Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Too white for a wedding guest dress?

655 replies

EndlessCupsofSugaryTea · 14/02/2026 14:00

I have my eye on this for a spring wedding. I love prints, it’s silk and is in the sale - perfect combination.

However, I showed it to my mother and she said “But it’s white!” in a horrified way. I was bewildered. I don’t believe most people’s first thought on looking at this would be “white”. To me, it’s all about the print - and in any case, the background looks more cream to me.

I love it, but not for the first time, my mother has created a nagging doubt. Would anyone really think I was trying to look remotely bridal in this?

Too white for a wedding guest dress?
OP posts:
Thread gallery
13
Zov · 14/02/2026 16:27

WarrenTofficier · 14/02/2026 16:14

No I'm point out that no one complains about a 'flash of white' from a shirt 'drawing the eye' away from the bride. Or suggests that a bloke in a green suit is a jealous harpie trying to 'curse' the wedding.

Confused A man in a white shirt (with his suit) as a wedding guest is nothing like a woman turning up in a white dress. I can't believe you are comparing the two.
I mean, really..............?!

Tryagain26 · 14/02/2026 16:29

It's fine and I'd say just right for a summer wedding.
But I don't understand the new fad where no one can wear white to a wedding. As long as it's not a wedding dress I can't see the issue.

Applecharlotte2 · 14/02/2026 16:30

Zov · 14/02/2026 16:26

Confused A man in a white shirt (with his suit) as a wedding guest is nothing like a woman turning up in a white dress. I can't believe you are comparing the two.

I mean, really..............?!

I know ridiculous warrentoff - it’s not a sex discrimination case!

your comments are way off

A671090 · 14/02/2026 16:30

Gosh this whole ‘white’ thing at a wedding really irritates me. Yes don’t turn up in a Wedding Dress.
OP that dress is beautiful - you won’t look like a bride - this is a ridiculous rule put into place by bridzillas and it’s totally totally bonkers and controlling xx

Climbingrosexx · 14/02/2026 16:30

I'm with others, probably a bit too white.

Reminds me of my mother of the groom outfit, I was worried I might end up matching the bridesmaids so made sure I went for something totally different. Turns out I only matched the bloody chair sashes!

FofB · 14/02/2026 16:31

I work in a venue and we always notice this. Why? Well I suppose if you look at the group as a whole, the person wearing white always stands out. It's supposed to be like that.

I've seen hundreds and hundreds of weddings, line ups, group photo's- and as a society, we expect our eye to be drawn to the person wearing the big white dress. That's why people are there. Those 2 people are the centre of attention on that day. If someone else is wearing that colour, it draws the eye.

Now, on an individual level, does it matter if you wear that dress? Of course not. But on a group basis, you are attending an event where everyone is expecting to be looking at the person in white. It's a signal, I guess.

If you were being ungenerous, you could argue that the people who also wear white are going 'look at me!' If you are being generous, you could argue that they just didn't think about it. And to be honest, we've definitely see guests who have done this on purpose and we've also seen people who have literally turned up head to toe in white and not realised.

We've also watched the photographer discretely try to move these people so they don't draw the eye on in the pictures. Again, on a individual basis, does it matter? No. On a group basis, where couples have paid £1000's to have the perfect pictures, and there is someone wearing bright white and they aren't the bride, it does draw the eye.

And the bride might not give two hoots. But she might.

The dress is beautiful tho.

MrsJeanLuc · 14/02/2026 16:31

Shamalama56 · 14/02/2026 14:05

What do you mean, "what?"?

You've been told by your mum its not appropriate.

You felt unsure enough to start a thread about it.

Why the faux confusion?

What do you mean "what do you mean"???

I HATE it when people make some cryptic comment and expect others to just (somehow) know what they mean.

The question is clear enough, can we take "come on now" to mean "how could anyone possibly think that dress is white - it's obviously floral"?

Which was my first reaction. I can see from reading the thread that opinions are mixed though.

Applecharlotte2 · 14/02/2026 16:31

A671090 · 14/02/2026 16:30

Gosh this whole ‘white’ thing at a wedding really irritates me. Yes don’t turn up in a Wedding Dress.
OP that dress is beautiful - you won’t look like a bride - this is a ridiculous rule put into place by bridzillas and it’s totally totally bonkers and controlling xx

Omg it’s been there since time - nothing to do with bridezillas which are a modern labelling

there is no reason at all to compete with the bride..just don’t

Tryagain26 · 14/02/2026 16:32

Bluegreenbird · 14/02/2026 14:06

Worried now. I have bought a light cream dress with blue flowers on it for two weddings this year. Didn’t even occur to me it might be seen as a faux pas!

I think most people in real life wouldn't care at all.

SanFranAndCali · 14/02/2026 16:36

Bluegreenbird · 14/02/2026 14:06

Worried now. I have bought a light cream dress with blue flowers on it for two weddings this year. Didn’t even occur to me it might be seen as a faux pas!

I think it really depends on the dress TBF. It's on a case by case basis. 😁

It's not that any white or cream in a female guest's outfit is always a no-no. It's just a question of how much is too much. The style of the dress is a big factor as well. Some dresses could be on a white background but be covered in red or navy polka dots and no-one would say that looked remotely bridal. Whereas other dresses, you just get an instant feeling of 'hmmm...,,not a great idea.' It's hard to define without seeing the dress.

Grammarnut · 14/02/2026 16:38

It's cream, which is a bridal colour. I would choose something else.

