5 Summer Wedding Style Tips for Guests

With wedding season upon us, you might find yourself flooded with summer wedding invitations. What better way to celebrate love than during the warm summer months? Though summer weddings are beautiful, they’re a little trickier to dress for than ceremonies that take place in other seasons.

Thankfully, depending on your style, the venue, and the weather forecast, you have plenty of options to choose from. If you’re mulling over what to wear to your next summer wedding, check out some tried-and-true tips for wedding guest styles.

Tip 1: Wear Lightweight Materials Like Linen

No matter the setting or formality of the wedding, lightweight materials are your best option in terms of summer wedding fashion. And no fashion is more iconic in terms of summer menswear than the linen suit.

Lightweight, breezy and loose-fitting, the linen suit is the perfect suit choice. Linen suits come in cool summer colors, too. From khaki to navy and pink to olive, linen suits can be found in all tones of the season.

Coordinate your linen suit with a light cotton shirt, a tie if the occasion calls for it, or even a matching vest, and your summer wedding look is complete.

Tip 2: Coordinate Colors With the Season

Summer is so versatile in terms of color options. Seasonal color palettes run the gamut from pastels to brights and the ever-popular nude tones; the options are wide open. Unless the wedding is a black-tie event, you can choose any summer palette.

If you’re feeling brave enough to embrace a monochromatic look, you can easily add touches of summer colors in ties, shirts, and even accessories.

You can perk up black tie apparel with a pop of color from a bright pocket square. Other cool ways to add some color to a summer wedding ensemble are with floral print shirts, colorful blazers, and fun socks.

Tip 3: Consider the Venue

Perhaps one of the most important considerations to make regarding what to wear to a summer wedding is the venue. For instance, beach, backyard, and many destination weddings tend to embrace a more casual vibe, while formal venues require a suit or even a tuxedo.

In terms of venue, consider whether the reception will be indoors or outdoors, and be sure to adhere to any directives about the dress code on the wedding invitation. Here’s a quick cheat sheet for acceptable summer wedding attire based on venue and dress code:

• Black-tie Event: Tuxedo, bow tie, cufflinks, dress shoes, etc.
• Beach Wedding: Linen or seersucker suit, linen pants, short-sleeved button-down, flip-flops, Bermuda shorts
• Backyard Bash: Chinos or shorts, short-sleeved button-down or polo shirt, fresh tennis shoes, or leather flip-flops
• Formal Affair: Solid-colored suit in black, gray, or navy with a starched dress shirt, tie, leather dress shoes, and matching belt
• Cocktail Party or Semi-formal Wedding: Pin-striped or other funky suit, chinos, and dress shirt in fun colors or patterns, leather shoes

Tip 4: Shorts May Be Appropriate

Although suits for men are the standard for typical wedding attire, you may be able to tastefully wear shorts to a summer wedding, depending on the venue. Structured, lightweight shorts with a dress shirt, loose Hawaiian shirt, or smart blazer all work for a casual summer wedding.

Bermuda-length shorts in light textiles and hues paired with a smart sports coat are a great wedding look if it adheres to the reception vibe. Beach and other outdoor venues are great places to don this timeless look. This look, depending on how casual or dressed-up the event is, can be paired with flip-flops, boat shoes, or knee socks and dress shoes.

Tip 5: Add Accessories

Accessories are a must for wedding outfits no matter the season, so be sure to accent your summer wedding garb with all the right adornments. Check out some of these great ways to accessorize your summer wedding style:

• Hats: Depending on the venue and wedding vibe, it may be fun to accessorize your wedding style with a summer-appropriate hat such as a Panama, boater, summer flat cap or fedora, to name a few. Steer clear of the too-casual baseball cap and the ever-popular bucket hat; these are simply too laid-back for a wedding.
• Cufflinks: Nothing looks more sophisticated than cufflinks instead of button-sleeve closures. Cufflinks are more commonly worn in formal settings, so save them for black-tie and other dressy wedding receptions.
• Watch: No man’s outfit is complete without a chic watch. Ditch your digital timepieces and smartwatches for statement pieces. However, don’t choose something too flashy that might upstage the groom.
• Belt: Don’t be the guy who wears a suit or dress slacks without a belt. The rule of thumb is that anytime your shirt is tucked in or you’re wearing a jacket, you should also don a belt. Be sure to match your belt to the color and texture of your shoes. For instance, brown leather shoes should be worn with a brown leather belt.
• Pocket square: Though not a must-have, a cool pocket square adds a bit of pizzazz to your wedding attire. Pocket squares can be expertly folded or causally tucked, but either way, they’re stuffed into the breast pocket of a men’s jacket. A pocket square is a fun way to add a bit of color, whimsy and character without overdoing it.

Summer Wedding Ready

Summer wedding fashions are incredibly versatile. The top two things to consider when deciding what to wear to a summer wedding are the venue and any dress code requests. No matter the venue, however, lightweight fabrics, summer hues, and appropriate accessories are always in style for a summer wedding.