You have been asked to go shopping for wedding dresses with a bride-to-be, how exciting! Whether the bride is your daughter, sister, niece, or best friend, the importance of being asked to go along is flattering. It shows that the bride values not only your company, but your opinion on her bridal gown choice as well. Now, what is the appropriate guest attire?
We previously wrote a blog on Guest Etiquette and how to be the best guest at bridal appointments. It is a popular blog with practical advice on how to support the bride as she searches for her dream dress. Many people comment on it asking the same question:
What should I wear to attend bridal appointments?
We are happy to address the question of guest attire and can give you our opinions based on thousands of bridal appointments with all size guest counts. These are general rules and of course will not apply to everyone, however these tips are good to know:
Guest Attire Tips
1. First and foremost: do not wear white. In the bridal world, white and ivory are reserved for the bride. Do not wear white, even if it is printed, floral, or block. This color is for her.
2. Be less formal than the bride (i.e. watch the high heeled shoes, bodycon dresses, flashy jewelry, etc.). If you walk into a store as a group, the bride should be somewhat distinguishable based on attire.
3. Is there another activity included, such as lunch, drinks, or dinner? If so, you will want to wear something appropriate for that activity as well. In the summer perhaps a pastel dress or jumpsuit; in the winter, a sweater dress and boots.
4. Are there multiple appointments planned for the day? If so, be sure what you wear is comfortable enough to be seated for extended periods of time (most bridal appointments are 90 minutes) as well as travel time. Make sure your footwear is appropriate for ‘quick walking’, as you may not have much time to spare between appointments.
5. Layers! This may seem obvious, but it is worth repeating. Regardless of the season, a sweater, scarf, or light jacket is recommended. The temperatures of stores can very greatly and keeping cool or staying warm will allow your focus to be on the bride.
6. Watch the length. If you are wearing shorts or a short skirt, be mindful of the length. There are many mirrors in bridal boutiques! Not only that, you may be standing/sitting/bending multiple times during an appointment (perhaps to get a closer look up the dress or to help fluff out the train). You don’t want a wardrobe malfunction. Also, many photos are taken during this time and if you are wearing a short dress or skirt, be very mindful of the angles caught in mirrors!
In Addition
Most of us have a few go to outfits that we can dress up or down, depending on the shoes and accessories we wear with it. Our suggestion regarding guest attire is to wear something you feel good in that shows you are pleased to attend without overshadowing the bride.
As the group is preparing for the wedding dress shopping trip, you can check in with the bride and family members to check in about the details of the day. Do not be only one wearing sweat pants, nor do you want to be the only one decked out.
If you need a little more assistance, look at the websites of the bridal shops you will be visiting. Some bridal stores have a staff section on their website and read about their bridal stylist or consultants, their guest limit, or helpful tips relating to their bridal salon specifically. This can be helpful to understand the culture of the store and it’s employees when choosing your own attire.
NOTE: If you are mother of the bride or groom the appointment and intend to try on for yourself at the same appointment, it is a good idea for you to have a strapless bra and or shape wear, a pair of your own heels, and hair ties if you have long hair so you can see the neck lines of the dresses. Make sure the bridal store allows for this prior to arriving, you may need a separate appointment for MOB/G shopping.
Social Media Influence
Social media and Tik Tok in particular has added another dimension to appointments and guest attire. Not only do brides find dresses this way, they also have ideas on how their first wedding dress appointment should run, who should be there and what they (the bride and guests) should wear.
We have seen brides come in wearing “Bride” pageant sashes over white lacey dresses with tiaras; groups with custom T-shirts designating bride, maid of honor, bridesmaid, and mother of the bride and groom; bridesmaids coordinate dressing in their bridesmaid dress or wedding colors.
We once had a very large group of 20 that came in with a bride and they were definitely not all dressed alike – some were very formal and others much less so. They brought signs to hold up as they rated each wedding dress style. This was one of the largest bride tribes that we have ever hosted. We do not suggest having groups of this size. While it can be a fun experience, there are a lot of questions and so many different opinions that the main goal of finding the bride’s perfect dress is lost.
We have also had brides come alone, or with their mothers only. The number of guests depends on the bride.
Our bridal appointments average a small group of 2 to 4 guests which makes for a lovely experience, especially when it is her first bridal appointment! Not overwhelming with opinions, but enough to help her get a better idea of what she likes about the different styles.
The wedding dress shopping experience is a special experience and a forever memory and it really depends on what the bride wants/expects for her appointment time.
Ultimately, you have your own personal style and what you wear should be reflective of you and comfortable — but please not white! — and have a wonderful time helping your bride select her perfect wedding gown!
Do you have a question or need wedding dress shopping advice? Contact us or sent us a text at 215-491-8500. We would be happy to write a blog addressing it.