Our Wedding Style Guide

Before we begin to talk about all things wedding style, can we please just talk about the spelling of the word Wedding? Is it just me, or does anyone else repeatedly write/type ‘weeding’? I don’t know how/why I do it, but the miss-spell calls to me and I am forced to violently drag myself away from the second tap of the ‘e’ key. Odd isn’t it?

Anyhoo (also, who says that anymore, how old am I?) today we are here to talk about what to wear for weddings. My assumption is that you are probably NOT the bride – if you are then muchos congrats to you and rest assured that we do sell glorious dresses, new and pre-loved that might work if you are not wedded (see what I did there?) to white – but the attendee. Perhaps Mother of the Bride or Groom, or maybe you are an important guest and need the right dress or outfit to meet with top table expectations…. . Do not worry, here at Wardrobe at The Cross we are here to help and we have some top tips to ensure that you look exquisite and feel comfortable on this oh-so-important day.

Let’s start at the very beginning. A very good place to start – thanks Fraulein Maria. Find out about the dress code and location of the upcoming nuptials. Is it formal or casual? There might be an overall wedding colour scheme you must stick to, or for some religious ceremonies you might need to cover certain parts of the body. I once attended a Sikh wedding that required quite a lot of modesty, but equally I have been to two weddings in Ibiza where the rule of thumb seemed to be to wear as little as possible. I was really comfortable in both scenarios because I had planned accordingly.

Then I think we need to turn to the proposed venue for the happy day. If the ceremony is in a church you may want to think about those chillier pews at the back that let in the draughts. It gets slated as ‘out of date’ these days, but I truly believe that a pashmina or wrap is your very best friend in these often glacial circumstances. For me, a fine wrap worn over the shoulders is never a bad move and ever since pashminas came to prominence in the late 90s I always have a shawl or wrap in my bag at weddings. Good place to hide cake too!! I love wedding cake – both proper wedding cake and sponge – so I can use my ‘layer’ to take extra slices home. Glorious.

We must then turn to your role at the wedding. If you are the ‘mother-of’ then you get the best of both worlds, you can go all out and sport a truly stunning outfit and you can justify it as a necessary familial expense. Hurrah for that. As arguably the most important wedding guest, you might feel pressure to find the perfect outfit, but remember to always go with what you feel the most comfortable in and you’ll look amazing. Here at Wardrobe at The Cross, we have a vast array of gorgeous gowns, stunning separates and the wonderful Sue can help to guide you through what the best styles are to suit your body shape and personal style.

Dresses don’t have to be the only option. I say it above and I’ll say it again, separates can be simply exquisite for a wedding guest. A jumpsuit is always a great option – an instant outfit that’s flattering on everyone, just important to get the right fit. Equally, a jacket and trousers combo can offer the best of both worlds and in one instance I bought a jacket for a summer wedding and then kept it to wear for work later in the season. Always working on the cost–per-wear that’s me. Don’t tell my husband that though, I wouldn’t ever want him to know that I even consider such things. I like to continue with the subtle artifice of him thinking he has an extravagant wife. It pays dividends in the end.

Let’s move onto the small matter of colour. I will make colour the sole subject of an upcoming blog, BUT, colour is a crucial matter for every wedding guest. Wearing white is obviously verboten unless the bride or groom specifically demands it. I attended a wedding of 2x grooms last year and the entire theme was ‘white party’. I wore an exquisite white satin beaded maxi dress and I looked fabulous if I do say so myself.

More recently I heard of a bride wanting to wear black for her wedding but insisting that all invitees wore the most brightly coloured hues. I didn’t attend this particular event but I do know that if one cannot go OTT and a bit EXTRA at a wedding then when can one? Don’t be afraid to go all out…… because after all, a wedding is a party! You’re with your family and friends so let your personality reveal itself via your sartorial choices and your thrilling outfit combos. If the fascinator is a little whacky then go for it. If the shoe has a few too many diamantes then what’s the problem? Well, you might find yourself picking diamantes out of a croquet lawn, but that’s a story for another day….