Do you think it’s appropriate to wear white as a guest at someone else’s wedding? Just as people are beginning to discard the “no white after labor day” rule, I feel like wearing white to a wedding has become more accepted over the past few years. Some feel if the dress is short, while the bride’s dress is long, then you won’t draw any attention away from her. Others have the more classic view that you just shouldn’t mess with the bride on her wedding day in any way. But, I want to know, what do you think? Let’s discuss in your comments below…
My cousin has a summer wedding coming up, and there is no way that I would wear white! I think it is tacky to steal the brides “color” for the day. Think about if you take a picture with her too – you need a distinction between the bride and the guests. I love white, but just leave it for any other time.
I don’t think I would ever wear white to a wedding, simply out of respect for the bride. I know a few people that that’s happened to, and it was always done maliciously with the intention of dampering the bride’s day. Not nice!
I think it’s SO inappropriate- even if you have a short or off-white dress. I went to my boyfriend’s cousin’s wedding last summer and a friend of her husbands wore a long, white lace gown. I was mad and I wasn’t even the bride!
I definitely don’t think it’s ok. While white dresses are gorgeous, they really do seem bridal. Even if it’s not your intention, it is always seen as attempting to upstage the bride. I’ve seen it a wedding once, and all the women were whispering under their breath about the guest who wore white. It’s just one day – wear any other color!
I still don’t think it’s a good idea although I don’t see how anyone could be looking at that person instead of the bride since a bride is always so stunning. I have a friend who’s mother even showed up in white on her wedding day to spite her. That’s definitely not a nice thing to do.
I don’t understand or accept as ‘unwritten/unspoken rules’ of traditional weddings. Most weddings are tacky, cookie cutter and the formality is so faked, and it drives me mad.
However, for some reason, even when I see guests at a wedding shower wearing white, I wonder why.
Yes, that girl just probably like the dress she chose to wear and it happened to be white…but I would personally never wear white to a wedding event. I feel like even if I may not care if someone wore white to my wedding, I would worry that the bride at a wedding I’m attending would be offended or scoff at a guest in white, and I just want to avoid that when I go to weddings.
Lots of brides wear ivory anyways, so it may be less and less of an ‘issue’, but I personally like seeing guests at weddings wearing color. Let the bride and groom stand out in their own way (for pictures from the reception/dance floor, etc) and add a pop of color to the whole even with your own outfit as a guest.
I’m pretty sure a couple people wore white to my reception and I didn’t really care, I don’t think I noticed all that much, but then again I wasn’t a huge bridezilla either…
Shannon,
GBOfashion.com
Unless the bride specifically says that she wants people to wear white (because maybe she’s wearing a dress of a different color), then no I wouldn’t, even if the dress was short. The spotlight is supposed to be on the bride, so I think it takes away from her and the groom if another person is wearing white.
~Sara
sarastrauss.blogspot.com
Two years ago my comment would have been different! Now, I think it’s okay. However, some rules still apply. If it’s a black-tie affair, I think classic etiquette applies: don’t wear white. If it’s a less formal, possibly even a church wedding, it’s okay. Many mothers of the brides are now wearing white, which is really pretty to me (especially in photos), though normally in a different shade of white from the bride.
I think the debate has reached proportions tantamount to the Memorial Day/Labor Day argument of wearing white. It’s a matter of opinion, and sometimes it’s appropriate. Other times, it just isn’t.
Absolutely not. While I think that it’s a sign of respect for the bride to not wear white, I also agree with the others who mentioned how much better the pictures will turn out when guests are wearing a different color (or multitude of colors)!
I recently purchased a dress for a bachelorette party that could look off-white or nude/blush depending on the light. After talking that purchase over with another bridesmaid, I decided that wearing a color so closely related to the white that the bride might be wearing is inappropriate. Too bad, though, it is a beautiful dress! :(
I agree with most of the above comments. I would never wear white to a wedding, out of respect for the bride.
It’s her color for the day, and wearing wite would be like stealing something from her, on her big day.
Of course, if the bride wears a totally different color (not just another shade of white), a white would be appropriate.
I had my bridesmaids in shades of white/nude and it looked great in pictures…and I wouldn’t have cared if someone else wore white. BUT, I would never do it, because you just don’t know who WILL care. Do you really want to risk offending the bride (or even just her friends and family) on her wedding day? It’s not a big deal to wear a different color, just… don’t take the gamble.