Please help me find a dress for my sister's beach wedding

[thistooshallpasswontit]

Have come out of lurking to see if anyone can help me find something beautiful to wear for a carribean wedding..
They are getting married on a beach and the wedding party are wearing formal gear. Men in kilts (although male guests are wearing chinos). Bridesmaids are wearing full length pink dresses (heavy satin) bride is going for big and traditional gown. I want to look suitably formal (and fabulous-help!) but don't want to be a hot and sweaty mess.
Can I wear a maxi if BMs are wearing long frocks?
Lots of coast (my usual wedding guest dress shop) stuff seems quite structured on top which makes me think I'll be roasting and uncomfortable in the heat (can you tell I'm paranoid about the heat!).
I quite fancy a hat too.
Where should I start looking? What is appropriate for a beach wedding?

What's your budget? Body shape? Hair colour?

I'm quite excited to have an excuse to look at dresses an d accessories!

I'd say a floaty silk maxi is ideal for a beach wedding, just make sure it's in a print rather than a solid colour so you don't risk looking like a bridesmaid.

Just been looking at Monsoon - they have LOADS of maxi-dresses but some of them are polyester which might not be great in the heat. This one is silk and rather lovely I think? £160 though...

Probably a pear because I'm hips and bum but have little in the way of norkage ...but i have broad shoulders which sort of balance me out (I think?) The good: narrow waist, flatish stomach, legs ok below the knee - awful above!! The bad: big bum, saddle bags, wobbly arms, no boobs. Dreading swimwear shopping!!
Hair will be blonde. I'm hideous in reds and citrus colours.
Budget negotiable but sub £200 I hope...no idea how much hats are though.

Thank you id forgotten about monsoon! I do like that a lot- especially the colour. Wonder what it would be like on my pigeon chest though..

I too would say maxi dress would be perfect and should keep you cool (I have always seen people at weddings in hot countries and thought how are they not all sweaty?) anyway personally I would say no to hats! Beach weddings can be very breezy and a hat will make you hot and then when you take it off your hair would be flat so Id look at fascinator type things if I were you. Also on the maxi dress front they look great with bare feet so if its actually on the beach you wont look a prawn trying to negotiate sand in heels

Good point re hat hair Arfur. The ultra glam image in my mind didn't include flat and sweaty hair. Hmmm, may have to rethink!

just lol at arfur's comment about prawn, what a mental image i have:) hehe!

now ive composed myself, what do you think of this?

www.frenchconnection.com/product/Woman+Collections+Dresses/71NU7/Azore+Summer+Maxi+Dress.htm

That is really lovely - prefer it to the Monsoon one actually. Think the bandau style top would be good for a smaller norkage too. You could team it up with a lovely floppy straw hat and some sparkly flip-flops and a big bangle or two?

In the picture, the halterneck looks weird - I'd tie it round your neck instead of trying to do it like straps!

How about coasts Tia strip maxi dress (sorry technophobe can't do links) I reckon its a good shape for pear shapes and sparkly flip flops would be lovely. Where is the wedding if its carribean could just put a beautiful flower behind your ear (hibiscus I think)

Just in case you are tempted by the Monsoon dress - there's a code from Money Saving Expert to get 25 % off...

From Thu 26 Apr 2012 enter the code MONAPR25AF online at Monsoon*. Delivery's free. Alternatively, from Thu print the voucher on VoucherCodes and take it to your nearest Monsoon.

Hi! Why don't you look at the White Company? Their summer dresses are gorgeous and there is sometimes a discount. Alternatively, try Phase Eight (there's a fabulous lace number although I don't know if that's your style), or Joules. :-)

If you decide against a hat, you could always put a flower in your hair - you can buy silk/artifical ones from Accessorize and that could look very pretty tucked behind an ear. Or a headband, if that would suit you better.