From the snow-covered landscapes to clear night skies to festive holiday décor, it seems there’s something magical around every corner in wintertime. It’s a season that balances icy sparkle with warmth and celebration, making it the perfect time for a standout wedding.
Whether you’re looking for winter wedding guest outfits or participating in the wedding party, searching for formal attire that accommodates cold weather can feel slightly, well, impossible. How can you stay warm while finding an outfit that feels right for the occasion? We’re helping you narrow down your fashion choices while looking stylish at the same time. Here’s what you need to know about winter wedding dress codes and how to select what to wear.
Preparing for a Winter Wedding
As a general rule of thumb for winter weddings, always expect the unexpected. Most couples choose to host their winter weddings inside, but this may not be the case for everyone. If a large portion of the festivities are planned to be outside, it’s always best to dress warmly. Fear not, though: As stressful as it may seem, deciding what to wear for a winter wedding can be fun!
Whether you’re selecting dresses to wear to a winter wedding or general outfits for a wedding party, plenty of stylish opportunities come with the coldest time of year. Winter weddings are typically characterized by formality, seasonally relevant colors, and gorgeous venues. Generally speaking, jewel tones and velvety fabrics are always trendy fashion pieces for winter weddings.
As you get excited about attending winter weddings this year, factors like cold weather and varied dress codes can make it hard to plan out the perfect guest outfit for the occasion.
Weather-Conscious Wedding Attire
When it comes to prepping for a winter wedding, weather plays a big role in your outfit planning. You want to be able to keep warm and fit in with the season, but you don’t want your style to be hidden or compromised by bulky layers.
So how can you stay warm without sacrificing style? The answer to that question is more simple than you might think.Winter weddings are likely to take place indoors, so you’ll want to choose an outfit that’s just warm enough once you take off your coat. A dress with sleeves, a maxi dress, or even a fancy jumpsuit are great ways to dress for the occasion.
Take advantage of fabrics that look stylish while keeping you warm. Velvet is a popular choice for its formality and warm practicality; other options: sparkly knits, sequins, or satin. Wearing an in-season jewel tone like ruby red, deep purple, or emerald green is another way to nail the perfect winter look.
Formality
When you picture a winter wedding, you likely imagine a very formal event in a ballroom-style venue, surrounded by rolling fields of snow. As picturesque as winter weddings tend to be, they still come in varying degrees of formal, semi-formal, and casual. When planning your outfit, it’s key to figure out how formal the event is and dress accordingly.
For the most formal winter weddings, like a black tie or black tie-optional affair, consider a maxi- or co*cktail dress, bold, solid colors, or rich patterns like floral jacquard, heels, and sparkly jewelry. Metallic colors like gold, sequin, copper, or silver are also great for holiday-centered winter weddings.
If the event is semi-formal, go for a co*cktail or midi dress, and feel free to play around with prints and fun hairstyles. For a wedding that’s more on the casual side, shorter dresses in fabrics like cotton or knits work better, and you can try low heels or even flats.
Shoes
Once you’ve picked your dress, it’s time to choose the perfect shoes to complement them. From heels to flats, winter weddings open up plenty of opportunities for picking out a gorgeous pair of shoes.
Sticking to winter-ready fabrics like velvet, leather, satin, or even sparkly glitter helps keep your party look in season and in style. If your dress is patterned or has a more complex design, go for something sleek and elegant. If your dress is on the simpler side, allow your shoes to be the statement piece in your outfit. When picking a shoe color, sophisticated, versatile shades like gold, nude, and black fit seamlessly into any wedding apparel.
Due to the colder temperatures of the season, winter weddings are the perfect opportunity to wear closed-toe shoes. Pumps, high heels, and even fancy flats can be ideal footwear choices for winter weddings.
Wedding Guest Accessories
When it comes to accessorizing your winter wedding look, don’t be afraid to up the shine factor! Have fun picking out jewelry that elevates your outfit, from sparkly rhinestone earrings to shimmery gold necklaces to a dreamy headband or hair clips.
A chic bag completes your wedding guest look, and can make a big impact on your outfit! Go for a glam clutch or mini handbag, whether it’s a refined vegan leather style or a piece with luxe embellishments like beading, sequins, or pearls.
