We recently received a reader question regarding a destination wedding…
The rehearsal is a low country boil out doors on a beach, and the wedding itself is on the beach with a reception to follow within the resort. I can do beach wedding, but the issue is the reception. It is being held at a very formal, very southern resort, and one of the top ranked in the country.
A destination beach wedding sounds wonderful and we were so excited to brainstorm some outfit ideas for this event.
Since our reader’s dilemma was the transition from a more casual beach wedding to a formal indoor reception, we looked for dresses that could easily be dressed up or down. Here are some of our suggestions:
This J Crew dress comes with a under $50 price tag and is a gorgeous silk chiffon fabric in a beautiful “spiced wine” color. We love this for the deep rich hue and the flattering neckline. It could easily be made beach appropriate with flat sandals and a casual clutch, while switching to a pair of heels and adding a black or gray pashmina would make it reception formal.
This black and white floral Ann Taylor LOFT dress is another great casual-to-formal item. The knee length hemline and floral pattern make it casual and summery enough for a beach wedding, but the sophisticated black and white palette can quickly take it to evening formal.
We love the unique neckline of this Gianni Bini dress and the Grecian inspired feel of it. This one is guaranteed to make the wearer stand out! If you’re up for more of a splurge, be sure to check this one out at Dillards, along with the pages and pages of gorgeous dresses they have to offer.
Here are some tips for a successful beach-to-evening look:
- Look for shorter dresses with a looser cut (less tailored and more breezy)
- Plan for a change of footwear! Flat sandals for the beach and heels for the reception
- Brighter colors and prints are more easily made beach appropriate but can just as easily become formal as black or grays
- Look for silk or chiffon blends and avoid 100% cotton – it’s easier to dress down a silk-blend fabric than it is to dress up a cotton dress
- Add “evening” accessories like a black or charcoal pashmina to take the beach wedding dress to indoor formal
We hope that these suggestions provide you the inspiration to put together that stunning beach-to-evening outfit for the upcoming wedding! As always, we open the forum to the rest of you to chime in with your helpful advice. More ideas and suggestions are always welcome and much appreciated!
I live in South Carolina and last June I was invited to a Charleston-style wedding in Charleston, SC that had a very formal reception at an upscale country club. It was gorgeous however, I was stuck with the same dilemma as the reader’s question. After attending the wedding I noticed three things that us Southern girls do, the fourth is what i’ve learned along the way:
#1 wear a classic shape as the first jcrew dress, nothing too trendy or patterned such as dress suggestions #2 & #3
#2 keep makeup to a minimum for a softened glow with a glossy lip and charcoal-smudged eyes with a more natural hairstyle
#3 carry a statement piece whether a contrasting clutch purse, yellow nine west heels with a basic black dress, or some other stand-alone piece such as jewelry, pashmina etc.
#4 know how to make an entrance with good posture and a dazzling smile; you can wear an over-priced trendy dress but you won’t be as beautiful as the woman who walks in with an air of confidence; sometimes sticking with the “safer” option is better because you know you look great and you show it.
By the way, I wore a “little black silk chiffon shift dress” that I found at Express. It still looks and fits great and I will wear it to yet another wedding in a few weeks. I played up summer palettes and wore yellow Nine West flats (I’m taller than my husband) and a yellow Nine West purse with simple gold earrings and a gold cuff from Target.
Oh I was soo excited to see your response, and I had been planning on wearing a cotton Tocca dress, but instead just bought the J Crew one and will wear the cotton for the rehearsal dinner! Thank you all so much! I may just have to send pics after the event:)
D – thanks for the tips, not being from a southern state, I think we’re not quite in tune with the ins and outs of Southern Fashion! :)
Vintage_mck – great!! We’re thrilled that you loved our suggestion and glad you got the J Crew one! We love that one and are happy to vicariously enjoy it through you! Definitely send pictures if you’d like, we’d love to see it!
Love this question since I myself am going to a beach wedding later this summer. I know what I’m going to wear, but question for my boyfriend–the beach wedding invitation says casual–what does that mean for guys?
I get excited when i receive wedding invitations. sometimes i also make customized wedding invitations.,”‘
i do most wedding invitations on photoshop and also on MS Word*~*
our wedding invitation cards are just home made but they look great:”*
we like to make customized wedding invitations at home;:`
i think that the best wedding invitations are those that are custom built for the occassion, bright colors are advisable to use :::
[...] few summers ago we answered What to Wear to a Beach Wedding. We recommending things like: “Brighter colors and prints are more easily made beach [...]
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