'Tis the season for winter wedding guest dresses. As temperatures continue to trend down, it’s important to look for an outfit that shows you off but is weather-appropriate. In the wintertime, options often include dark hues, durable and thick fabrics (think: luxe velvet, shiny metallics, and festive colors), higher necklines and some sleeve components.

Before you can celebrate the happy couple, you’ll need an outfit that is equally as celebratory. But what else should you consider when selecting a wedding guest dress? 

Keep reading for tips on how to be prepped and ready for the penciled-in nuptuals in your calendar.

What Should You Consider When Choosing Winter Wedding Outfits? 

Getting a coveted invite to a close friend or relatives' ceremonies is always exciting. However, considering what dress to wear can be a lesson in trial and error. Do you go casual? Black-tie? Simple dress but with bold accessories? You should consider the time of day, venue and theme depending on how fancy you go. For example, an evening wedding might require more oomph, whereas a daytime wedding can lean more casual. 

Although it might be chilly outside, the majority of the wedding will likely be inside. Which means, you don’t necessarily have to go for a floor length gown. Which is why we recommend that layers: blazers, cardigans, wool coat, or a draped shawl will be your best friend in terms of flexibility for photos, drinks and dancing.  

Start by taking a look at the dress code on the wedding invitation or looking up the venue. If it mentions black-tie, you’ll want to go fancy. If it says semi-formal or cocktail, you can tone it down a bit. If you are in doubt or in between, lean into the moody colors or winter (dark blues, grays, browns and blacks) and wear something that feels like you.  

What To Wear To a Formal Winter Wedding? 

One-Shoulder or Asymmetrical Dresses 

Great for December to early march, asymmetrical dresses sit elegantly off-the-shoulder for added drama and glamour. It is bold and feminine and can be paired with a variety of shoes.  

Favored Sequins  

For the festive season, allover sequins or embellishments could be the key to turning heads. Plus, it’s a great addition to your party dress edit for special occasions outside of weddings. You can wear with strappy sandals or switch to closed-toe pumps. 

Put-Together Pantsuit 

Offering plenty of coverage from cold weather, pantsuits can still have playful accents. Think: plunging neckline, velvet fabric, padded shoulders or cutout details. With options in single- or double-breasted styles you can elongate your frame and flatter your shape.  

Metallic Party 

If you happen to be attending a wedding around New Year’s Eve, metallic shades like bronze, silver or gold could be great. With a simple neckline, you can experiment with a statement necklace or dangling earrings to adhere to cocktail attire.  

Skirt and Blouse 

A wild card in our list, a skirt and blouse combo allows you to play around more with texture and print than a throw-on-and-go dress. By playing up the proportions, you can opt for a fit-and-flare skirt and form-fitting top to take up more volume.  

What To Wear To A Casual Winter Wedding?

Romantic Florals

There's something incredibly romantic about florals at a wedding. And besides, they make such a more exciting look than a standard LBD.  

Innovative Sheath Dresses 

Sheath dresses are just great for workwear, but weddings too. For semi-formal to casual, the less glitz-and-glam approach can easily be done with a sheath dress. And with options in high neckline, long sleeves, or lacey trims — they are anything but boring.  

Party Jumpsuits 

If part of the celebration takes place outdoors, you simply can’t go wrong with the jumpsuit. Available in sleek fabrics, wide-leg silhouettes, high necklines and cutout details to make it feel wedding-appropriate, jumpsuits allow you to easily mingle with guests and dance the night away without compromising on fashion. The one-and-done outfit does all the heavy lifting and really all you need to worry about is the accessories.  

Playful Polka Dots 

Polka dots are the playful pop of personality to any outfit, especially as a wedding guest. As a pro style tip: belts can help ensure your figure isn’t lost and add proportions to shape your outfit.  

Printed Midi Dresses 

Make them do a double take with one our of printed midi dresses. Our assortment includes abstract butterfly prints in black and white, custom in-house design patterns and more that makes for an eye-catching look. In terms of silhouette, might we suggest a wrap dress that will flatter all body types and allow you to adjust the waist tie to your preferred fit, throughout the night.  

Is It OK to Wear Black to a Winter Wedding? 

Yes, black can signify mourning but when done right, it can be celebratory and classy as well. Plus, as winter weddings tend to have a darker palette, black definitely fits the bill.

Black absorbs light and coverts to heat, keeping you especially warm during any outdoor parts of the ceremony. We would suggest keeping black accessories to a minimum though. You can top a colorful or printed dress with a black blazer, but if you are wearing a black dress, steer clear of black jewelry and opt for gold and a pop of color on your lips.  

What Outerwear to Wear to a Winter Wedding? 

Unlike summer ceremonies, you’ll need to sport some type of coat or layer for winter weddings. But unlike daily errands, you can’t just throw on the cropped puffer or parka as you normally would. You should think of your outwear as the perfect accent to the main event, your outfit. Try a sharp tailored blazer (you can even go for a sequenced blazer if your outfit is more minimalist), a peacoat or a faux fur number as options to top off your outfit.  

What Shoes and Accessories Do You Wear To a Winter Wedding? 

The shoes will depend entirely on what kind of wedding guest you are: do you constantly mingle with old friends and strangers? Are you the dancing queen who is non-stop on the dance floor? Or are you more inclined to steal a slow dance with your spouse and enjoy the beautiful dinner? Deciding that will determine how high or low your heel is from the ground.

But in general, more minimalist wedding guess outfits are a great opportunity to show off your style with a statement shoe. As a rule of thumb, it would be smart to go with a closed-toe option to brave the cold. And remember, you can always bring another pair of shoes to change into if you feet get tired.  

Is There Any Clothing Off-Limits For a Wedding Guess? 

Hopefully this is obvious, but you should avoid wearing white to a wedding. Doing so could cause accusations of disrespect of attempts to upstage the bride. There is nothing more awkward than offending the bride or family of the newlyweds.

And it goes without saying that a small amount of white in a pattern or on a coat is okay for weddings. Lastly, steer clear of plunging necklines or cutouts, and sheer that could be too revealing.  

Find your favorite dazzling winter wedding guest dresses online or at a WHBM store near you.