When To Wear Evening Dresses To Weddings

Weddings are a perfect reason to get gussied up but a few sartorial protocols might still apply, especially when it comes to female apparel. One rule of thumb to refrain from upstaging a bride on her special day either by dressing in white evening dresses or dressing too flamboyantly. A further guideline is not to put on a black colored gown for the marriage ceremony given that, in European society, black is the colour of grieving. That said, what exactly is actually the acceptable garb for the lady invitees and when might evening gowns be put on?



There appear to be as many styles and concepts for weddings these days as there are brides-to-be varying from the quite conventional to the avant-garde. Bush and seaside weddings have been increasing in appeal over the past couple of generations and these depict the most informal of all the wedding styles. The apparel rules for these types of wedding ceremonies also are typically relaxed, even casual. Believe it or not, it isn’t unusual for guests to be without shoes at a seaside marriage ceremony with not a single male necktie in sight.



This year saw the uncommon incidence of a couple of royal weddings within the space of a few months. Firstly the wedding ceremony of Prince William and Kate and then the marriage of ex- South African swimmer Charlene Wittstock and Prince Albert of Monaco. These regal marriages were remarkable not just because they concerned royalty and were held close to one another during the same season but because they are illustrations of the kind of formal wedding ceremony that we do not see a lot of. Even though lots of couples still have traditional wedding celebrations that often contain formal aspects, evening dresses uk aren’t normally ever seen on female wedding guests except in the event of royal marriages, and while you may see ladies wearing longer-length dresses, they are more likely to be maxi-dresses than genuine evening gowns.



Princess Charlene’s wedding was a perfect example of an event where an evening gown was acceptable. Even though ceremony itself was a mid-afternoon event, the wedding reception were held after dark hence most of the women donned long evening gowns. There was an interval between the service and the reception to allow the guests to change into evening wear because, even in the case of a royal wedding, it isn’t normal for evening dresses to be worn for a wedding at any time other than at night. Consequently , if you are attending a night time reception it is acceptable to wear an evening gown but it is too formal at any other time of the day.



As a general rule, you should try to cheap formal dresses in something elegant and understated, and if you are planning on purchasing an evening gown especially for a wedding then you may prefer to opt for a shorter cocktail gown rather than a long one. A shorter gown is a lot more adaptable and you will be able to use it again at another event. Metallic garments are fine for daytime however you may wish to save the sequins and satins for night time wedding parties, and depending on the time of year, you might like to pair the dress with a cover-up or a little jacket or bolero for extra comfort and visual interest.