Envisioning your attire on your big day is part of the excitement — seeing your partner in their outfit and shopping for your look and accessories are likely some of the most highly anticipated on your to-do list. But beyond that, what will your guests wear?
Even if you don’t necessarily have a specific look in mind, it’s important to consider guest comfort, location, and having everyone generally coordinated so that no one feels (or looks) out of place.
First, figure out your ‘why’ + the vision
Before you start creating mood boards and sending out guidelines, consider what your ‘why’ is for establishing a specific dress code. Are you hoping for some coordinated photos, for example? Once you nail down the vision, then you can start getting to work on ironing out the details.
Kati Kons of Portrait of a Bride on Fire suggests starting from square one — your reasoning. “Find the reason or reasons that you are setting a dress code at all. It could be so the vibe is cohesive throughout, you want to be helpful to folks, or you want guests to feel involved. Starting with your reasoning for setting one in the first place will provide clarity for what you really want to see and help communicate it to guests in the best way.”
Loni Peterson of LP Creative Events adds, “When you close your eyes, and you envision your guests showing up to your wedding – what do you see? This exercise is so helpful in articulating the look you are hoping to achieve. Once you have an idea, I would start writing down key descriptive words to help identify what aesthetic you are going for, then hit Pinterest to find images that look like what you are going for.”
And if you want to keep everything organized while you brainstorm, Michelle Jackson of Bambino International favors tech. “A tool that is helpful for staying organized regarding your style vision is the app Notion. One of the tools we provide for our couples is a custom wedding planning template that allows couples to stay organized and have a streamlined way of communicating their wedding vision in order for it to truly come to life. It helps you put your vision on ‘paper,’ rate it, link it, connect with a mood board, and use it as a fun tool to help your fashion inspiration develop. This is a great way to discover the right dress code for your wedding.”
Photography by Halie Child
Your checklist for tailoring the best dress code
Now that you’re getting a feel for what vibe you’re after, you’ll want to take some other factors into consideration to make sure your dress code passes the test.
For starters, Alex McClard of Vision in White Events recommends looking at your venue and season to make sure you’re on the right track. “If you are inside a formal ballroom in the colder months, formal and black tie are great options. If you are doing an outdoor garden wedding in July, you may want to consider more of a cocktail or semi-formal attire. It doesn’t make a ton of sense to have a black-tie dress code at a rustic barn venue.”
Ceremony attire versus reception attire is also worth noting, according to Jaime Coast of Cotton & Bow. “Don’t forget the ceremony. If the ceremony is being held in a place of worship, make sure the dress code reflects what is appropriate at both the ceremony and reception location.”
Make sure to think about your dinner style as well. Casey Cannon of EBJ & Company notes, “If your dinner style is a bit more casual like a buffet or stations without a seating chart, your dress code should align with this. The more formal the dress code, the less that guests should be walking around your reception holding a plate of food. A plated meal should be served when choosing black tie attire.”
Don’t forget the weather! Emily Reno of Elopement Las Vegas says, “Expecting guests to wear black-tie attire in such extreme heat is not ideal and could even lead to medical issues from overheating. A great solution would be to either adjust the dress code to something more weather-appropriate or move the ceremony indoors to a climate-controlled space with air conditioning.”
Attainability is often overlooked; your best-laid plans might be out-of-season if a guest doesn’t already have something in their closet that fits the bill. “If you’re giving your guests a color scheme, be sure to be mindful of the time of year. Requesting your guests to wear bright colors in the dead of winter could be more challenging for them to find something that they feel comfortable in,” says Meaghan Cody of Sweet Pea Events.
Lastly, Carmen Hinebaugh of Evermore Occasions also encourages you to ask yourself an important question: will your guests be comfortable? “If you have family members or close friends who may not own or be comfortable wearing or purchasing formalwear, take that into consideration. It’s your wedding, and you should have the dress code you want, but you also want your guests to feel at ease and able to participate. If a particular dress code is important to you but a challenge for some VIPs, consider gifting their wedding outfits as a thoughtful way to ensure they feel included.”
Photography by Niki Marie Photography / Blaine Seisser
Dress code trends on the horizon
Stumped for inspiration? Micro-trends have you overwhelmed? You’re not alone. Let’s dive into some evergreen tips, whether you choose to go extravagant or stay more lowkey.
Leah Black of Leah Black Photography suggests starting with your personal style if you aren’t sure where to begin. “Your wedding should reflect you as a couple. Use the dress code to express that. Give guests some guidelines, but let them bring their own flair. Phrases like ‘black tie with a twist’ or ‘cocktail attire with a garden-party vibe’ can spark creativity. This way, you’ll get lively pictures and make everyone feel included.”
