Here Comes The Bride... and her guests

Wedding season is upon us! That means one thing... shots of tequila and jumping up and down to 'Shout'! Orrr maybe we're just wishing we were extras in the movie 'Wedding Crashers'. Regardless of your intentions at a wedding, you've got to look good. There are important do's and dont's when it comes to picking an outfit.

First and foremost do not, under any circumstances wear white! This means, do not wear a white/ivory/off-white dress, pant suit, skirt and top, etc. The color white, in any and all shades, is saved for the bride and the bride only. There may be rare circumstances in which the bride asks her guests to wear white, but she's probably lost her mind. Just saying.

Adorable Dress? Yes!... Okay for a wedding? No!

Don't be confused though, it's okay to wear a dress with minimal white in it. For example, a dress with some white in the print is fine, or one of those block dresses with a black bottom half and white upper half is usually okay. Rule of thumb... when in doubt, don't wear it! And yes, we're talking to you too mothers and mother-in-laws of the bride! This is not your wedding, it's not your time to shine.

Here's a fun dress with a little 'white' in the pattern, this would work!

That brings us to our next point, what should the mother of the bride wear? Well obviously not white but also not something that will make too much of a statement. If you're a mom, don't upstage your daughter. You're absolutely encouraged to look ravishing but if your daughter gives you wardrobe recommendations, it's best you follow them. You're usually encouraged to look conservative and elegant.

Ladies, try to avoid wearing something that matches the wedding colors or bridesmaid dresses. The bridesmaids have on that color for a reason, to stand out and show that they're part of the wedding party. Don't confuse people. Unsure about the colors of the wedding or bridesmaid dresses? Just ask! Or you can simply look at the wedding invitation. Typically the invitations will give you a good feel for the style and color(s) that will be used at the wedding.

Let's practice... Can you guess what color not to wear?

The time of the wedding is very important to take into account! Attire for a early afternoon or mid-day wedding is usually different than attire for an evening wedding. Sun dresses (in good taste) in bright fun patterns are more appropriate for a day time wedding. Darker colors and sleeker styled cocktail dresses are better for evening weddings. If the wedding is very formal, that's a whole other ball game. The invitation should specify if it's black tie formal. If that's the case, you're typically encouraged to wear a floor length gown.

This is perfect for a day time wedding with some great heeled Sandals

 Great for an evening wedding with the perfect accessories

Here's a word to the wise... do you think you'll be eating lots while at the wedding? If so, don't wear a tight fitting dress. Wear something that will give you room to breathe and stuff your face. I mean, come on, who can pass up the bacon wrapped shrimp, the macaroni cheese bar, bleu cheese stuffed filet mignon, and candy bar?

Going to a beach wedding? Wear something cute, light, and feminine. If the ceremony is in the sand, wear some dressy flat sandals. Try not to throw on your rainbows, step it up a notch. For men, they can usually wear a loose fitted button down, untucked, with the sleeves rolled up, and some khakis. But again, check with the bride or groom to make sure you're not too casual. Men, if you wear flip flops, make sure they're clean and not stained. And leave your black sport sandals at home.

 Pair this with a pair of cute flat sandals then throw on heels at the reception!

 Appropriate Sandals to wear, cute and classy

Rule of thumb when deciding on the length of the dress you may wear...put your hands by your side. If your dress is shorter than the tip of your middle finger, it may be too short. If it's shorter than the joint of your wrist, it's definitely too short!

We'll leave you with these two words to keep in mind when picking out an outfit for a wedding... be "classy & modern".