How to be the best dressed guest

From wedding dresses that break every rule to the delicate art of dressing the mother of the bride, Lisa Burling explores what happens when wedding fashion gets a little more interesting.

Once upon a time, dressing for a wedding was relatively straightforward. The bride wore white, the bridesmaids wore whatever colour the bride chose, and the mother of the bride wore something tasteful, preferably with a matching hat. Everyone else consulted the invitation, panicked briefly, and went shopping.

These days, the rules are a little less clear. Which, depending on your relationship with a dress code, is either wonderfully liberating or enough to send you straight back to the shops.

The bride wore... whatever she liked

The big white dress is not going anywhere. But it is no longer the only way to look like a bride. Think sculptural silhouettes, short hemlines, coloured gowns, separates, jumpsuits and a second outfit for the dance floor. Some brides are even choosing pieces they can wear again, rather than investing in a dress destined to spend the next thirty years in a box.

Social media has certainly widened the possibilities. When you can see what brides are wearing from Paris to Perth before breakfast, the traditional bridal rulebook starts to feel a little less compulsory.

Perth designer Natalie Rolt is among the names helping make occasionwear feel contemporary and individual. For brides who want a fashion moment rather than a traditional bridal uniform, the starting point may be a silhouette they love, not a checklist of what a wedding dress ought to be.

Of course, there is a difference between dressing for yourself and dressing for the algorithm. A spectacular outfit is only spectacular if you feel comfortable enough to enjoy your own wedding in it. If you cannot sit down, hug your grandmother or navigate the bathroom without a small support team, perhaps reconsider.

And what is everyone else wearing?

The bride is not the only one with an outfit dilemma. Mothers of the bride and groom, sisters, aunties, bridesmaids and guests are all navigating an increasingly flexible dress code. The old instruction not to upstage the bride still stands, but it does not mean everyone else has to disappear into a sea of beige.

Colour, interesting tailoring and beautiful accessories are all fair game. So are trouser suits, modern separates and dresses that look like something you might genuinely want to wear again. The key is understanding the celebration you are dressing for.

A black-tie evening wedding is a different proposition from a relaxed garden ceremony at lunchtime. If the invitation says cocktail, beach formal or something equally open to interpretation, it is perfectly reasonable to ask the couple what they have in mind.

Raimond’s, known for special-occasion dressing, is one of the local businesses helping wedding guests find outfits that feel polished without feeling like costumes.

And a gentle reminder for anyone tempted to make a statement: a wedding is not the ideal moment to announce a personal fashion revolution that requires the bride to explain your outfit to every guest.

The new rules

Perhaps the most useful rule is simply to dress for the occasion and the people celebrating it, while still recognising yourself in the mirror. Brides can wear something unexpected. Mothers can be glamorous. Guests can have fun. Bridesmaids can, with a little luck, wear something they actually like.

Because the best wedding outfit is not necessarily the most expensive, the most traditional or the one that earns the most likes. It is the one that lets you get on with having a fabulous time.