Looking for a viral, photogenic moment? “Something similar we are seeing going viral is ‘Outdress the Bride,’ where couples encourage guests to go all out with their attire—think red carpet glamour, avant-garde, and extravagant looks. Unlike traditional etiquette, which emphasizes not overshadowing the bride, this trend flips the script, inviting guests to embrace high-fashion moments and show up in their most dazzling outfits,” says Mary Angelini of Key Moment Films. “It can be dramatic gowns, bold colors, or couture-inspired ensembles for both men and women. The goal is to create a visually stunning celebration where everyone feels like a star.”
If a luxurious, pulling-out-all-the-stops dress code isn’t in the cards, Craig Peterman of Craig Peterman Photography & Videography notes, “A big trend right now is ‘formal but comfortable.’ Allow for some flexibility, like pairing fancy outfits with stylish sneakers or opting for dressy jumpsuits instead of traditional gowns.”
For beach weddings and all other specific destination locales, we recommend keeping things light and comfortable.
According to Lisa Radlovacki of Lisa London Events, “I have done many beach weddings that are black tie optional; we make sure guests know the ceremony will be on the beach so they are prepared to kick off their shoes and dip their toes in the sand, and for those that aren’t, we often have flip flops waiting for them.”
Whatever you decide, Rachel Ceaser of Savoir Fête reminds you to gauge guest accessibility. “If you know your crowd is unlikely to own a tuxedo, I love ‘black tie welcome’ as a note that no tuxedo rentals are required, but anyone who wants to dress to the nines will not be out of place. For multicultural weddings, adding details to your wedding website that include more notes about attire expectations or even resources on where to purchase appropriate outfits would be a very thoughtful gesture toward making everyone feel welcome at the celebration.”
Communicating with your guests (visuals are key!)
Now that you’ve nailed down your dream dress code, it’s your sole responsibility to ensure that you give guests plenty of notice so that everyone is on the same page.
It can be tempting to repeat the name of a micro-trend you’ve seen on TikTok (re: blueberry milk nails and cowboy copper hair), but when communicating your dress code aesthetic, it’s better to stick to universal terms. Lucy Struve of Lucy Struve Photography says, “Clarity is considerate. Avoid the urge to coin a new term that describes your wedding aesthetic and instead stick with the more well-known language.”
Stationery expert Kelley Nudo of Momental Designs wants your dress code information to be clear and accessible — everywhere. “Plan to include dress code information on BOTH the invitations as well as the wedding website. Making it clear and direct is best, but even then, you might still have to field a few questions about attire, so be prepared. Keep the dress code as simply stated, or if you decide to go into more detail about the attire, keep it lighthearted.“
Nudo also recommends confirming the dress code(s) for other wedding festivities, including brunches, welcome parties, or otherwise.
Guests will inevitably need a little reminder (or two), especially in this era of attending multiple weddings in a year. To keep your dress code at the top of mind, Peterson continues, “You should communicate your dress code preferences several times with your guests through a variety of channels. We are all different types of learners, so we all absorb information differently! You can do this by adding the words on the save-the-date, a larger and more visual description on the wedding website, and event-by-event dress code outlines on the formal invitation.”
In the same vein, if there are outfits or accessories you want to leave out of your big day, Struve adds, “Be specific if there is anything you want your guests to avoid. No black, no jeans, etc., are all reasonable additions to a dress code memo.”
Guests who aren’t in the wedding party will typically also need a little bit of inspiration if you’re giving a hyper-specific dress code.
Coast says enlisting the help of tech to provide some examples on your wedding website can be a game-changer. “Couples are more and more using tools like Canva and AI to visualize their wedding party attire and guest dress codes together to create mood boards and color palettes for the dress code.”
For the stragglers who may not be in the loop: “No matter how much guidance you give on the dress code, there will always be a few who ignore the memo. To avoid these guests looking out of the box in photos, offering favors such as pashminas, parasols, custom sunglasses, or other accessories to help them look cohesive among the other guests,” advises Carin Hunt of Coconut Palm Inn.
A fun dress code makes for some memorable and shareable social media moments, but it also connects your loved ones and gives everyone equal footing to dress to impress. Dare to think outside of the box, or let your hair down and encourage comfort — the choice is yours.
Meghan Ely is the owner of wedding PR and wedding marketing firm OFD Consulting. Ely is a sought-after speaker and a self-professed royal wedding enthusiast.
