Dress Code For Wedding Guests?

by Jessica

Weddings may be all about the details, but gone are the days when fretting over minor points was constricted to the colors of candied almonds and what dresses the bridesmaids will wear. The New York Times reported this weekend some couples now dictate what guests should wear.

Everyone knows never to wear white to a wedding, but now some guests are instructed on their wedding invites not to wear outfits that will clash with the flowers, candles… and other guests. Couples are asking friends and fam to wear all white, or pastels, for example, presumably so no one clashes in photos.

At first glance, I thought this trend seemed nitpicky and rude. Bride-and-groom-zillas, anyone? Guests bought you a present and are traveling from out of town to spend a Saturday afternoon listening to cheesy love ballads and fending off advances from your lecherous relatives; you should wear whatever the hell you want.

But then, the gaudiest woman of the ’80s, Ivana Trump—of all people!—pled an excellent case that made me see the wisdom of dictatorial wedding guest outfit guidelines: “I didn’t want to see any zebra stripes.”

Ah. Point taken.