Pls can you tell me the wedding guest dress rules?

[maybemyrtle]

Yes this probably sounds like a stupid question, but in the past week we've been invited to three weddings this spring/summer, all friends of my DP and I have never met any of them or their friends. DP is no help at all and I have no idea what to wear or how dressy to go etc. One is a church wedding and the other two are evening receptions.

Can I wear the same thing to all three, what are "the rules"?! I'm guessing no black, no white, but what else?

Just don't dress like a bride or a bridesmaid.

Church wedding possibly more of a day to night classic sophisticated yet colourful dress with some pumps for your handbag.

The evening you can wear something a bit more glitzy? As if you were going out for the night anywhere nice really, less formal.

I think your grasp of "the rules" is pretty good, actually.

Really, just nothing that will upstage the bride, and no black, which some believe to be unlucky.

It's fine to wear the same outfit to each one. Not many people can afford to buy loads of different outfits. It's also perfectly acceptable to wear something you already own.

this is the kind of thing I think is nice for a daytime wedding.

Thanks, feeling a bit less clueless now! What about trousers as opposed to a dress, would that be OK, and are black trousers out? I was thinking slim black ankle length with a nice top, maybe printed or silk blouse or something, or is that too worky?

Red can also be frowned upon by very traditional people.

For the church one, you might need to cover up sholders - although for spring, you're probably going to want something to cover up anyway, high ceilinged churches can be very cold, particularly if only half full... I would say you could easily wear the same dress to all three, perhaps with a jacket for the daytime one.

Green is considered bad luck at weddings. However, I didn't know this when I got married and my bridesmaid wore green and I have been (happily!) married for 20 years so i wouldn't pay too much attention to that rule myself!

Black trousers does sound a bit worky to me, sorry. You could probably get away with that at the evening dos, if not super posh, but I would try for something a bit more eventy for the church.

I wouldn't wear trousers if you don't know the people, I would wear a dress.

Are there going to be the same people at all 3 or are they different sets? If the latter you can wear the same dress to all.

Something like this

Good points, thanks all. Definitely going too far down the "smart" route with trousers - so a dress it is. But not black, white, red or green. Patterns are OK though right? It's so much easier when you know the people... There shouldn't be any overlap in the guests thank goodness.