Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding invitations have been sent out, providing guests with information on their dress code: “morning suits” for men and a “day dress with hat” for women. Not an unusual request for a wedding, but one which could leave those who are not regular nuptials attendees wondering: ’what exactly does that mean?′
Wedding preparations can already be rather stressful, for guests as well as the happy couple. Whether it is taking time off work, organising travel or settling on just how much to spend on the gift. Deciding what you’re going to wear on the special day is top of the list of worries for many, especially when a dress code is explicitly stated on the invite, but you’re not quite sure what it entails.
This dress code is unsurprising, as the one for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding was similar (although men also had the option of wearing uniform), and Pippa Middleton and James Matthews also requested morning suits on their big day.
Lucy Hume, associate director of etiquette coaching company Debrett’s, formerly told HuffPost UK, that morning dress usually comes in grey or black, with a waistcoat and grey striped trousers, while a lounge suit means a suit worn with a shirt and tie.
In terms of the royal wedding, Hamish Shephard, founder of wedding planning app and website Bridebook.co.uk, clarified that these words were carefully selected due to the international audience Harry and Meghan’s wedding would bring. “They are allowing guests to wear a mix of attire rather than enforcing British tradition. Traditionally all men would wear morning suits or military uniform.”
But there are still so many questions: what kind of shoes do you wear with a lounge suit? What type of shirt? Any accessories?
Hume, the co-author of Debrett’s Wedding Handbook says “ties are worn with a plain, pale shirt and cufflinks. Shoes should be black and lace-up.”
In regards to the day dress, Shephard cleared up that this dress code would bring flexibility especially for women at the evening reception, no ball gowns required. “It also let’s Meghan wear two amazing dresses on the day, and let’s them both dance the night away much more comfortably without a huge train and out of military uniform.”
But what about the other details? Is the requested additional accessory - the hat required? Shephard explained that although the request for a headpiece stems from the fact women are generally expected to wear a hat in church, we can expect far more than functional headwear at Harry and Meghan’s wedding: “amazing millinery and splashes of colour for the ladies to show off their personality.”
If you have been asked to wear a hat to a wedding, but would rather not, it is wise to consult the bride, groom, or maid of honour about this first. Remember, if they’ve put it in writing, there is probably a reason behind their request.
What about wedding fashion faux pas? Can we now wear black at a wedding without looking like we are heading to a funeral? What about white?
Helen Pye, senior digital writer at wedding planning website hitched.co.uk spoke to HuffPost UK and cleared up some of our questions for the big day. She explained that though wedding attire has become more relaxed, the key is that “your wardrobe choice should never detract from the bride or be the topic of conversation among other guests” meaning wearing white is a “complete no-no”.
Black in 2018 can be seen to be chic and glamorous, but reactions to it may vary from culture to culture, as in South Asian weddings, wearing darker colours - unless it is a requested colour code, is rarely seen. Vibrant colours are used to symbolise joy and excitement for the couple’s next phase in life.
Pye noted that if you do choose to wear black you could brighten up your outfit with accessories if you’re worried about looking sombre.
If there is a specific colour requested for the guests to wear, try not to do the complete outfit in a block of colour (try tonal clashing even).
Another outfit worry guests may have is finding something to wear when it’s wedding season and you have multiple events to attend over the summer. With the addition of social media and posting onto your highlight reel beautiful outfits, there is a pressure to look completely different at each event. However, this can be expensive and even wasteful.
Pye points out that even “the Duchess of Cambridge is a regular recycler of outfits; if she can get away with it, you can pop up on Instagram in the same Topshop dress without any embarrassment.”
As someone who attended 29 weddings in 2012 and three even in one day (it’s all about balance) a good tip is to try to re-wear your outfits in a different light every time. If there’s a midi dress you love to wear, could you try to wear a different type of shoe? If it’s a suit - what about a different shirt or even no tie?
If you are losing sleep over a dress code and it’s costing you expensive night cream thus an additional cost, speak to the bridal party and your friends for advice.
The real question is, will anyone out do Beatrice’s famous hat from Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding?
