Whenever we hear about a new wedding, we immediately start thinking about what outfit we'll wear to it – along with the accessories. The classic “what should I wear?” becomes a real headache for these kinds of events. The easiest approach is to understand the dress code rules you should follow, which helps eliminate inappropriate options right away—without losing sight of current trends.

What does wedding guest etiquette say?

In today’s post, we want to share the key tips to follow wedding guest protocol this season. But first and foremost, always remember the most important rule: don’t dress in costume. Always try to stay true to your own style; some people tend to wear everything all at once—and that’s a big mistake! The most important thing about being a fabulous guest is feeling like yourself.

Wedding guest etiquette: Accessories

First of all, gloves? They’re one of the most requested accessories for “in-between season” weddings. Well, short gloves only if your dress has French sleeves. A very elegant touch is to wear a glove on the hand where you’re carrying your clutch or perfect wedding guest purse.

Clutches and handbags: Always a great choice. Take a risk and mix colors—it’s actually better if your bag doesn’t match your shoes. It’ll add a unique twist to your outfit and open up more styling options. Just be careful with color combinations!

Choose from our collection of mini bags for events

The headpiece: The basic rule for hats or fascinators is that their size should decrease as the day progresses: wide-brim hats are much more appropriate for a morning wedding, but for afternoon or evening weddings, go for smaller headpieces or even small details like hairpins, brooches, or headbands. Protocol also tells us the correct position for headpieces: on the right side or slightly tilted that way—except for the mother of the bride/groom, who should wear it on the left. Remember: it’s proper etiquette to take them off for dinner, but if it's a lunch event, you can keep them on. Never take it off right after the ceremony!

Find the most fascinating headpieces for your events now

Mantilla for the mothers of the bride/groom? Is it mandatory? Of course not! Wearing a mantilla is not a requirement. They also look stunning in fascinators.

Wedding guest etiquette: The Dress

Dress length: If it’s a daytime wedding, only the bride and the mother of the bride/groom should wear long dresses. The most appropriate length is usually below the knee. You can also go for the trendy midaxi cut, which is making waves right now.

At night, you can wear whatever kind of dress you like—preferably long. The dress code for jumpsuits and pants doesn’t change. They’re always a great choice, and we absolutely love them! Especially when well styled—we’ve selected our favorite pieces in the evening wedding collection.

Dress style: It’s not just about the length; it’s also essential to know what kind of look suits the type of wedding. During the day, go for simpler, more natural outfits. At night, feel free to shine with sequins or embellishments.

Color: Probably the trickiest part of the dress code, especially when it comes to so-called “taboo colors”: white, out of respect for the bride, and black, since it’s associated with mourning. However, if you're not overly strict about protocol, don’t completely rule out these colors—they’re the epitome of elegance and subtlety and can really come to your rescue. Don’t be afraid to mix colors. Exact matches aren’t necessary—you can wear different colors as long as the combination is well balanced. That said, for this spring, skip neon or super bright colors. That would definitely be a no-go!

Wedding guest etiquette: Shoes

Heel height: We saved the hardest rule for last: heels should be kept modest for daytime weddings, leaving the 10–12 cm heels for evening events. That said, it’s better to wear comfortable heels than to bring several pairs and have to change. For autumn weddings, forget espadrilles—and if the cocktail is in a garden, go for wedges or heel protectors to avoid sinking into the grass.

We hope our etiquette rules have been helpful! Visit our Guest section to discover more and more fascinating tips.