If you've been invited to a wedding on the beach but you've never attended one before, you may be unclear about how to choose appropriate beach wedding clothes. Most weddings are formal, and if not, they are at least dressy. But this one will be on the beach!
Is a man's designer silk suit appropriate, or should guys wear beach shorts with tropical prints? Is it better to adopt a surfer look with unkempt hair, or should you comb your hair neatly? And should ladies wear their special-occasion $500 red Prada pumps or a simple pair of flip-flops? The typical seaside ceremony is more casual than a traditional church wedding, and beach wedding clothes are usually more casual as well.
Some wedding guests are fortunate and receive invitations with hints about what they should wear. If your invitation didn't give you a clue, send the bride and groom a quick email asking for their suggestions before you start planning your beach wedding clothes. They will probably suggest some type of upscale beach attire, but no matter what they recommend, they'll appreciate your concern and the indication that you are planning to attend.
If you are still in a quandary after asking, use these guidelines to help:
Beach Wedding Clothes for Men: Forget about wearing black - that color is typically reserved for the groom (although the restriction is usually not as rigidly observed as that of brides and white clothing). A white, cotton, button-down collar shirt with dress slacks is usually a safe clothing choice for a less formal affair.
If you'd feel more comfortable in a suit, go with linen slacks and jacket in a lighter color with a casual, striped shirt underneath - this will give you an air of relaxed formality and help you strike the perfect balance between casual and dressy. If you want to be more adventurous (or beachy) go with well-tailored cotton, linen or silk-blend draw-string pants or shorts and a tropical-print silk shirt.
For footwear, leather sandals are a good choice (though you want to make sure they're open enough to let the sand out). Leather flip-flops work well too. It can be fine to even go barefoot, although that depends on how formal the occasion is and exactly what you're wearing (you wouldn't want to go shoeless if you were sporting an expensive linen suit).
Women's Beach Wedding Attire: You don't want to upstage the bride with your beach wedding clothes, so whatever you decide to wear, don't out-dress her. Formal weddings give you more freedom to wear dressy clothes, but if the ceremony is casual, your best choice is the type of beach attire you might wear to a fancy resort. Cotton or rayon lightweight skirts are perfect if the wedding beach is in the tropics. You'll achieve a flawless look if you pair one of these skirts with a cotton or rayon island-style top in bright, primary colors. A well-tailored jersey dress is another ideal option.
Shorter dresses or skirts work best at the beach. Due to the environment, it's generally a good idea to avoid long dresses and high heels, both of which make negotiating deep sand almost impossible. Add some stylish, understated "bling" such as an island-themed bracelet, necklace and earrings and you're all set.
Dressy flip-flops or sandals with painted toenails finish the look wonderfully. If you choose to go barefoot, try wearing one or two pieces of foot jewelry. A toe ring, barefoot sandals or an ankle bracelet work particularly well if made from seashells, coral or other items that match your beach wedding clothes.
BeachWeddingMagic is devoted to helping couples create their own magical on beach wedding. Visit BeachWeddingMagic.com for suggestions and advice on beach wedding clothes, cakes, decorations, wedding planners and much more.
