As a bridal industry professional, I see a LOT of wedding guests. And I’ve been a guest at a lot of weddings in my personal life! So you can bet I’ve seen a lot of cold girls with sore feet and a lot of classy guests who came prepared. 

If you want to be one of the prepared ones feeling beautiful and ready to have a great time— this blog is for you!!!

What to Wear

Attire for a wedding is one of the most important pieces as a wedding guest! You want to follow the dress code (typically shared on the invite or wedding website) and be prepared for the right weather, indoor and outdoor conditions and of course lots of dancing!!!

I almost always get my wedding guest looks from Nuuly. With a wide variety of styles, I’m able to rent a new dress for each wedding and feel special in a new look without breaking the bank on a new outfit every time. 

You can use my link to Nuuly to get $20 off your first month! 

Another great thing about Nuuly is there’s lots of classy jackets and I always bring a jacket. Even if you just leave it in your car, you never know when you might be outside for longer than you thought or what the temperature will be when the sun goes down. Bring a jacket just in case and make sure it’s elevated and goes with your look (so no, not your jean jacket- this is a fun opportunity to be a little extra classy)! 

The Shoes

Let’s be honest, taking your shoes off on the dance floor isn’t the best look … and it’s probably a little dirty. I recommend finding a chunky heel that you can stay in all night. There might be grass, dirt, rocks, etc. so I avoid stilettos or point heels to make sure I’m ready to walk wherever they ask us to. Chunky heels are the way to go! 

If you find a great heel that you love, buy a pair in neutral and make it your wedding shoe. You can focus on the rest of your look and trust that your shoes will keep you comfortable (and not barefoot) all night long. 

Accessorize ✨

Accessories can make a big difference in your look. It’s important to not overdo it, but don’t skip it either. I like to choose one area that is going to be the main accessory (think bigger earrings or a statement necklace) and then go simpler in the other areas. 

For example: if I’m wearing a statement necklace, I’ll do simple bud earrings. 

Another accessory to consider for a wedding is an evening bag. I like to scale down to just what I need with me rather than slugging my mom purse around. A hand clutch that I can hold in my hand or under my arm is perfect and it’s just big enough for my phone, sunglasses, lip gloss, and a tampon (seriously, always just bring one in case)! 

The Beauty Prep Timeline

When you’re getting ready to be a wedding guest, it’s important to plan ahead! It also helps me get excited for the evening out to do some things the week before in preparation. Here’s my go to wedding week prep as a guest:

1. 5 days until the wedding: get your nails done!
2. 4 days before the wedding: get your hair done. Any coloring should be done with a few days for it to settle and make sure you’re happy with it. 
3. 3 days until party time: Get a spray tan. Do this after your nails so that your nail tech doesn’t wipe any off on your hands. 
4. 2 days before: Practice your hair and even your makeup (more on that below!) 
5. The day before the wedding: Get out the items you’ll want in your clutch, steam your dress and hang everything up ready to go! This way you won’t be rushed when it’s time to get ready and you can have fun preparing to leave and go with a good mood!

The Makeup

Another one of my very favorite ways to feel a little extra dolled up is with lashes! These lashes are my tried and true for brides, bridesmaids and even moms and grandmas. They are truly the best on everyone and trust me, you’re going to want the four pack because once you wear them once you’ll want to wear them for every event forever!!!

Doing My Hair

I like to find a look I want to go with for the wedding and practice my hair a day or two before. It can be frustrating if the first time you’re going for a new do is also when you need to be leaving for a wedding. So do your Pinterest searching in advance and try it out next time you’re leaving the house to give the look a test run. Pay attention to how the hair stays and if you’ll need more hairspray next time (and always throw some bobby pins in your clutch). 

I always like to do my hair last so that my makeup is done and I can see the look fully together. A lot of times when I do my makeup after my hair I don’t feel good about my hair until I see it all together! And, if you have fine hair or it doesn’t hold a curl well, it’s great to do your hair as close to when you’re leaving as possible to help it last as long as possible.

Bring Your Confidence!

However you decide to show up at a wedding, the most important thing is that you feel confident!! Focus on how you can show your personality and feel good within the dress code requested by the bride and groom and have SO MUCH FUN!!!!

Xoxo,
Emily