some subtle polish without detracting from the impact of the dress. Black peep-toe flats walk the fine line between casual and dressy, while a cropped cardigan will keep bare shoulders warm. I added the Chanel purse because the textured cream-and-black tweed is so lovely.

Beach wedding: Lucky enough to be going to a destination wedding in a tropical paradise? Show off sun-kissed skin and keep cool with a short draped jersey dress in a bright hue. Flat metallic sandals make walking on sandy beaches a breeze and add glam shine, as do the pearly white polish, a moonstone cocktail ring, and moonstone earrings. Shield your eyes from the sun's rays with a straw fedora, then switch it for a white feathered headband for the evening festivities. Ooh and check out the nude Burberry leather wristlet with the ruffles down the front--cute!

Formal wedding: Formal weddings and evening receptions mean calling out all the stops. A one-shoulder dress is sassy without being too revealing; play up the warmth of its purple hue with gold-tinged accessories and a cream-coloured pashmina. I threw in this sky-high pair of Louboutins because they were too beautiful, but whatever shoes you go with, make sure you can dance in them comfortably!

Wear black or white to a wedding? Ah, the age-old question of whether it's appropriate to wear black or white to someone's wedding. I think white is definitely a no-no out of respect for the bride, and while the little black dress is always a safe bet, the LBD can be a bit stale sometimes. Why not go for a patterned dress that combines the two? I love the bold slanted stripes on this frock, which I echoed in the slanted pleats of the clutch and the crisscross detailing of the pumps. A chunky coral necklace and turquoise bracelet provide a dose of much-needed colour.

Which Polyvore set is your favourite? Will you be attending a wedding sometime soon, and if so, any idea what you'll be wearing?