What To Wear to a Wedding Reception: Wedding Attire for Men

It is always challenging to navigate the perfect dress from the contemporary styles that align with your personality along with the dress code. Wedding receptions aren't easy to break into, and the most basic and general queries arise: What to wear to a wedding reception?

You know your style; now it's time to get familiar with some expressions that will help you to crack down on the wedding dress code.

Know the Dress Code

How to decode this dress code without dropping yourself in the pool of the wrong attire? Couples usually throw light on the dress code via the invitation card. Dress codes are generally mentioned at the end of the card, like a formal dress, black tie, cocktail attire, and others. Now, let’s deal with each dress code category, to become a know-it-all dude at a wedding.

White Tie Wedding

From traditional to contemporary times, white tie attire is considered the most formal dress code and is taken very seriously by style experts.

Generally, white tie attire includes a black coat or tailcoat that goes up to the knee from the back, black pleated pants, and patent leather shoes. In modern fashion, patent leather shoes have been replaced with others and accepted by everyone. That’s why patent leather shoes no longer count as fix codes, but they used to be.

Specifically, white tie attire includes a white waistcoat, bow tie, studs, and cufflinks. These are the essentials that you have to go along with to complete the dress code. The experts recommend a white wing collared dress shirt to follow this code like a pro.

In addition to accessories, a white tie also allows wearing a white lapel flower, white linen or plain handkerchief, and white leather gloves. The gold pocket watch traditionally completes this dress code in the watch collection.

Black Tie Wedding

Black tie attire is also as old as white tie tradition. The black tie suits theme also exhibits the high formality level of the event.

In general, black-tie attire includes a suit or tuxedo jacket and pants, a white pleated dress shirts, and patent leather or polished calfskin cap toes.

Specifically, black tie attire comes with the black cummerbund, bow tie, studs, and cufflinks. These are the fixed parts of black-tie attire; a man must have command of these things.

Additionally, you can wear a black dress watch, white lapel flower, and a white handkerchief. You can change the colour of the cloth to other shades of white, but then you have to change the dress shirt colour to maintain a colour balance in your dress code.

Cocktail (Semi-Formal) Wedding

Cocktail attire follows the semi-formal theme. This dress code doesn’t involve a tuxedo suit but also does not go with polo shirts or something like that. It will be considered underdress.

Generally, cocktail attire requires a suit, but the colour varies. You can choose between light or dark colours, like a cream colour suit, navy blue, tan colour, charcoal colour and more.

Plus, you can add a white dress shirt, matching dotted tie, and identical handkerchief. Don’t wear studs or cufflinks; leave them for only formal weddings.  

Casual Wedding

Casual attire doesn't bind you with any type of fixed dress code. You can wear a simple suit, but more comfortable clothes will be much better.

Choose a floral, linen, or plain shirt for casual wedding attire. You can avoid a tie with a floral shirt, but with linen and a simple shirt, you can wear a floral tie.

For pants, you can follow khaki or navy-blue pants that compliment your shirt. To create a more casual look, you can cuff your pants.

You can wear any kind of little fancy watch and handkerchief in accessories.

No Dress Code

No dress code gives liberty to a man to choose between formal or casual attire. The best way to crack this code is to study the invitation card wisely. Do not wear the colour the card has. Similarly, the time of the event and place also tell you many things.

If the reception is happening at the church in the evening time, then go in a dark colour suit, like black or navy blue, with a white dress shirt and a tie. Wear black or brown leather formal shoes.

If the reception is planned in the morning hours and in an open place, then wear a light colour suit, like cream or light grey or green. You can avoid wearing a tie and choose comfortable trainers.

As accessories, follow cufflink, handkerchief, and a fancy watch to complete the attire.

Smart-Casual Wedding

Smart casual weddings grant an exclusive men's collection to go with. Denim pants with a sky-blue fitted shirt make the best combo for the wedding reception. Colours vary on your choice, but the light colour would fit better.

Loafers, sneakers, brogues, and other causal shoes can be considered for a smart-casual wedding. A bow tie will be overdressed, but you can consider wearing a tie.

You can follow denim jackets or plain cream color coats for a jacket or coat replacement.

Wedding Attire By Season

To simplify the dress code for the wedding, you can modestly follow the wedding attire by the seasons: winter, summer, and autumn.

What Should A Guest Wear to A Spring Wedding?

Along with the black or blue coat, a white french cuff shirt with a black bow tie is a traditional outfit for a spring wedding. In shoes, you have black patent leather or boats. 

Cummerbund and waistcoat are optional, but it will be preferable if you attend a spring wedding in the evening. You can go with black or brown beaded hand bands, plain polished rings and silk tie as additional accessories.

What to Wear to A Summer Wedding As A Guest?

Summer wedding attire doesn’t play around with a high formal theme, but a suit could be the best choice to come up with.

A linen khaki/sand suit, beige/light or dark brown colour suit with a white plain shirt and black and brown leather or monk strap shoes will be a good fit for a summer wedding. On the contrary, summer weddings have also adopted light and dark colours. White pants, a dark linen coat, and a matching tie are also options.

Along with the watch and handkerchief, you can add matching sunglasses and a hat that adds more flavour to your style.

What To Wear to a Wedding In The Autumn/Fall As A Guest?

For autumn/fall weddings, brown, green, and burgundy tweed suits are preferable. You can include a double-breasted tux with a shawl collar with a classic white poplin dress shirt to give it a more formal look. Patent leather cap toes give a compliment to your outfit. Add zirconia cufflinks, silk handkerchief, and bow tie to complete the attire.

What to Wear as a Wedding Guest in the Winter?

As a wedding guest in the winter, tailor your suit with heavy texture, like go with flannel, wool, or tweed suit and choose dark colours. A black velvet blazer is a pro dressing for such weddings.

Complementary wool jackets or overcoats are the essentials for winter weddings. Choose between brogues or tan calf for a better look. Add cufflinks, a textured tie, and a fancy watch. 

What Should You Not Wear to a Wedding Reception?

A man should not consider wearing a polo shirt or sports clothes at a casual wedding. If there is no dress code from the couple, you still don’t have to go over or under the board with your dressing. A chain or a ring is appropriate to wear but not heavy jewels. Sophistication is an excellent level to achieve but never clashes with groom dressing. Brides don’t like it. Slippers or comfy shoes have a big no for any wedding reception theme.