Don't Offend The Bride What Not To Wear To Weddings Around The World

Weddings are more than a party; for many it’s the event of a lifetime. As a guest, you want to be gracious, mind your manners, and do everything possible to please the bride — which includes dressing appropriately. Everyone knows not to wear white to a wedding, which is an international faux pas. Here are other sartorial statements to avoid offending the bride in weddings around the world.

Chinese weddings

Avoid wearing red to a Chinese wedding. Often, brides will wear two dresses during a Chinese wedding ceremony: one white and one red, so you don’t want to steal her thunder in a red dress. You should also avoid wearing black to a Chinese wedding, as black is considered bad luck to the newlyweds. To be safe, avoid dark colors in general and stick to a palette of pastels. Peach, pink, and lavender hues symbolize the birth of a new life the couple is embarking on together.

Indian weddings

Saris are the preferred attire for Indian weddings, as wearing one symbolizes respect to the bride and groom. Bright colors are encouraged, while dark colors are considered offensive. Often times, guests will coordinate a human rainbow of colors to symbolize a harmonious new life for the couple.

Nigerian weddings

Do not worry about upstaging the bride at a Nigerian wedding. In fact, you might offend the bride if you do not pull out your most lavish looks for a Nigerian wedding, where vivid color blocking is encouraged. You do want to keep your look modest, as provocative dressing is considered offensive. Corsages and boutonnieres are also considered offensive, unless they are provided by the bride and groom.

Jewish weddings

To avoid offending the bride at a Jewish wedding, dress conservatively, avoiding sheer fabrics and dresses above the knee. Be sure to cover your cleavage, neckline, collarbone, shoulders, and even elbows, especially if the wedding takes place in a synagogue. A shrug or wrap is ideal for inside the synagogue, which you can remove during the party. Men wear a kippot or skullcap, which are usually provided. Sometimes women wear these as well. If you don’t want to offend the bride, you should wear one if it’s offered at the door. Non-Jewish guests wear kippots as a sign of cultural respect.

Irish weddings

Wearing black to an Irish wedding is a faux pas, as it is widely considered funeral attire. You also want to avoid wearing black stockings to an Irish wedding, which are not dubbed formal enough. Floor-length gowns are also sartorially offensive, as you don’t want to upstage the bride. And although hats or fascinators were encouraged in generations past, today, you might appear too stuffy if you wear a hat to an Irish wedding.

About the author

Jill Di Donato

Fashion Editor

Jill is a New York native who holds a BA in Literature from Barnard College, and an MFA in writing from Columbia University. She is the author of the novel Beautiful Garbage (She Writes Press, 2013) about the downtown Manhattan art and fashion scene in the 1980s. A former staff writer for The Huffington Post and Bustle, Jill comes to Culture Trip after working with Refinery 29, Vice, Salon, Paste Style, Los Angeles Times, Nylon, Shopify, Autre, and producing content for emerging fashion labels. She teaches classes about fashion and culture at Barnard College and The Fashion Institute of Technology. Her prized possessions are her Gucci fanny pack, vintage rocker t-shirts, and her grandmother's collection of costume jewelry. She's always on the lookout for a gem-encrusted turban.