What to wear at a Spring Wedding by Sandhya Garg

What to wear at a Spring wedding?

WHAT TO WEAR AT A SPRING WEDDING:

20 Flawless Spring Wedding Dresses

Hello beautiful weather and hello to the weddings that happen during the gorgeous spring season. It's the official start of wedding season. With a whole host of flowers in bloom and pastel shades reigning supreme, spring weddings are some of the most stunning. But we know firsthand that that doesn't make it any easier to know what to wear to a spring wedding. I know we all want to look perfect for that special family or friends wedding. While you may be tempted to grab your prettiest sleeveless dress, it's often may still be really chilly outside through May—sometimes, even in June. That's why we created this guide on what to wear to a spring wedding.  From black tie to casual, our wedding guest cheat sheet has everything you need to know about wedding attire.
Pink Dress Spring Wedding Guest
Floral maxi Dress wedding guest
Floral Spring Wedding Guest Dress

But before we share our shoppable list of wedding guest dresses for spring (and a few chic alternatives), here are answers to a few etiquette questions and some quick tips on what to wear to a spring wedding. Here is a list of wedding guest dress codes that have been explained with examples for you to look fabulous at the next event, dress up and have fun and don't forget to take pictures while you are at it!

Related- Beach Wedding guest dress code and dress ideas

Floral Midi dress for women off shoulder, spring wedding guest dress usa

 

Wrap Dress for Spring Wedding Guest

 

 

Wedding guest Maxi dress

 

Is there a certain color palette you must stick to? 

As a Fashion designer and style expert, I would say you should go for what looks best on your skin tone and makes you feel looks good and beautiful. Often fashion trends are misinterpreted as a rule book for all, whereas what they really are, are just a guideline to latest fashion tips and everyone should interpret it as per their own liking. That being said, pastel shades and floral prints will always make us think of spring summer romanticism , and when choosing what to wear to a spring wedding, you can't go wrong with either. But don't be afraid to think outside the box. Jewel tones, Bohemian maxi dresses, classic LBDs and slightly thicker materials are just as appropriate in the form of spring wedding guest dresses.

Kaftan Dress for a Spring Wedding guest

Blush Dress for spring wedding

Floral spring wedding guest dress

What is the best color to wear to a spring wedding?

Pastel colors or bright colors, like peach, blush, fuchsia and lime green, are more acceptable at beach weddings or outdoor spring weddings than more formal indoor events. Wear red to a wedding, if it suits you, but do make sure the style of the dress is appropriate. You are welcome to wear all shades of red for an Indian Wedding.

So what are we saying? The world of wedding guest attire is your oyster. Just keep your wedding guest dresses for spring an appropriate length—fingertip-length at the shortest—and skip the white (unless the couple asks otherwise), and you'll be ready to celebrate.

One shoulder dress for wedding guest

Swing Dress for Spring wedding guest

Plus-Size Spring Wedding Guest Dresses

Plus-size fashion is undergoing a revitalization (finally!), which means all of the wedding guest dresses for spring you see here are available in plus-size, too. For more gorgeous inspiration, check out these spring wedding guest dresses.

.
Floral Dress, spring wedding guest dress for women, USA shop online
Spring Wedding guest Dress
.

What to wear to a cold spring wedding?

While spring is gorgeous, it's a gamble weather-wise. There are, of course, the famous April showers, and temperatures are often stuck in the 60s—comfortable, but not exactly beach wedding attire weather. So how does a wedding guest stay warm during a spring wedding? By following our four tips on what to wear to a spring wedding:

  • Pack a shawl. You might be dying to wear your favorite summer cocktail dress, and that's fine. Just accessorize it with a warm shawl that you can drape around your shoulders, especially if any part of the wedding is outside.
  • Cotton jackets are cool, too. Just look at how they do it in the UK. Almost any woman attending a wedding finishes her ensemble with a chic coatdress—a topper that compliments the dress underneath so well, you never have to take it off.
Related- What should I wear at a Boho Chic affair?

    Spring wedding guest dress for women blue usa
    Spring wedding guest dress coat online designer womens boutique

      • Pump it up. Yes, spring sandals are adorable, but they won't keep your toes warm at a chilly garden wedding. Instead, stick to a pump that covers most of your foot. Odds are, they'll also be easier to dance in, and if those spring showers roll through, you'll be set on that front, too. (Peep-toes and slingbacks also work here.)
      • Rock those sleeves. As you may recall, Kate Middleton got married in April, and do you remember what her Alexander McQueen dress featured? Sleeves. Unlined lace sleeves like the duchess' will add a touch of warmth to your ensemble without overheating you. Plus, they're the epitome of elegance.