Staying warm is also a priority, especially if you’re going sleeveless or wearing short sleeves. So how can you pair practicality with style? A faux fur jacket or stole is a classic accessory that always looks glam.
Wedding Guest Hairstyles
Weddings are the perfect excuse to try new, fun hairstyles that we might not wear every day. You can opt for a simpler look and wear your hair down, sleek and straightened, or with curls.
To go full glam, try a voluminous ‘90s blowout. Or, you can experiment with an updo like a high bun, fancy ponytail, or a sleek bun. For the best of both worlds, a half-up hairstyle gives you flowing locks combined with intentional style.
Winter wedding hairstyles don’t come with the same humidity concerns as summer looks. This can be a great opportunity for wedding guests with long hair. If you’re worried about frizz, winter is the perfect time to take your loose, wavy curls out for a spin.
Makeup
Winter weather is more likely to dehydrate your skin. Thus, it’s best to choose makeup products that are going to refresh and rejuvenate your complexion. Avoid any makeup that could irritate your skin and try to select products with an emphasis on rehydration. To achieve this, use liquid and powder formulas that cover and hydrate your skin at the same time.
For a winter wedding, you want makeup that will leave you looking radiant and gorgeous, and help you stand out against the cold landscape in photos. A simple foundation and powder with highlighter to give your face a warm glow is a perfect way to go.
You should also avoid using SPF products with winter wedding makeup. This is because the slickness of SPF can corrode your makeup, especially if you already have oily skin. Instead, select neutral or creamy blushes that will moisturize your complexion while giving you a natural glow. If you’d like a splash of color with your makeup, select bold, red lipstick or smoky eyeshadow.
Winter Wedding Guest Dress Inspiration
When choosing a winter wedding dress, you have to keep in mind the dress code, the couple’s vision, and the weather. Here are some perfectly on-point dresses that will look glam and comfortable at any winter wedding!
Velvet Dresses for Winter Weddings
Velvet has a luxurious allure to it, and this heavy, soft fabric is perfect for a winter wedding guest dress. Velvet has a stunning drape, and the fabric’s depth, sheen, and timeless elegance align perfectly with the rich, romantic ambiance of winter weddings. Whether in deep jewel tones or classic neutrals, velvet dresses effortlessly capture the spirit of the season, making them an ideal choice for celebrating love amidst the frosty beauty of winter.
Winter Floral Dresses
Florals aren’t just for spring and summer! Dark, moody patterns on sleek fabric, floral jacquard, and velvet burnout can all contribute to the perfect winter wedding dress. These romantic floral patterns on winter-appropriate fabrics bring an unexpected twist to cold-weather wedding guest fashion. Embracing floral prints in the winter wedding guest ensemble infuses some life and romance into a cold-weather celebration, making for a truly memorable outfit.
Long Sleeve Winter Wedding Guest Dresses
Winter weather is cold, of course, and cold winds and snow can blow out of nowhere. Long sleeves on a wedding guest outfit not only provide a practical shield against the chill but also give an elegant vibe. Whether they’re made from delicate lace, sheer chiffon, or floral jacquard, long sleeves are classic and timeless–and ideal if you’re attending a ceremony in a house of worship that requires modesty.
Maxi Dresses for Winter Weddings
If the winter wedding you’re attending is a formal affair, look for a full-length wedding guest dress. Draping, tiered ruffles, and full skirts are all appropriate for a formal winter wedding, as well as dresses in rich, dramatic colors like jewel tones and sumptuous fabrics like velvet. Glamorous, feminine details like sashes and bows will add to the romantic appeal of your dress, and you can accessorize with delicate jewelry for polished, shimmery finishing touch.
Sparkly Wedding Guest Dresses
Some winter weddings, especially around the New Year, are festive occasions where guests are invited to sparkle and shine. For a wedding like this, look for beaded embellishments and fringe, shiny fabrics like satin and Lurex, and of course, sequins galore. Brighter colors may be acceptable–but of course, avoid white unless specifically requested as guest attire.
We want to see what you’re wearing this winter wedding season! Show us your wedding guest outfits on InstagramorTikTok @lulus using #lovelulus and shop more special occasion styles in our Wedding Guest Shop!
This post was originally published in November 2021 and has been updated with new content.
