Top Tips To Prevent Upstaging The Bride

When attending a marriage ceremony, you are supposed to dress up. But upstaging the bride on her wedding day is not polite etiquette. The bride has her day to shine, and it’s time for everyone else from the wedding to blend in.

In this article, we will give some tips on how to let the bride shine without raining on your own parade. You don’t want to have to put up with the dreaded bridezilla. At the wedding, maybe you should avoid:

• Wearing white
• Wearing a black outfit
• Showing too much cleavage
• Wearing a red dress
• Shorts and T-shirts

Leave the colour white to the bride

For starters, how about leaving the colour white to the bride? All too often, the bride will be wearing a wedding dress of pure white with a touch of lace around the neckline. You may want to steer clear of any other colours that might clash with her outfits.

And while it’s true that wedding guests are sometimes given a little leeway in terms of what they can wear, you should still stay within the same colour scheme as what is being worn by the main attendees. So if most everyone is in black suits or colourful dresses then you should follow suit and wear something dark or bright.

The bride is the only person that can wear all-white on her big day!

Avoid a full black outfit

A good place to start is with your outfit. If you’re wearing a full black outfit, you might want to rethink that decision. Sure, it’s nice if you’re in mourning, but it will be hard for you to blend in when everyone else is dressed in their finest colourful clothing.

If you are going to wear one or two pieces of black clothing, then that would be acceptable but not a completely black outfit. You can give yourself a pass if you’re wearing a black skirt, a black necklace, or black shoes. It is supposed to be a colourful joyous day and you don’t want to be the only one wearing just black.

Don’t show too much cleavage

Showing too much cleavage can be difficult to avoid if you wear a dress that’s low-cut, but there are some easy ways to keep your clothes from giving away too much. For one, wear a bra that matches your outfit and makes sure it’s not visible through your clothes. If you’re wearing a v-neck or an off-the-shoulder top, choose a cardigan or jacket that covers the area around your neck. If you’re wearing a top with spaghetti straps, just put on a little shrug or bolero that goes over your shoulders.

Be wary of wearing red

There are two ways to look at red. It’s true that red can be seen as one of the most powerful and commanding colours you will ever come across. Researchers and psychologists have proven that is a colour that grabs our attention. Red is a colour that will get you noticed and you don’t want that on the bride’s wedding day! All the attention should be on her. There’s a reason why advertisers use red and that is because it grabs your attention.

When attending a Chinese wedding, you should take note of the bride’s dress and colour. Some brides will choose a red dress instead of the traditional white one.

Avoid wearing shorts and a t-shirt

You don’t need to wear a tuxedo to a wedding but you got to at least dress the part.. Although formal clothing is always appropriate for a wedding, if you want to look your best on the big day, don’t show up in shorts and a t-shirt. You cannot undermine the months of wedding planning preparation and effort that go into such a big occasion by wearing inappropriate clothing. Get yourself some clean and formal clothing and stick to the dress unspoken code.

Don’t Out dress the bride

The only way to upstage the bride is to wear something extravagant. Dresses and ballroom gowns are examples of overdressing. You definitely grab the attention of other guests if you come to the wedding with a detailed and glittered ballgown. It wouldn’t matter what the bride is wearing on the day.

While you don’t want to be overdressed, you don’t want to under-dress, either. Remember that you’re trying to blend in with everyone else. Be sure to pick an outfit that fits the occasion and doesn’t distract from the bride.

Dresses for the mother of the bride

Finding the right dress can be a challenge but you’ll have to find one that complements the bride wedding gown, not draw attention from her.

Being one of the hosts and bridal party, you need to look presentable and welcoming. You also need to make sure you find a dress that doesn’t restrict your movement or your dance moves.

For the best fit, choose a style that has a slight cut-out at the neckline that works for you. You can go for a sleek, sophisticated look, or one that is edgy and sexy. The dress should have a cut-out that is not too wide and not too narrow. It should be made from a material that will stay in place, yet you can move in it. Also, you should purchase a shawl or mini jacket that you can wear to cover your arms.

You’ll also want to find a dress that fits your figure perfectly so make sure to try out a few dresses before the big day.

Dresses for the bridesmaids

These are often the most important choices for the bride, and you should always aim to pick the bridesmaids dresses that would add to the theme and look. You will need to also go for a colour theme to avoid drawing attention in the photos.

If you have a specific theme in mind for your wedding, then you can choose something that is appropriate for that theme. A single-length chiffon dress is a proven formula that will deliver the elegance you want.

Bridesmaids are usually one of the best dressed on the wedding day. What matters is that the dress is a safe bet, so that it doesn’t show off too much sex appeal. The length of the dress is also worth taking into consideration. A full-length dress is often the best choice.

Flower girl dresses

The flower girls are usually the cutest dressed ladies at the wedding. One way to dress up the flower girls is to base the flower girl dresses on the bride’s dress. The lower part of the dress could be matched with the pattern of the bride’s dress, while the top part could be chosen without any patterns. The bridesmaids and flower girl dresses can be matched with the colour scheme of the occasion. 

Upstaging the Bride Conclusion

Obviously the specific rules on how to not upstage the bride go out the window if the bride tells you to wear what we have advised against. The other exception includes a themed beach wedding where you can get away with wearing a t-shirt and shorts.

Checking the bridesmaids and flower girl dresses is the final thing that you should look at before selecting your outfit. There are some unwritten wedding etiquette to these decisions and ensuring you don’t match too closely which could ruin the photo’s.