Have an upcoming wedding in Singapore to attend but at a loss as to what to wear for the occasion? Once receiving the invitation, many people start to think about what they should wear to the wedding and how they should start their shopping. You wouldn’t want to end up overdressing and outshining the bride/groom on that day, neither would you want to end up under-dressing and have people judging your attire. So here is a guide to give you some ideas for your wedding attire and tips as to what you should avoid wearing.
Sometimes, some couples would set a specific dress code for their wedding celebration and it is important and a respect to the couple to incorporate their dress code into your final attire. While most Singaporean couples are pretty chill about what their guests wear for their wedding, there are still certain guidelines to follow based on the following:
Table of Contents
Guidelines to What to Wear to a Wedding
Formality
Whether it is a formal, semi-formal, or informal wedding celebration, different formalities of the wedding call for different kinds of attire. For a more formal atmosphere such as evening dinner at a high-end ballroom or restaurant, guests should look elegant and sophisticated to fit the occasion. For the ladies, full-length dresses with heels matched with a small purse would be perfect. For the men, a suit and tie or bowtie with dress shoes would do it.
For an informal atmosphere such as an afternoon luncheon by the beach or garden party, guests can be more playful and creative with what they wear. Rather than long dresses, imagine having to hold up your dress all day long-standing on the sand, opt for a knee to ankle dresses that provide more flexibility and bright/light colours that are more lively. For the guys, chinos tucked in shirts would be great. Try going for fun patterned shirts or even add in suspenders for something different.
Relationship to the couple
There will be different groups of people in every wedding, generally split into – family, friends, colleagues. For immediate family members such as the bride’s or groom’s parents or siblings, more effort should be made. Especially for the couple’s parents, since you will be going around to host the guests and chatting with your extended relatives, so you will want to look your best and be presentable.
As for the couple’s friends/colleagues, there is not much to be mindful of. You can dress however you want as per the occasion deems fit unless you are the bridesmaid or groomsmen which there will be a dress code prepared beforehand.
Venue
Depending on where the couple is hosting their wedding celebration, you will want to wear something that is comfortable and suitable for the environment.
For outdoor weddings, especially venues that are not sheltered, one thing to take note of is to keep as cool as possible. Opt for breathable and lightweight materials so that it is more bearable for you under the hot sun. While keeping the formality of the wedding, the men can ditch the blazer and just keep the dress shirt or a collar-shirt, short-sleeve, or 3 quarter sleeve.
Things To Avoid Wearing To A Wedding
Too casual
Though most Singaporean couples are not too picky about what their guests wear, there are still some clothing that guests should definitely avoid wearing. Jeans, shorts, berms, and slippers are a big no-no. Dressing too casual for such a significant event would be a disrespect to the couple. Since you are invited to the wedding, you must have a special place in the couple’s life and it is an honor to be able to witness this significant milestone of the couple. If you are not too sure what is too casual, one easy guideline is what you usually wear for a simple day out would be inappropriate.
Overdressing the bride/groom
The stars on the wedding day would be the bride and groom, like obviously right? So it is important to not dress too extravagantly that you outshine the bride or groom and end up stealing the limelight from the couple.
There was once I attended a wedding where the bride chose a more simple dress for her wedding gown and there were a couple of ladies that outshined the bride in terms of dressing. During the wedding, I received a comment that the bride doesn’t seem to be like a bride. Though we can’t really blame those ladies for overdressing cause the bride really had a casual gown, but it was a pretty awkward situation.
An important rule for the ladies is to avoid wearing white or ivory dresses. For a very simple reason, brides usually have white wedding gowns, and you wouldn’t want to overshadow the bride or have the guests confused you for the bride.