    Floral Maxi Dress for Spring Wedding
    .
    Blue Resort wear dress, Silk wedding guest dress for women, USA shop online
    •  Your wedding invitation says dress "Casual"  wedding guest attire

    Casual Spring Wedding Guest Dresses are for Garden parties, rustic barn weddings and even smaller, more intimate evening weddings can all come with a slightly more casual feel—and dress code. Not sure how fancy your spring wedding is? Check out the invitation. Consider the location and the couple when thinking about what would be most appropriate for their special day. 

    As we all may know "Casual" environment is very informal. For both men and women, casual attire refers to clothing that is comfortable and appropriate to the setting and the occasion. For a beach party or backyard barbecue jeans, shorts and t-shirts are fine, but for an afternoon wedding you would still be better served with something more "dressy".
    He should wear- A pair of slacks and button-down shirt, or a linen summer suit with moccasins, or loafers. If you are adventurous accessories with a stylish hat and pair of chic sunglasses.
    She should wear- A beautiful summer dress in bright, or pastel colors, or prints would make a big statement. You can always accessories your dress with a small bag, or sunglasses, or raffia hat or just add some fresh flowers in you hair.
    You'll be able to re-wear a bunch of these spring wedding guest dresses in your everyday life with flat sandals and your usual bag. That's Smart shopping, right?
    If it's casual, these wedding guest dresses for spring will more than fit the bill.
    Halter Maxi dress for women in green, summer wedding guest dress for women, USA shop online
    .
    Grey mini dress cotton for women, wedding guest dress for women, USA shop online
    .
    Turquoise blue dress with sleeves for women, summer wedding guest dress for women, USA shop online
    • Your wedding invitation says "Informal" wedding guest dresscode
    This environment is the same as casual. Just as with casual attire, informal refers to clothing that is comfortable, but still appropriate to the setting and the occasion.
    He should wear- A pair of slacks and button-down shirt, or a linen summer suit with moccasins, or loafers. If you are adventurous accessories with a stylish hat and pair of chic sunglasses. 

    She should wear- A beautiful summer dress in bright, or pastel colors, or prints would make a big statement. You can always accessories your dress with a small bag, or sunglasses, or raffia hat or just add some fresh flowers in you hair.
    Floral dress for women, summer wedding guest dress for women, USA shop online.
    Blue bohemian dress for women, summer wedding guest dress for women, USA shop online
    Floral dress for women designer fashion, summer wedding guest dress for women, USA shop online
    • If the wedding invitation says "Beach Formal" wedding guest style
    This suggests an elegant beach wedding—so dress to impress, but also dress for the elements (sun, sand and water). Anything you'd wear to a nice restaurant on a summer night is appropriate.
    He should wear: A summer suit with a linen shirt (no ties required), linen pants (or khakis) and sandals.
    She should wear: A formal summer sundress at tea or knee length with flat sandals. Makeup and hair can be natural.
    shop project runway fashion, Resort wear, summer wedding guest dress for women, USA shop online
    .
    Floral Maxi dress with sleeves bohemian style, summer wedding guest dress for women, USA shop online
    .
    blue silk maxi dress, summer wedding guest dress for women, USA shop online
     
    • If your wedding invitation says "Semiformal" or "Dressy Casual" or "Beach Dressy" wedding guest attire
    Depending on the time of the event, you'll want to dress somewhere between formal and casual. Wear darker, more formal hues for an evening fete; opt for light colors and fabrics for a daytime wedding.
    He should wear: A suit and tie, dark or light depending on the season and time of day.
    She should wear: A cocktail dress or a dressy skirt and top.
    .
    Midi wedding guest dress polka dot, maxi dress
    .
    Pink plisse dress with sleeves, summer wedding guest dress for women, USA shop online
    • Your wedding invitation says "Cocktail Attire" for wedding guests
    This is slightly less formal than black tie and black tie optional, which means no tux required for men and no floor-length gown required for women (unless you'd like to wear a long dress). 

