Wedding etiquette differs depending on who you talk to. It’s hard to know who pays for what, who is included, and what members of the wedding party and guest should wear.
Brides want everything to go off without a hitch on their special day. One small thing can lead to a big blowup during weddings.
In Western culture, one of many unspoken rules for a wedding is that only the bride is allowed to wear white.
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule but a guest showing up in a dress that looks like it could be worn down the aisle is surely a no-no we can all agree on.
One wedding guest on Reddit is being criticized for showing up looking ‘like a bride.’
One anonymous woman recently posted to the subreddit, r/weddingshaming, to share a picture of a woman that showed up to her wedding in, well… you can see for yourself.
“A guest wore a white dress to my wedding. In case you’re wondering which one is the bride, I’m on the right,” the Reddit user wrote.
The image shows the actual bride on the far right, in a beautiful white gown with a plunging neckline.
Next to her is a man clad in a bright turquoise suit jacket and white pants. A man on the far left is dressed in an all-black suit, another appropriate outfit to wear to a wedding.
Then, there is the woman to the left of the groom. She has on a white dress with a thigh-high slit and an asymmetrical neckline.
The dress has one sleeve and it is see-through with an embellished design. The choice of attire stands out because of its color and the fact that the sleeve seems to be made from the same material covering the bride’s chest.
In fact, pretty much the only detail that makes it clear which one is the bride is a veil fastened to one of the women’s heads.
Readers suspect the guest had ill intentions.
Commenters were in disbelief about the audacity of the woman while others downplayed her dress. One person said, “Well, yours is prettier (by a lot!) and she made a fool of herself.”
Others were quick to jump to the conclusion that the guest did this on purpose. One comment read, “Totally looks like she purposely chose the most costumey “bridal” looking dress she could find last minute.”
Someone else took issue with the high split in the dress, which led others to scrutinize the look, with one poster saying, “It fits her (the guest) TERRIBLY. Bride looks 5000% better.”
Depending on the season and the venue, and even the time of day, the clothing requirements for guests can vary.
For more wedding attire rules, including why you shouldn’t wear new shoes or the color red, check out our 15 dos and don’ts for wedding guests.
Related Stories From YourTango:
Wedding Shop recently shared 15 Dos and Don’ts of Wedding Guest Attire. Not only should guest not wear white to a wedding, but they should also avoid matching the wedding party altogether.
The best way to think about what to wear to a wedding is to remember that your job is to blend in, not stand out.
Your time to be the center of attention will come, just not today.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and author of seven books. She covers lifestyle and entertainment and news, as well as navigating the workplace and social issues.
