What To Wear When Wedding Dress Shopping as a Guest

Guides on wedding dress shopping etiquette explain everything from the bridal salon appointment-making process to picture policy, but they never mention what you should wear as a guest.

The truth is, wedding dress shopping is just regular shopping with a few differences – only one of you is buying a dress, and you attend selected stores by appointment rather than malls.

There’s no universal wedding dress shopping dress code, although some tips can help you decide. Most importantly, your clothes should be appropriate for the time and place.

Don’t Steal The Moment

The first point to remember when choosing how to dress for a wedding dress shopping as a guest is that it isn’t about you. You aren’t the one getting married. Just like the wedding itself, dress shopping is all about the bride.

Your goal is to help the bride choose a dress that fits her the best. This isn’t a fashion show, nor is it a photoshoot, even if you intend to take group pictures. Thus, don’t try to outshine your friend.

You may be used to drawing attention with extravagant or seductive looks in daily life. But for your friend’s wedding dress shopping day, consider toning down your attire to avoid standing out from your group.

This may sound unfair or silly, but if you end up looking better than the bride, you may affect her mood. If she feels insecure, she may have trouble finding her dream dress, and you’ll likely have to go shopping once again.

Finding out what the bride will wear is always a good idea. Don’t arrive in a fancy dress and on high heels if the bride plans to wear jeans and sneakers.

Discuss it With Other Guests

The best dress is an appropriate dress. That’s relevant for any occasion, including wedding dress shopping. Appropriateness is based not solely on the season, time, and place but also the styles of those around you.

Check with other guests what they’re planning to wear. This will help both you and others – they may be searching “what to wear for a wedding dress shopping?” at this very moment.

Of course, you don’t have to sacrifice your personality to match other wedding dress shopping guests. There’s no need to wear the same clothes unless you’re all willing to, but discussing the general style is vital.

Consider The Place

What to wear as a guest for wedding dress shopping also depends on your bridal salon selection. There are bridal salons for any style and budget, from affordable chain stores to boutiques carrying dresses of famous bridal designers.

The core points of wedding dress shopping etiquette for guests remain the same regardless of the salon price range or location – you should look neat, be polite, avoid arguing with the stylist, and respect brides around you.

However, certain salons may have higher dress code expectations than others. Affordable chain stores likely don’t care a bit about your look unless you come in naked.

Meanwhile, attending top-notch designer bridal salons carrying $20,000 dresses in an old T-shirt may not be the best idea.

Sure, you aren’t the one buying the dress, but an inappropriate look may affect the bridal stylist’s perception of the entire group.

There’s no need to wear all your best clothes if you’re going to a best-of-class bridal salon. However, you may want to change a T-shirt for a blouse.

Comfort Over Looks

As a rule of thumb, wedding dress shopping involves a lot of physical activity – to be fair, like any shopping. Thus, prioritize comfort over looks.

You’ll be walking a lot, and even though you won’t be the one trying on dresses, the bride may need your assistance in taking them on. If you’ve never tied a corset before, be prepared – that’s not a simple task.

If your friend isn’t shy of the bridal stylist, you likely won’t have to help her with the fittings. Still, you’ll be walking around the salon helping her find the right dress, and wedding dresses are heavy.

Don’t wear anything too tight and restrictive, such as pencil skirts or bandage dresses.

Firstly, such clothes may be a bit too provocative – remember the first rule, this isn’t about you. Secondly, you’ll start to sweat and feel tired very soon.

Choose clothes from lightweight, breathable fabrics, preferably natural. They don’t necessarily need to have a flowy fit but pick something you can move in freely.

Another point to keep in mind is that you’ll have to sit a lot while your friend is trying on dresses.

Avoid wrinkling fabrics such as linen and cotton. Instead, choose soft fabrics that don’t wrinkle as much, such as modal, lyocell, viscose, and rayon.

Fancy Casual

You can’t go wrong with a fancy casual, also known as smart casual. Simply put, smart casual style is a combination of daily wear with refined pieces. Smart casual attire is something between jeans with T-shirt and a cocktail dress.

The key to creating a stylish smart casual look is pairing pieces with different formality levels – for instance, combine jeans and sneakers with a shirt and suit blazer, or add a pair of sparkling earrings to a basic dress.

Of course, you shouldn’t combine complete opposites. Such contrasting combinations as sneakers and a cocktail dress or diamond necklace and printed T-shirt won’t tie together.

Choose clothes from nice fabrics and with intricate detailing, such as a shirt with an embellished collar or a simple dress with an accent belt. Non-denim pants and skirts are preferred, but black or dark blue jeans are a timeless classic.

Jumpsuits are a comfy alternative to dresses. Avoid childish prints – minimalistic mono-color pieces are the best choice, but if you really love prints, choose something classic and geometric, like polka dots, stripes, or check.

As for shoes, fancy casual allows high heels, but they aren’t your best bet. Oxfords, loafers, ballet flats, and clean, classic sneakers are the best options. Avoid running sneakers or overly old shoes.

A fancy casual attire will be an equally good fit for the cheaper and high-end bridal salon dress code. However, don’t go overboard with the “fancy” element – the key is to find a balance between looks and comfort.

No To Heels

I can’t stress this point enough – choose comfortable shoes. Wedding dress shopping duration can exceed 10 hours, so don’t wear heels, even if you’re used to walking in them.

Sure, heels are not created equal, and there’s a big difference between stilettos and 2-inch block heels.

There’s no universal rule regarding acceptable heel height, so you should adequately evaluate your options based on your plan.

You shouldn’t wear any shoes for the first time either, even if your friend’s wedding dress shopping seems like a perfect occasion to show them off. You don’t want to suffer from calluses, right?

Consider Your Plan

Some brides may have a clearly detailed wedding dress shopping plan and know what they’re looking for. If your friend belongs to this type, consider yourself lucky – you may find a dress relatively quickly.

Some women, however, have no idea of what they’re looking for, and shopping may take the entire day. Even brides who come to the salon searching for a specific style don’t always find it right away.

Furthermore, your bridal team may want to head somewhere after the shopping to celebrate the purchase or discuss the options.

Either way, discuss your plan with other guests and the bride to take it into consideration when choosing your wedding dress shopping guest attire.

You don’t want to be wearing a cocktail dress in an amusement park afterward and would likely need to wear something dressier than jeans if you go to a fancy restaurant.

Matching Bridal Team Outfits

Matching wedding dress shopping outfits may not convey your personal sense of style, but they eliminate the need to rack your brain trying to choose a look and guarantee you cool group pictures.

You may choose a color code and wear different clothes in similar shades or get exactly the same looks. And if you really take the occasion seriously, you may even order custom matching clothes.

Don’t Overthink It

At the end of the day, your look isn’t the top priority of the day, so there’s no need to overthink it. Wedding dress shopping is just another day spent with your close friends.

You likely won’t think about your clothes when you remember this day after years.

Instead of spending hours choosing the attire, focus on learning your friend’s style to give her valuable advice and find the best suitable salons to make the process easier.