As wedding season begins, you might wonder what you should wear to the event. Here is a list of do’s and don’ts when it comes to your choice of clothing.

Do’s

Typically, when you get invited to a wedding there will be a theme or a dress code on the invitation. This can help you decide what is appropriate to wear. For example, if the theme is “black tie” that will indicate formal, more reserved clothing as opposed to a “bohemian” style which is more carefree.

Annie Keller, an independent wedding coordinator, said to pay attention to the time the event is scheduled to decide what you are going to wear.

“A lot of the times you want to take your cues at the time of the wedding,” Keller said. “So anything after four, even though its [the theme] casual you’re probably going to want dressier types pants, but you can probably get away without wearing a coat.”

Another thing to remember is the season and venue location, so if it were an outdoor summer wedding you would want to stay away from stilettos to avoid sinking in the grass. Keller said she would advise guests to use current fashion trends as a guide to their outfits.

The season can also help you decide which colors to wear at a wedding. If you were at a winter wedding, you could go for cooler palette such as bright royal blue or an emerald green while pastels such as yellow or pink could be an option for the summer.

“You want to be comfortable, it’s generally a nicer affair so you want to look nicer than your average day,” Keller said.

Don’ts

Traditionally, the color white is reserved for the bride, and the focus should be on the couple getting married and they should be the only ones standing out.

That does not mean you cannot wear white with your outfit but that should not be the main color, unless it is the theme of the wedding.  

“You can definitely incorporate white … so it’s not that you can’t wear white at all, it would just be to stray away from a solid white, particularly more formal looking, dress,” Keller said.

Stemming from the color white, also avoid clothing that draw too much attention, which can include bright neon colors, clothing with glitter and patterns. Keller said the invitation and the preference of the couple is a good indicator of what not to wear.

“So think about how much you may or may not being showing, how appropriate your apparel might be, how distracting it might be,” Keller said.

Keller said she encourages guests to ask the couple that is getting married for advice about attire once they get the invitation.