The joy of receiving a wedding invitation can be snuffed out pretty sharply when you catch a glimpse of the destination. We’re familiar with what’s expected for a summer wedding in the village church. We scrub up well for a fancy stately home do. We’ve even deciphered the best ways to dress for micro-weddings and town hall affairs. However, a far-flung destination wedding still has the power to throw even the most stylish people into a flurry of panic.
All weddings provide their own dressing dilemmas, linked to etiquette, militant colour schemes and location, but the destination wedding usurps them all with an even trickier set of issues to navigate. There is potential heat and scorching sun to contend with. Underfoot, will there be sand, or delightful-yet-clunky cobbled streets? Laid-back dress codes that are designed to confuse, along with packing problems. That’s all before you can even bring your own personal taste and style preferences into consideration. But instead of panicking, take note of these fail-safe tips to ensure you become the best-dressed guest, however far-flung the ceremony.
Prioritise natural fabrics
Melting our way through the fourth heatwave of the summer has made us acutely aware of the coolest clothes to choose when it sizzles. Light shades, waft-ability and long sleeves are priorities. If your destination is somewhere equally balmy as the UK, Gemma Rose Breger – a stylist, consultant and founder of @StyleSauceHQ – believes, “packing natural fabrics for a trip to a hot country is rule number one. Synthetic fabrics act like a plastic shield that holds heat and sweat near your body, whereas natural fabrics (like linen and cotton) allow the air to flow through the fibres to cool your skin and absorb sweat.”
Happily, this season has seen linen reimagined in an array of crease-resistant mixes, bright shades and glorious prints, which will all be ideal wedding-guest attire. Another plus point for linen? If you’re edging close to your baggage allowance, Breger reminds us that “linen is light to pack” and prescribes that you “roll… don’t fold” any linen pieces to cut down on creasing. Alternatively, on arrival, hang your garment in the bathroom while you take a steamy shower, then smooth any extra-annoying creases by hand or use a crease-release spray for a wrinkle-free finish.
Blue dress, £340, Farm Rio; Floral dress, £192.50, down from £275, Me+Em; Halter-neck dress, £430, Faithfull at Net-a-Porter.com
Add statement accessories
While some weddings and their associated pre- and post-celebrations can take up a week in one’s diary, for a shorter trip you may be limited to carry-on luggage alone. Deryane Tadd is founder of St Albans-based boutique The Dressing Room and believes it’s possible to “pack light without compromising on a polished look”. How best to achieve this goal? “Accessories are the key to truly elevating your outfit,” notes Tadd. “You can even switch them up from the ceremony to dinner to make the most of limited suitcase space.”
Indeed, a simple dress can be transformed into something bohemian, glamorous or classic just by teaming it with different types of jewellery, which can be tucked into empty crevices in your case or carried in a handbag. A quick method to bring your outfit together is to choose one colour or texture (say, gold or raffia) and add three accessories (choose from jewellery, sandals, sunglasses, a bag or a belt) which all echo this detail, to create a coherent look.
Gold earrings, £200, Completedworks x John Lewis; Sandals, £226, Loeffler Randall; Clutch bag, £45, Monsoon
Don’t go too formal
With destination weddings often taking place on clifftops, beaches and in vineyards – rather than in traditional churches, manor houses or town halls – the dress code is likely to sway towards a more relaxed mood. It’s vital you consider your outfit with the ceremony location in mind, rather than picking a straightforward wedding guest look. Warmer temperatures at your destination will also mean practicality should come to the fore when outfit planning. Strict tailoring not only looks incongruous, but will leave you sweltering. Jackets are likely to be redundant and heels will probably sink into the sand, while the temperature may make your feet swell. Don’t be dismayed. You can still add special details to your outfit with embellishments, ruching, bold colour or metallic trims, which will feel suitably celebratory, yet come without the strict constraints a UK-based ceremony often demands.
Two-piece, £348, Reformation; Sandals, £205, Ancient Greek Sandals; Dress, £89.99, Mango
Consider pre-loved gems
According to ThredUp’s recent report, 87 per cent of wedding guests bought an outfit for the event, which they wore only once. I suspect this is particularly true of destination weddings – where you feel the need to buy a specific occasion look that marries a “tropical” theme with wedding appropriateness.
If you’re still following the mindset that you can only wear a dress once, consider shopping for something pre-loved (rather than a brand-new buy) as a more sustainable and budget-friendly option. Antonia Johnstone is CEO and re-founder of designer resale boutique Sign of The Times and says: “Shopping pre-loved gives you access to unique, standout pieces that feel much more personal than what is currently in high street stores.” For Johnstone, pre-loved also results in the happy fact that “it’s much less likely that I’ll turn up wearing the same outfit as someone else!” Buying from a brand with high resale demand is also a way you can recoup any investment. Johnstone reveals: “Buying from brands like Zimmerman actually means you can also re-sell (your dress) after you have enjoyed it, as the demand is so high.”
Pre-loved dress, £182, Zimmermann at Sign of the Times; Pre-loved halterneck dress, £425, Emilio Pucci at Sellier; Pre-loved slip dress, £175, Joseph at Retold
Practical protection
While you can stay out of the heat at home, that won’t be an option if you’re facing a full day of wedding-related activities. Sunburn – and sunstroke – could be a real threat, so plan your look accordingly. Hats need to actually protect you from the sun, rather than simply add pomp to a traditional tailored look, while you should choose sleeves that are equally protective. Gauzy, wide or puff-sleeve shapes will let air circulate around your arms while still deflecting the sun’s glare. Longer-length maxi dresses will waft coolly around your legs. Lean into kaftan silhouettes for relaxed style with an essential dose of glamour. Note that prints can disguise any unwanted specks of sweat far more successfully than a block-coloured piece, too.
Dress, £870, La Double J; Hat, £75, Cos; Dress, £159, Jigsaw