Guide to Summer Wedding Attire

It used to be all the wedding invitations flooding my mailbox were for friends and family members. These days, the invites keep coming, but now for the children of said friends and family members, not to mention former students. There is a definite circle of life thing going on here and while I am grateful to not have to don another embarrassing bridesmaid gown any time soon, finding the right outfit to wear can be tricky, especially as temperatures soar.

Guide to attending summer weddings in style and comfort

Dress choices
The overwhelming array of choices available only makes it easier to choose the wrong look. You don't want to waltz into a black tie affair in a breezy sundress or wear an ultra formal gown to a casual wedding. Take your cue from the invitation. Some provide simple, cut and dry instructions, for example "White Tie" weddings call for long formal gowns while beach weddings don't.

Informal daytime calls for basic business attire, dress or suit while an informal, or semi-formal evening is the time to pull out the cocktail dress. Formal daytime requires a business look with hats or gloves if desired. Formal evening is a chance to sparkle with more glamorous cocktail dresses, either short or long and fancy accessories. A white tie, or ultra-formal wedding is the time to add furs and diamonds or their equivalent to a glitzy gown.

Most of the invitations I receive do not have the dress code spelled out. In that case, ask, or do a little sleuthing to figure out what to wear. Is the wedding held in a church, or outdoors? Is the reception in a ballroom, or beach?

Three fun dresses
"Weak in the knees" is a red hot one-shoulder dress for $67.99. This is sexy done right. The fully lined dress in lightweight pleated fabric features a flounce of feminine ruffles across the asymmetrical neckline.

Calf length jersey dress is a comfortable and versatile choice for a summer wedding. The jersey fabric makes this perfect for weddings that involve a long drive to the hall. The longer length is a flattering choice for many figures and the $36.93 price tag is affordable.

Taffeta sheath dress Beautiful jewel-neck dress featuring a dramatic ruffle and beaded waistline. The ruching across the bodice makes for a flattering fit. Fully lined, this dress would make a great choice for many different summer weddings, daytime, evening, semi-formal and even formal with the addition of glamorous accessories.

Cover-ups
As far as summer wedding attire goes, it is important to keep in mind both the heat and the distinct possibility of extreme air conditioning. Unfortunately I learned that the hard way at the last wedding I attended and ended up hiding my pretty dress under a borrowed suit coat. Needless to say, photos were less than flattering. Purchase a coordinating wrap or pretty jacket to wear over your dress during the ceremony or in a freezing reception hall.

Three pretty wraps for a summer wedding
Pashmina/Silk wrap comes in 35 solid colors for only $11.99 each. These cozy wraps are functional and fashionable. Wrapping cold shoulders in a layer of silky cashmere is a much better alternative to a suit coat 5x too big.

Open-front cascade blazer in either black or neutral can be slipped over a formal dress without it looking like an afterthought.

Portrait collar silver grey linen jacket from Spiegel is a more formal addition to a summer dress, nice for covering up bare shoulders when attending a church wedding ceremony.

What not to wear
There are a few rules to keep in mind when looking for a summer wedding outfit. Remember the color wheel when shopping and don't get stuck on black and white. While there are appropriate dresses to find, it is too easy to do black and white wrong. With that said, specifically it is advisable to not wear a black dress to a daytime wedding, and keep your little white dress tucked away for another day. Keep club wear out of the church. Dresses that are too tight, too short or too revealing are just not appropriate. When in doubt, choose a pretty summer suit or classy cocktail dress and put a smile on, this is the brides day to shine!

More by Sylvie Branch:
Tips for adding flirty florals this summer
Multi-colored shoe trend: Seven new designs for summer
How to wear a high-shine skirt in the daytime