SharonBe · 14/02/2026 16:41

Sorry, I agree with Mum BUT the best thing to do would be ask the bride.

Whatkindoffuckeryisthiss · 14/02/2026 16:41

I wouldn’t really care if it was my wedding. However, it would clearly upset some brides and that is okay. I think if there’s the slightest dubiety over whether they’d be upset, why even take the chance? A million other dresses one could wear to a wedding.

ThatCyanCat · 14/02/2026 16:42

Tryagain26 · 14/02/2026 16:32

I think most people in real life wouldn't care at all.

Hard disagree. I was definitely no Bridezilla (my husband arranged almost all of it) but had someone turned up in an inappropriately white dress, I'd have been pissed off. Not because I would worry people might mistake her for me or think she looked better (I was not the most beautiful woman in the room) but because it is such a well established, hard rule of etiquette that I would assume she was deliberately flouting it to be rude and inappropriate. Much like if someone wore tatty jeans to a black tie affair.

The point of etiquette is to have rules so people know what's appropriate and polite and don't have to worry about a misstep. Some of these have got hazier in modern times but this one hasn't, as evidenced by the fact that OP is asking about it. When you know the rule is not to wear too much white to a wedding and you still do it, you've been totally rude.

I've been to several Indian weddings and was asked not to wear red. It's not difficult.

FreeFromWhat · 14/02/2026 16:43

Gosh this whole ‘white’ thing at a wedding really irritates me. Yes don’t turn up in a Wedding Dress

But to a lot of us here it looks like a dress a bride would choose.

Tryagain26 · 14/02/2026 16:44

Applecharlotte2 · 14/02/2026 16:31

Omg it’s been there since time - nothing to do with bridezillas which are a modern labelling

there is no reason at all to compete with the bride..just don’t

Why is it competing?

It hasn't been there for all time at least not in the UK or among people I know. It seems a particularly Mumsnet thing
I married over 40 years ago no one cared what colour clothes anyone wore. They were just pleased that people turned up. My sister wore a white dress with flowers on it, no issue, I wore a cream dress with pale flowers on it to my brother's wedding, no problem at all, even at my daughter's much more recent summer wedding a lot of guests wore cream or pale colours, (I've just checked the photos as I couldn't even remember what people wore)
it never occurred to anyone that it was inappropriate or that they were competing with the Bride because they weren't!

Applecharlotte2 · 14/02/2026 16:45

Tryagain26 · 14/02/2026 16:44

Why is it competing?

It hasn't been there for all time at least not in the UK or among people I know. It seems a particularly Mumsnet thing
I married over 40 years ago no one cared what colour clothes anyone wore. They were just pleased that people turned up. My sister wore a white dress with flowers on it, no issue, I wore a cream dress with pale flowers on it to my brother's wedding, no problem at all, even at my daughter's much more recent summer wedding a lot of guests wore cream or pale colours, (I've just checked the photos as I couldn't even remember what people wore)
it never occurred to anyone that it was inappropriate or that they were competing with the Bride because they weren't!

I’m in my 50s and heard the generation above me spout it all the time so it’s not a modern bride thing at all

FreeFromWhat · 14/02/2026 16:46

It seems a particularly Mumsnet thing

It's definitely not. It was a thing in the 70s before Mumsnet existed.

Applecharlotte2 · 14/02/2026 16:46

FreeFromWhat · 14/02/2026 16:46

It seems a particularly Mumsnet thing

It's definitely not. It was a thing in the 70s before Mumsnet existed.

Yes - that’s where I heard it!

Cailin66 · 14/02/2026 16:47

EndlessCupsofSugaryTea · 14/02/2026 16:24

Hobbs 🙂

It’s a beautiful dress, too white for a wedding. Your mum is correct. I don’t like it in green.

ThatCyanCat · 14/02/2026 16:47

I first heard it when I was 10, long before MN existed, and a bridesmaid.

A671090 · 14/02/2026 16:50

Applecharlotte2 · 14/02/2026 16:31

Omg it’s been there since time - nothing to do with bridezillas which are a modern labelling

there is no reason at all to compete with the bride..just don’t

I don’t agree - this was absolutely not a thing when I got married 30 years ago!

I got remarried last year in a pink jumpsuit and frankly couldn’t give a shit then either.

Rediculous rule

Applecharlotte2 · 14/02/2026 16:51

A671090 · 14/02/2026 16:50

I don’t agree - this was absolutely not a thing when I got married 30 years ago!

I got remarried last year in a pink jumpsuit and frankly couldn’t give a shit then either.

Rediculous rule

You can disagree all you like

heard it all when I was a youngster in the 70s

KermitTheToad · 14/02/2026 16:52

If someone had turned up to my wedding wearing that dress I would not have batted an eyelid. Unless the guest in question was standing at the altar, or arm in arm with the groom there is little chance of them being mistaken for the bride.
@Shamalama56 I initially thought your comment of 'Come in now' meant of course it doesn't look like a wedding dress.

Shodan · 14/02/2026 16:52
  1. The tradition of wedding guests NOT wearing white to a wedding started when Queen Victoria wore a white dress to be married in. So roughly 185 years ago.
  2. The exact dress that OP is considering comes up if you Google 'wedding dress with coloured flowers'. So I'd suggest that some people would in fact view it as such.

I think it comes across as a bit attention-seeky, tbh. Even though it is a beautiful dress, it's not right for this occasion.