Regardless of whether you’ve been invited to your fair share of weddings or not, there seems to be an unwritten rule that wedding guests should never wear white – but is this notion just an outdated rule, or is it a requirement that is still followed today?
We’ve all been there. You’ve been invited to a wedding and need to find an outfit, you hit the mall and before you know it you’ve locked eyes with a beautiful white dress and simply have to have it for the special occasion. But, will it offend the bride if you rock a white number? If you’re currently in this predicament – we’re here to help you out.
While we’re sure that there will be some brides that would tell you to go for it, there’s also bound to be another portion of brides that would be quick to shut your request down.
So, to help you make the decision, below we’re going to be talking you through the dos and don’ts of wearing white to a wedding so that you’ll be in a better position to make the call.
How did the tradition of the white wedding dress begin?
Just like with every other type of tradition out there, there had to be a beginning – and this one just so happened to be in England. Way back in 1840 when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert, Queen Victoria opted to wear a white satin gown that was adorned with opulent white lace.
After the wedding, the photos were published to the world, and brides everywhere began to copy Queen Victoria’s style by also choosing to don stately white gowns for their special day, too.
At the time and still to this day white was viewed to be a respectable color appropriate for a bride to wear, and ever since, it is generally considered the norm for brides to wear a white dress.
Nevertheless, even though the white wedding dress is a tradition that is still in active use to this day, it is becoming increasingly more common for brides to wear wedding dresses that are in different colors than traditional white, with some brides even opting to wear a dress suit.
However, even though the wedding day dress code isn’t as strict as it might once have been, does this then mean that you have the green light to wear white florals to a wedding? Read on to our next section, where you will be able to find plenty of helpful information surrounding this controversial question.
Can You Wear A White Floral Dress To A Wedding?
If you’re planning on attending an upcoming wedding, then our general advice for whether or not you should wear a white floral dress (or any white outfit in general) is that if you’re unsure, you shouldn’t risk it.
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This is especially true if you are not overly close with the bride and do not feel comfortable reaching out to ask her personally, or if you do not want other wedding guests to think that you are being rude or disrespectful to the bride on her big day.
Nevertheless, to help clear up any confusion you might have, below we’re going to be outlining some of the most common “dos and don’ts” for wearing white to a wedding. Let’s check them out below:
You shouldn’t wear a white floral dress if
The bride has requested that you do not wear white
Of course, this is going to be the most obvious scenario in which you should refrain from wearing a white floral dress to a wedding. Out of respect for the bride’s wishes, if you have been specifically requested to not wear this particular dress color, then you should opt for a different one.
As an alternative to white, you could consider wearing other minimalistic colors, such a duck-egg blue or even sophisticated sage.
You’re unsure and don’t want to ask
As we have already mentioned above, another scenario in which we recommend that you avoid wearing white is if you’re unsure and don’t want to risk it.
You could always ask the bride for permission to wear white if you really want to wear your white floral dress, however, if you do not want to ruffle any feathers and would prefer to play it as safe as can be, then we recommend that you opt to wear a different color instead.
You should wear a white floral dress if
It is part of the wedding theme
Even though there will be some instances where you shouldn’t wear white to a wedding, there will of course be a variety of exceptions in which it will be fine for you to do so.
One of the main scenarios in which wearing white to a wedding will be absolutely fine is if wearing white is part of the wedding theme, and has been named the official dress code for the big day.
You will always know if wearing white is part of the wedding theme, as it will have been made explicitly clear to you at the time you were invited to attend the wedding. If you would like to double-check whether or not the wedding you’re attending is an all-white affair – then you should check the invitation.
The bride has given you the go-ahead:
Another instance in which it will be fine for you to wear a white floral dress to a wedding is if the bride has given you her permission to do so.
Though you don’t necessarily need to reach out and ask for the bride’s permission, it is generally considered to be well-mannered and very respectful to do so, especially considering the fact that it is her special day.
Besides, for the most part, if you go to a bride and politely ask her if you can wear white, there’s a very strong chance that she’ll say yes due to the consideration you have shown. What’s more, it’ll also mean that you won’t have to worry about upsetting her on the day, either!
