What to Wear to a Fall Wedding

Fall brings spectacular, vivid colors, crisp, cool nights and a feeling of energy and excitement in the air.

Fall is a beautiful season to have a wedding. Nature itself has provided a stunning backdrop. Because fall weddings are becoming more and more popular, there is a good chance that you will find an invitation to one in your mailbox. So, the immediate question is, "What do I wear?"

There are three main factors to consider when choosing an ensemble: color, fabric and style.

Color

There are two words that you should associate with fall and clothing: jewel tones. Just as the name implies, jewel tones are rich colors that are similar to the color of gemstones. Think emerald green, sapphire blue, garnet red, amethyst purple or citrine yellow.

If you tend to shy away from bright colors, an option is to wear a neutral color such as mocha or chocolate brown or darker colors such as navy, forest green, plum or cranberry. You might consider wearing a neutral outfit and accessorizing with colorful jewelry.

Fabric

It can be tricky to plan what to wear to a fall wedding. Unless you live in an area where the weather is constant, it can be hard to predict the temperature and weather conditions a week or two before the event.

Popular fabrics for fall are materials such as tweed, silk or satin, knits and velvet. For example, you could pair a tweed jacket and skirt (or slacks) with a silk or satin sleeveless blouse underneath. Or perhaps you could try a satin sleeveless dress with a cashmere cardigan. These pairings will not only allow you to be fashionable, but the jacket or cardigan can be removed if you become too warm.

Style

The weather and the formality of the wedding should be taken into consideration when deciding the style of your garment(s). The weather will determine if you should wear long or short sleeves, pants or a skirt, jacket, coat or sweater. Most of us like to plan our ensembles ahead of time, but remember to be flexible about your choices. You don't want to end up in a strapless dress with no cover-up in frigidly cold weather or a velvet blazer in a down pour of rain. Be prepared to adapt.

The style of wedding is also important in deciding what to wear. If the event is black-tie, an evening gown would be appropriate. If it is a semi-formal, evening wedding, a cocktail dress would be a good choice. If it is a more casual affair, think "business attire", only more relaxed. A cute pants suit or a sheath dress with a cardigan or blazer would be perfect.

Men should also follow these suggestions. To a black-tie wedding, they would obviously need to wear a tuxedo. To a semi-formal wedding, a nice suit in navy, dark gray or a darker shade of brown will look nice. To a casual wedding, a crisp dress shirt and complimentary tie would do. Choose a long sleeve dress shirt rather than a short-sleeve (you can always roll the sleeves up at the reception).

Wool and cotton are great fabrics for suits (and slacks if you're not wearing a jacket). They will not only keep you warm if the weather is on the cooler side, but both materials absorb moisture, which will keep you cool if it is warm.

Men should also try to stick to jewel tones, darker colors or neutrals when it comes to shirts and ties.

Now that you've been given suggestions as to what to wear to a fall wedding, here are some "rules" as to what not to wear:

1.) DO NOT WEAR WHITE! Granted, some brides choose not to wear white, but it's best to be safe and choose another color.

2.) Try to find out before hand what the wedding colors are. Try to avoid these colors.

3.) Do not try to look better than the bride. This is her day to be in the spotlight. Trying to out-do her is rude.

4.) Save black for a funeral. Yes, most everyone looks good in black, but it looks out of place at a wedding, which is supposed to be a happy, festive time. The exception would be black slacks (for women and men) with a separate top.

5.) Do not wear jeans or anything too casual. It seems disrespectful to the bride and groom that you did not make the effort to dress nicely to the most important day of their lives.

Remember, this day belongs to the bride and groom. You are there to celebrate the beginning of their lives together. You want to look your best and these suggestions will help you do so with great ease. The most important thing: have fun and enjoy the beautiful fall season!