What to wear to a Summer Wedding / Summer Wedding Guest Outfits

• The Hatista
• Outfits Post
• March 7th 2020 / Revised: September 22nd 2020

Spring weddings mark the start of Spring Summer wedding season (and time to start swooning over all the colours Spring introduces in Nature). When planning an outfit for a Spring or Summer wedding (or any season for that matter), the most important thing to remember is never to upstage the Bride. Wearing all white is of course a no go, as great as white is in the spring. Keep the all white dress for a day at the races, when they are just perfect. After a cold and what feels like endless Winter, you’ll want to incorporate lively hues and floral dresses into your wedding guest outfits.

Look for fabrics like silk, chiffon, and soft satin. Depending on the month the wedding takes place in, a lightweight wrap or pashmina might be necessary for the evenings in early or late summer.

Avoiding the temptation to dress more formal than you believe the couple will be. Don’t dress in fashion that screams for excessive attention. If wearing hats and headpieces, the general rule is to not wear one bigger than the Mother of the Bride. If you don’t know the Mother of the Brides outfit, but know her to be petite, then assume she won’t be wearing a big hat, so neither should you. Pillbox, Smartie, Button, and Disc headpieces are as large as a guest should go, unless they know the Mother of the Bride is wearing big. Some brides nowadays will encourage their guests to wear a hat, and you could then go a little bigger since you know lot’s will be wearing them. I would still stick to nothing wider than your shoulders though.

Is it a Church wedding? If so, be sure to stay a little modest. Midi Length, either in A line or pencil, would be the hem length to look for. Mini of course is too short, and maxi length (in my personal opinion) is for the Bridesmaids, or Black Tie weddings. Look for a dress that can be worn with a formal jacket, or bolero. For Mother of the Bride or Mother of the Groom, it might be a jacket designed for the Dress. For other guests the jacket or bolero doesn’t have to be matching in colour, but one that compliments, and smartens the outfit for the ceremony. With a jacket on, you'll look church-appropriate. Later on, take the jacket off for the reception and dance floor.

To create an appropriate Summer wedding guest outfit, here are our some outfits and ideas I've found to inspire you.

This post includes affiliate links - suggestions of items I've hunted out on the Internet for you. If you see anything you like, click the links and decide to buy the suggestion, then the retailer will give me a little commission (maybe even enough to buy a latte) to thank me.

Where to Find:

The Hat is: Etsy. Click for Hat (International).
The Dress is: Alexander McQueen. Click for Dress (USA).
Eyeshadow: Charlotte Tilbury. Click for Eyeshadow (USA).
Tinted Lip Balm: Givenchy. Click for Lippy (USA).
Bag: Mulberry. Click for Bag (USA).
Shoes: Malone Souliers. Click for Shoes (USA).
Nail Varnish: Essie. Click for Nail Varnish.

Where to Find:

The Headpiece / Hat is by: Georgina Blyth. Click Here for Headpiece (International).
Dress: Reiss. Click for Dress (International) .
Earrings: Ted Baker. Click for Earrings (UK) or for the Earrings (USA).
Eyeshadow: Tom Ford. Click for Eyeshadow (UK).
Lipstick: Charlotte Tilbury. Click for Lipstick (UK).
Bag: Amazon. Click for Bag (International).
Nail Varnish: Essie. Click for Nail Varnish.
Shoes: Nicholas Kirkwood. Click for Shoes (International).

Coral on Florals

Graphic Floral Print dresses are always on trend. Floral dresses are the essence of feminine charm. Coral is a colour that you will find in 100’s of Floral prints. If you aren’t ready to wear a Coral tone on it’s own, then a bold floral print on a nude / neutral / grey or white background is perfect. You can then select accessories in the Coral colour to wear with the outfit.

Remember: If choosing florals or other highly graphic prints, then select accessories in single colour. Don’t try wearing a busy, statement hat, and a graphic print. Allow just one of them to be the star.

For Lot's More ideas on wearing Coral you can also read the post on How to Wear Coral.

Bold Floral Prints - Bright or Pastels

Nothing says summer like colourful floral print on a white or contrasting background. You simply can’t go wrong with a Floral Dress for a Summer wedding, matched with a complimenting hat, headpiece and accessories.

Look for prints that feature many shades, giving you a wide choice when looking for your accessories and hat to match.

Baby Blue - Mother of the Bride

If you are Mother of the Bride, you will probably go a little more matchy matchy. Popular colours for Spring Mother of the Bride include: Baby Blue, Mushroom, Champagne, Blush and Pale Taupe.

Keep the lines of the dress, simple and sophisticated, and you can play with fun hats. If the dress is busier then keep the lines of the hat simpler.

For more ideas on wearing Pastels you can also read the post on How to wear Pastels as a Grown Up.

Some Other Fabulous Summer Wedding Guest Fashion ideas:

Below is a Gallery of other ideas for dressing the part at a Summer Wedding, or Day at the Races. Click images to be taken straight to retailers: