Summer weddings will always be incredibly popular. The idea of getting the perfect weather with the sun shining and people standing on the grass drinking champagne is the stereotypical image of the perfect wedding. Yet in most places, you can’t guarantee the weather. I have been to two summer weddings recently that were disasters, ok ‘disasters’ is too strong a word, but there were issues. At the first wedding, it rained all day and no one had planned for it meaning lots of last-minute changes and cramped venues. At the second wedding, it was hotter than anyone expected and the front three rows weren’t covered by the tent and many people just sweat profusely for the entire ceremony. Summer weddings are clearly a lot riskier than they appear. This is why the winter wedding is becoming a more appealing option. You know in advance that it is going to be cold, you know there is a chance of rain, there may even be a chance of snow and you prepare accordingly. Winter weddings are incredibly beautiful and have a totally different atmosphere compared to summer. If you have a great summer wedding outfit there is no way you can wear it to a winter wedding. What should you wear?
If you are imagining a winter wedding in an incredibly cold environment you may be thinking that you will be dressed up so snuggly that you will wear a massive coat and simply forget fashion for the day, that would be a mistake. A winter wedding is actually an opportunity to show off multiple sides to an outfit. For the outdoor part, you need a classy coat, for the indoor part you need a comfortable and warm outfit and for the night you need something more loose and free. A winter wedding is like a free pass for guests to change their outfit multiple times, sort of.
The first step is to choose a great coat. If you have picked a plain or simple outfit like a dark-colored dress then a coat with some life is a great idea. We still wouldn’t recommend bright summer colors but something more neutral with a bold pattern could do exceptionally well. Winter is the only time you can get away with wearing heavy materials so embrace them. Imagine wearing wool or velvet to a summer wedding, you would die from the heat. Yet in winter these options become available and go together so well. Try pairing a velvet dress with a wool coat. This will keep you nice and warm and also turn you into a gorgeous silhouette.
Of course, when everyone goes shopping for winter dresses they usually opt for full-sleeved long dresses that if we are lucky will show a little bit of the neck and decalage. You shouldn’t feel the need to play it so safe. You can use your coat and some nice accessories (are you thinking you now have an excuse to buy that gorgeous expensive scarf you saw in a shop window recently or is it just me?) to keep warm when outside and hopefully (unless it is a really old church) there will be some heating when you are inside. This means you can still choose a more revealing outfit that shows off your best assets. If you wear a short skirt simply ensure you are wearing some nice tights to still give your outfit a warm tone, otherwise you will have lots of older people approaching you all night asking if you are cold.
The winter wedding is growing in popularity and rightly so. You should be excited to attend too as it will give you lots of opportunities to wear new outfits and combine items in different ways. How many summer weddings have you been to over the years? So many that you almost know every outfit combination that is possible. Embrace the winter wedding.
How to dress for a winter wedding
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