What would you wear to a large/formal wedding in Italy in July?

[reigsin]

I really am in need of some inspiration for an outfit for my brother's wedding. Venue is gorgeous castle in Tuscany.

I'm late-thirties, 5'9", size 8 and very pale - I don't cope all that well in the heat (nor the cold, but presumably that isn't going to be a problem) so am slightly concerned about sweat.

What would you choose if you were me? I don't even know where to begin looking - there's just too much choice! I'm also not very stylish and lack confidence in my decisions, tending to stick to the same safe styles.

Budget is flexible.

Have a look at Zimmermann frocks: they look even prettier irl

That’s much the most Italian look that’s been suggested, but perhaps if no one is Italian, that’s not what the OP wants? I’ve pretty much always worn black to Italian weddings.

Don't do a floral frock.

I'd go for a deep forest green, dark navy, or burgundy, with gold accessories/ heels. Earthy pastels or neutrals would also be nice. For an evening wedding, go darker.

I'd choose a silky fabric, not cotton or linen. You don't want to look rumpled. I'd also look for something that looks tailored and structured. Avoid anything that looks like a shirtdress though.

I live in a place where summers are very hot and I find polyester is great in the heat because regardless of how much you sweat, it dries easily.

You should avoid anything in Red, Purple, Lilac, Black or White.

Reformation do some stunning dresses:

https://www.thereformation.com/products/rosalynn-dress/1314706ELE.html?dwvar_1314706ELE_color=ELE&atc_confirmation=true

https://www.thereformation.com/products/aiko-dress/1314682FUA.html?dwvar_1314682FUA_color=FUA&quantity=1&atc_confirmation=true

https://www.thereformation.com/products/winslet-dress/1315041BLK.html?dwvar_1315041BLK_color=BLK&atc_confirmation=true

No hats. Italians never wear headgear at weddings, and in July it will bec35 degrees. You'll need comfy heels. No female will be in flats. Very formal, think gucci, prada etc. Expensive and no silly floaty dresses you'll like a maid !
I gotmarried in Italy in the summer it was well hot.
Foldable fan in your handbag.
Book an Italian hairdresser the day before fir z blow-dry ( 20 euro) and you'll feel fresh and fit right jn ! The heat will ruin your hair otherwise......

A hat is perfectly fine in Italy just not for a late wedding say after 4/5ish. Thats evening attire whereas a hat is day wear, not dissimilar to what we do in the UK.
Flats are fine too. Whatever is comfortable…why do English people have to copy Italian norms.

Short and tight though will look very out of place.

I know OP you have said the wedding is in a Castle but if any part takes place in a church remember to respect the religion and cover your shoulders. I’m sure the rest in that regard is obvious

Like the third poster, my first thought was Stella McCartney. Size 8 and same height here,

3pm in Tuscany in July is likely to be extremely hot and humid even in the shade unless you’re on the coast/up a mountainside. I live here and my first consideration with summer clothes is sweat marks (not just armpits but back etc!). Silk is by far the most comfortable fabric to wear imo and you avoid that damp, rumpled look. Nothing too fitted, no sleeves, a pattern to hide sweat marks (unless you’re someone who copes well with heat).

Long, flowing silk dresses (I get mine from Réalisation, Reformation or the Outnet/Vestaire/Vinted sometimes have great designer bargains) in a block colour or strong print, comfy heels or wedges.

And definitely get a cheap blow dry the day before.

Floaty natural silk.
Blue, hat or brolly if extremely hot in middle of day.
Look through a high end Indian Sari shop.

Also Vietnamese tailored silk dresses can be lovely.

Some beautiful dresses here. Something that allows sweat marks to dry quickly is key (poor men don’t have this option!). Definitely a brimmed hat and gorgeous sunglasses.

Flat shoes if in an old town with cobbles - Unless you’re a pro at heels.

Silk is a good call, but be careful about block colours, as they really show sweat. Go for a pattern.

Silk dries fast and prints are definitely your friend in terms of sweat marks.

Rixo is another brand that does great patterned silk dresses.

If the wedding is in Italy, but the people aren't Italian, then wear whatever you'd wear to a wedding on a hot day for British (for example) people in Britain. Italy is very used to people coming to celebrate weddings in their own way.

Italian weddings of Italians are generally very very formal, long dresses for women (think the sort of thing royalty wears for posh dos or teenage girls for proms) unless specified otherwise. Patterns aren't a thing. Bright monochrome or black would be the norm. And definitely no hats, or fascinators etc.

Some years ago I went to an extremely formal wedding in Italy. Stunning, exclusive (and we later found far far out behind our wildest imagination fancy and expensive). It was nothing like a Normal wedding in terms of formality, very very posh and formal. However women were surprisingly casually dressed, loose flowery summer dresses below the knee and pashminas over the shoulders for the church bit. It was church at about 3pm but the formal bit was cocktails at about 5 onwards and and what world be the equivalent of a big deal black tie event by our standards for the night.

The hosts and almost all the attendees were Italian.

I don't know how representative it helpful this is but it was a huge surprise to us as the British visitors. It was near Florence in July and the temperature was insanely hot. Bear that in mind. Light, loose and natural fabric. Will it be outside in the day at all or an old non air-conditioned building? These things need definitely to be considered, we hadn't realised.

Wedding in Italy, especially with some Indian guests is going to be formal and glam!
The rixo dress you posted looks lovely OP. I'd go for something longer and in a silky fabric.

The wedding in Capri I attended, whilst not a fancy affair like the Florence one was also very casual but similarly boiling hot. Honestly don't wear anything synthetic, close fitting, tight cut around the armholes/ with sleeves unless you want huge pools of sweat in your dress.
I think British people will dress up more than Italians might. From experience all the Italians ( 4 different unrelated,unconnected sets have all been very casual by british standards even when 'formal').
Factor in the heat as a big issue!

@TokyoSushi I don't think this would be out of place from experience either and fits the bill for not being like an oven roasted turkey too.

I went to a wedding in Italy last year and was told that black wasn't acceptable- interesting to see it suggested so much here.

Shiv Roy’s wedding outfit for her mother’s Tuscan wedding. It seems to go against all the advice on here, but then again she is a fictional character who is so rich she has people to cool her down with fans.

This was a terrible outfit and there were tons of articles how someone so wealthy wouldn’t be seen dead in Ted Baker https://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/style/has-successions-shiv-roy-become-badly-dressed/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-10312461/Succession-characters-spotted-wearing-pieces-dowdy-British-high-street-brands.html

The cultural differences in dress between Milan vs Capri vs rural Sardinia etc are much greater than between, say, Edinburgh vs the Isle of Wight.

That's way the safest option is always to ask the bride what she thinks everyone else will be wearing.

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow
Is really interesting seeing all the different experiences on here.
Ive found minimal differences despite size, scale, venue and very clear wealth and overall background of the couples being married, all of whom were Italian.
Milan was most casual,
Capri, Second most by a narrow whisker, but only due to the location, not the clothes, and the one near florence which was in, I think the most hotel I've ever known of to exist, was only more upmarket more formal in terms of venue not clothes.
We were scarily Englishly smart comparatively which was quite funny ( not standard wedding attire, just less casual).

It must just depend on the particular couples style and maybe dress code as in the uk perhaps?

That's polyester; very uncomfortable in heat.