2025 Brides Share the New Rules of Wedding Guest Etiquette: What to Wear and What to Skip

This year’s brides are not just getting married—they’re rewriting the rules of what it means to throw a fashion-forward wedding. I spoke to several women working in the fashion industry who are currently deep in planning mode for the most stylish celebrations of 2025. From dreamy venues to meticulous dress codes, they all had strong opinions on what guests should and shouldn’t wear—and I was surprised to hear that the one thing they all agreed upon was this simple. TL;DR: Don’t be boring.

Forget the fear of wearing black or the outdated anxiety around showing too much skin. These brides are here to clear the air on what’s appropriate, what’s outdated, and how to show up as your most confident (and chicest) self. Whether you’re attending a wedding at a palace or a countryside ceremony, their etiquette edits will help you stand out—for all the right reasons.

Morgan Evans, Fashion and Culture Editor

This bride is encouraging… dressing for the venue

And discouraging… confusing dress codes

“One of my biggest pet peeves at a wedding is when people underdress for formal or black-tie weddings. I don’t think there’s such a thing as being too overdressed for a wedding. It is a formal celebration, after all, but it’s really frustrating when people show up in mini or midi dresses that lean toward more casual cocktail attire. I also think the venue makes a huge difference as well. If you’re having a beachside wedding, then it’s probably better for guests to show up in a ‘casual cocktail’ with easy linen suits and breezy dresses. But as a 2025 bride who is getting married at an old palace estate, my wedding dress code is black-tie attire, meaning tuxedos and gowns, because I want people to look and feel as glamorous as the venue. And to avoid any confusion, I detailed that women should be in ‘tea or floor-length’ ensembles. I also refrained from saying ‘maxi dress’ because people can also misinterpret that as any dress that touches the floor and show up in a jersey or knit maxi dress that is much too casual for the event. Just because it’s long doesn’t mean it’s formal.”

“Another general wedding dress code I don’t love is ‘black tie optional.’ And again, I think for a more casual wedding, it’s fine, but if you are having a formal wedding and you want everyone look more uniform, then you should probably steer away from the ‘optional’ theme because then you end up getting an array of everything from men in an assortment of different suits and tuxedos to women in a mix of short and long cocktail dresses. … Nothing ends up being cohesive, and everyone looks dressed to go to different places, which isn’t elegant and leaves people wondering what the dress code really is.” — Evans

This bride is encouraging… wearing what’s true to you

And discouraging… leaving nothing to the imagination

“As a June bride getting married in Spain, I envision Mediterranean summer glamour where guests embrace a sense of effortless elegance. While our wedding is black tie, I am not looking for anything stiff or overly formal. I would love to see pieces that feel graceful and refined but also comfortable and true to the person wearing them. My inspirations are icons like Bianca Jagger, Marisa Berenson, and Lee Radziwill—polished yet free-spirited.”

“One of my biggest dress code faux pas is wearing white—unless it’s specifically called for—and outfits that are overly revealing. To quote my incredibly chic grandmother, ‘Leave something to the imagination.'” — Modek

Jamie Schneider, Beauty Editor at Who What Wear

This bride is encouraging… “a sea of hues”

And discouraging… excessive minimalism

“I’m having a November wedding, but I’m hoping my guests won’t stick to a traditionally fall color palette. Of course, I do expect lots of navy, brown (ahem, Mocha Mousse), gray, etc., but guests should feel free to break the seasonal ‘rules’ a little bit when it comes to dress colors. I want to look out to a sea of hues! To gently nudge them in this direction, I created a ‘Weekend Attire’ mood board that I linked to on my wedding website. Is that extra? Probably, but I think it’s helpful to show guests your vision, even if you don’t have a hyper-specific dress code.”