Wedding dress code for guests

[Thanksitsfromvinted]

More of a colour scheme as opposed to a dress code. Our wedding is not very traditional we’re going quite relaxed almost festival vibes. OH and myself have decided to save on costs and have no bridesmaids or groomsmen. Both of us have been bm and gm for friends and found it a task and never loved what we’ve had to wear and didn’t want to put that responsibility on people, it also saves us a fortune as we would have had needed to pay for minimum 5 dresses/suits each. Have lots of brothers and sisters between us and loads of lovely friends and we couldn’t really decide who to include in the bridal party without including everyone who came to the day haha! So instead we’re asking our guests to pick a colour from our colour scheme to base their outfit around, there’s quite a few colours to choose from hence the festival vibe and we want to put somewhere that even a hint of the colour is fine (shoes, bag, tie) so it’s not a dress code but more of an encouragement. This is so we can have all our lovely nearest and dearest in photos etc and they all look involved.

I’ve had one or two comments that asking people to dress a certain way is ridiculous, I’ve explained that giving them a colour scheme and their own choice of outfit was meant to be less restrictive than plopping all our family in dresses/suits of our choosing.

what do you think?

Contradictory statements from you .....

"So instead we’re asking our guests to pick a colour from our colour scheme to base their outfit around,"

"it's just a suggestion"

So which is it? Asking them to do it or suggesting?

This is the reason I hate weddings. Costs - travel, hotel, present... and now an outfit with a colour that fits a festival vibe - just no!!!

Let people wear what the hell they want!

Another for a big eye roll here.

I think you missed the sarcasm. 😉

I know someone, not in the UK that did this and everyone had to wear blue. It did not look nice in the photos at all, because all the blues were mismatching and everyone was wearing odd clothes, probably because they didn't have blue things in their wardrobe, it just isn't the same as say bridesmaid dresses all in the same tone.

Just let people wear what they want! Even having to have an extra colour on your shoes or scarf is a faff because it might not match the rest of your outfit, it won't look coordinated and it will be quite annoying as well.

I get why this works from your perspective. From a guest’s perspective, you’re trying to have your cake and eat it too. ‘Asking’ but not funding. It puts your guests in an uncomfortable position. What if they don’t like those colours? Or don’t have any outfits or accessories? Weddings are expensive, there is a cost of living crisis and some people might not be able to afford to go out and buy a specific outfit in the colours you’d like, but might be too embarrassed to say, or not want to disappoint you. I think ridiculous is a bit strong, but tiresome, unnecessary and self-involved might be closer to the mark.

Oh hahaha @Aprilx I totally did 😆

I have no idea what the colour scheme is either but if it was like "wear one colour of the rainbow" then yeah, I think it might actually save people money. I've so many dresses that I only wore to weddings in my wardrobe and they are in a variety of colours.

So you'd wear one anyway, with no dress code?

Exactly! ''Relaxed festival vibe'' to me would read 'Come as you are', with a nod to bright colours, informal wear.

Another person may only have one or two wedding appropriate outfits in the same colour. Many people wear a few colours they like not a rainbow. It's like on a school own clothes day 'wear something orange you already own' when all your clothes are blue and green.

I would wear whatever colour I was asked, but I would be a bit miffed about it. Whatever happened to just wear a nice outfit and have a nice time?

All about the pictures....

My best friend tried a similar thing when she got married. She asked myself and another friend to dress in something blue. Sounded very reasonable at the time.

However, sods law meant that I hunted and hunted for a suitable dress and really struggled. My other friend struggled too. I ended up buying the one blue dress I liked and suited me. However, it was way too short for a wedding. But I had no other option.

So basically I would say avoid stating a colour. Have a lovely wedding. Years from now the last thing anyone will remember is what colour people were wearing.

I admire the cut of your jib

OP are you my future DIL?????

It is not exactly "relaxed" if you're telling people what to wear! It would irritate me tbh. Let people wear what they want. People will wear colour anyway!

I think I’d find that a bit annoying…I’m happy(ish) to wear whatever the bride wants if I’m a bridesmaid, but I want the freedom to choose whatever I feel nicest in if I’m a normal guest.

Can anyone else even be bothered with weddings these days, not least the totally ludicrous lists of demands and family fall-outs that seem to accompany so many of them?

No, nor me.

Nah, not for me
I have massive boobs, a big tummy and lymphedema legs to accommodate. Dressing for a wedding is already a nightmare so I'd really resent a dress code!

I agree.
If the part "just a hint of the colour would be great" is clear enough, no-one should feel forced to buy new clothing as such, just add a small touch.

Just say "no dress code".
Please everyone.

Fine if you want to say that to family or those that would’ve been in your bridal party but fgs leave the rest of the guests alone and let them wear what they want!
I can see where you’re coming from but it comes across kind of demanding and bridezilla.
some people have enough trouble deciding on something to wear that fits, flatters and they can afford so don’t add a colour requirement into the mix 🙄

I don’t see anything wrong with a color palette for your wedding dress code. The guests will most likely already have something in one of those colors and makes them all a part of the wedding. I quite like your idea.

Really? Because to me it sounds both rude and unkind. Making someone feel shit about their wedding.

At the end of the day this is for the pictures... Look at my super edgy, festy vibe, cool wedding .....all for the gram. I would decline but then again I hate being told what to wear, that ended for me when I was about ten.

Choose a colour from our colour palette. Seriously?

Just get married and let people wear whatever they like. Forget about having the coolest pics in the world. It's cringe.

We're getting married eight weeks today and our dress code is "whatever you feel comfortable in". I know our guests won't turn up in pyjamas, but I have advised that it is a very laid back, relaxed wedding and they can just wear what they like.

My H2B's adult daughter is wearing a jumpsuit and trainers, my niece is getting dressed to the nines (she's 12, its her first wedding and she's very excited), and my other half is wearing chino's, shirt and waistcoat.

I don't care what people wear, they are coming because we love them and want them to be part of our celebration, and they will be in the photos regardless of what they are wearing.