    He should wear- A suit and tie, or coat and tie. Colors and fabrics may vary with the season or with the location of the event. (A cocktail party at a friend's place would be a little less dressy than one held in a nice hotel.) Shades of blue and brown are great for summer season.
    She should wear- A cocktail-length dress. Hair and make-up should be appropriate
    to the time of day (typically early evening) and the color and fabric of the clothing will likely vary with the season and location of the event. Light, bright, or pastel shades are recommended for a spring summer afternoon wedding while darker colors and brighter shade would look great for an evening summer event.

    Gold dress, summer wedding guest dress for women, USA shop online
    .
    yellow midi dress with short sleeves for women

    What to Wear to a Spring Evening Wedding?

    Ladies, it's time to get dressed up. Like every season, more often than not, an evening wedding is a black-tie affair, which means bringing out your formal best. Long dresses, embellished cocktail dresses and even formal jumpsuits are welcome here. Just add high heels and statement jewels—a colorful necklace or a pair of chandelier earrings—and you'll be ready to step out in style.

    .
    Velvet Dress jacket with long sleeves
    • Your wedding invitation says "Creative Black Tie" for guests of wedding
    He should wear- This is as formal of an occasion as the other black tie variations, but offers men the option to wear some of the trendier styles of tuxedo. Perhaps he might choose a black tuxedo shirt with a collar stud instead of a bow tie, or a brightly patterned vest or cumberbund. Or if you do choose to go for a classic suit pair it with a fun bright printed bow tie / tie/ scarf/ pocket square to make it creative.

    She should wear- For women, there is generally no difference in the creative black tie and other black tie variants, though it does allow for more daring and exotic styles of dresses. I would recommend having fun with color or print in a super formal setting. A long bold color maxi dress or a statement print will do the trick.

    • Your wedding invitation says "Formal Attire" or "Black tie optional" for  dress code for wedding guests
    Formal attire follows the same rule as black tie for both men and women, although by not specifying black tie the option is available to be a little more creative if the setting is appropriate. (For example, wearing the tuxedo without a tie, or a woman wearing dressy separates as opposed to a dress.)
    For "Black tie optional" the wording here suggests something slightly less formal than black tie. This means that a tuxedo isn't required, but the event is still formal enough for one to be appropriate.
    He should wear: A tuxedo or formal dark suit and tie.
    She should wear:A long evening dress, dressy suit or formal cocktail-length dress. 
    • Your wedding invitation says "White Tie" for Dress code for Guest of wedding

    This is the most formal of all wedding dress codes (think state dinners and the Oscars).

    He should wear: A long black jacket with tails, a white pique vest and a bow tie. Formal black shoes and even white gloves are appropriate.

    She should wear: A formal, full-length ball gown. Glamorous makeup and dramatic jewelry and hair are appropriate. 

     

     We will love to answer any questions or help you get the ultimate perfect wedding guest dress, write to us on Labelsandhyagarg(at)Gmail.com

     

    Sansummer wedding guest dress for women, USA shop onlinedhya Garg is a Project Runway designer. She studied and specialized in women's fashion at London College of Fashion, UK and has worked at Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Liberty London, Alice Temperley to name a few. She has her own successful resort dresses, special occasion dresses, wedding guest looks, swim coverups label. While on Project Runway Season 13, she won 2 challenges and was fortunate to show her collection at Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. The brand has been featured in Marie Claire US, Ftv.com, Elle Magazine, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Vogue Italy to name a few. 

    She designs limited edition high end printed spring dresses and swim coverups. Beautiful prints are inspired from around the world to be worn during travel, resort stay or cruise holidays.


    2 comments


    • Jenn Davis

      Would like to hear your thoughts on a fall wedding as well!


    • Carrie S

      Loving the blog, What should I wear at a Boho Chic Affair?


    Leave a comment

    This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.


    About the
    author

    Sandhya Garg is a Project Runway fashion designer. She studied and specialized in women's fashion at London College of Fashion, UK and has worked at Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Liberty London, Alice Temperley to name a few.

    She has her own successful resort wear, vacation dresses, special occasion dresses, wedding guest looks, swim coverups label. While on Project Runway Season 13, she won 2 challenges and was fortunate to show her collection at Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. The brand has been featured in Marie Claire US,Workshop at Macy's, Ftv.com, Elle Magazine, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Vogue online to name a few. 

    She designs limited edition high end printed spring dresses, casual resort attire and swim coverups. Beautiful prints are inspired from around the world to be worn during travel, resort stay or cruise holidays.

    You may also like

    View all
    Dressing for a Caribbean Vacation
    Weekend Resort Getaways In The US