What to Wear to a Summer Wedding

| Top | Skirt | Heels | Necklace | Earrings |

A summer wedding might be one of the trickiest events to dress for in my opinion. It’s a wedding, so naturally you’re looking to dress up more than you would to an average event, but it can also be in the middle of the day, so arriving in a cocktail dress usually isn’t appropriate. Because I just went to a daytime summer wedding a couple weeks ago (and wore this exact outfit), the topic is fresh on my mind and I thought it would be a useful topic to share y’all!

Below are my tips on how to navigate the dress code for a summer wedding so you can arrive with confidence!

#1 Read the Invitation Carefully

Most wedding invitations will include a dress code if it’s something specific. You might see something like “cocktail, formal, or black tie” which have clear expectations in terms of dress (for questions about how to decipher specific wedding attire guides, you can refer to my post here). However, if the invitation doesn’t include something specific, that usually means the dress code is flexible or casual. In this case, check the time of the wedding. If nothing specific is stated, then the earlier in the day means the more casual you can dress. The most formal time of day a wedding can take place is 6pm.

#2 Check the Wedding Website

Most couples now create a wedding website that hosts all the information about their special day. From venue information, hotel options, wedding party information, and registry locations, a wedding website is a great resource for a guest to refer to when questions come up. If there is a specific dress code for the wedding, it should also be stated there as well.

#3 Research the Venue

Checking out the venue website or Instagram page can be very helpful when trying to figure out what to wear to a wedding. You can see photos from past weddings and see how formal the venue is. For instance, if a wedding is at the Plaza Hotel, it’s pretty safe to say that a casual sundress isn’t going to cut it. I also like to see what the venue will be like when I’m planning my shoes! If any part of the ceremony or reception is outside, you might want to rethink the stilettos or that solid-colored cotton dress that will show any drop of sweat (us Charlestonians really have to think about that with this humidity!)

#4 Think about the Weather

I am all about comfort. I believe that when you’re comfortable, you’re more confident, and the more confident you are, the more fun you’ll have. So, thinking about the weather is essential for me when I’m planning what I’ll wear to a summer wedding. For the outfit in this post (that I wore to a summer wedding two weeks ago) I decided a maxi skirt would be okay even with the heat because both the ceremony and reception were indoors, and the skirt had slits that would give me a breeze. I also wore chunky heels because I knew we would be doing a bit of walking from the ceremony to the venue.

#5 When All Else Fails, Phone a Friend (Not the Bride)

If you’re still stumped, it’s absolutely fine to ask other friends who might be attending the wedding what they think will be the most appropriate dress. However, don’t pester the bride with this question. If you’re close enough friends with the bride that you feel comfortable shooting her a text a week before her big day, then you should probably already know the answer to questions like what to wear. Text a bridesmaid if you know any, or ask anyone who might be closer to her or the groom.

Photos by: N. Mickle Photography