Can you wear red to a wedding as a guest?

Is it ok to wear red to a wedding? What is the etiquette around wearing certain colors as a wedding guest? Most of us know white is a color reserved strictly for the bride and it’s off limits for a wedding guest to wear white.

But what about other bold colors? Specifically, red.

A friend asked me a few months ago if it was ok to wear red to a wedding. I love my friend’s heart on this, because this question comes from a place of humility and not wanting to draw attention away from the bride and groom on their special day (which is the root behind not wearing white).

But as far as red goes, yes! You’re in the clear. It’s perfectly polite to wear red to a wedding. Here’s why:

Guests should look their best

I think most any bride and groom want their guests to look their best when attending their nuptials. When guests look good, they tend to feel good, and the party atmosphere is elevated. And if looking your best means wearing your new, fits-like-a-glove, feels-amazing RED dress, then wear it!

If we ban red from wedding guests in fear of upstaging the bride, where does it stop? Don’t put on your best face of makeup? Don’t wear your statement jewelry? Skip over your new heels? Don’t wear your best suit?

I don’t think there’s any breach of etiquette in wearing red to a wedding. But there are a few things to be mindful of:

It’s ok to wear red to a wedding, just don’t wear white

I’m pretty sure everyone knows this rule, but I’m throwing it in here for good measure.

White is a color traditionally reserved for the bride and allows her to stand out on her big day. Unless you have been specifically requested to wear white (such as an all-white dress code), avoid any dress that reads as white. This includes cream and ivory.

Similarly, don’t share any personal news

One more tip to help keep the focus on the bride and groom: Weddings are normally happy occasions and you may be tempted to share some happy news in your life with the rest of your friends and family. But a wedding reception or rehearsal dinner is not the place to announce to friends and family your own engagement, baby news, or career promotion.

This is the bride and groom’s special day, so it’s best to keep the attention focused on them and to share your news at a later time.

Opt for Neutral Accessories

When wearing a statement color like red, choose neutral accessories that don’t compete with the bright dress. These are some of my favorites accessories to pair with a red dress: