Be the best dressed wedding guest.
Deciding what to wear to a summer wedding can be surprisingly stressful—but I’m here to make it easier.
Before you panic-buy a dress you’ll never wear again, ask yourself these five questions:
What time is the wedding?
Is the wedding indoors or outdoors?
What is the location or venue?
What are the wedding colors?
What does the invitation say?
1. What time is the wedding?
Daytime weddings are generally more relaxed and tend to call for lighter fabrics, softer colors, and less formal styling.
Evening weddings usually lean dressier—which doesn’t automatically mean sequins and full glam—but it often means elevating the overall look.
Day wedding → easier, lighter, slightly more relaxed
Evening wedding → more polished, elevated, dressier
2. Indoors or outdoors?
Outdoor weddings are often less formal—especially in the heat of summer—but they come with practical considerations.
If you’ll be walking on grass, gravel, sand, or uneven ground: reconsider the stiletto.
Nothing ruins an outfit faster than sinking into a lawn all night.
A block heel, wedge, dressy flat, or lower heel can save you both physically and emotionally.
3. Location matters.
Regardless of time of day or invitation wording, the venue gives you clues.
A wedding with a full mass or religious ceremony? Shoulders covered is usually a safe choice.
A country club? Often polished and traditional.
A beach wedding? The level of formality shifts significantly.
Location quietly tells you how dressed up you should be.
4. What are the wedding colors?
The last thing anyone wants is to accidentally match the bridesmaids.
If you know the wedding colors (casually ask around if needed), avoid them.
If you have no idea, avoid blush, navy, or sage green- the top choice of the moment for bridesmaids.
5. The Invitation.
This sounds obvious… and yet.
The invitation often tells you everything:
Black tie
Formal
Cocktail
Garden attire
Beach formal
These aren’t suggestions; they are directions. Does the invite have custom artwork? Is it engraved vs printed? All these details are hints to the formality of the event.
Never forget, if you are unsure, it’s always better to be slightly overdressed than underdressed.