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Wedding-guest style was once synonymous with the sort of drab formalwear seen in 1994’s Four Weddings and a Funeral: prim skirt suits topped with flying saucer hats, and structured dresses in sombre colours that conveyed the seriousness of the occasion while deflecting attention to the bride. Though such rigid dress codes are much rarer today, dressing for a wedding is still a delicate art that comes with its own set of unspoken rules.

“I personally would never wear big graphic prints, and I don’t think I’d wear dark colours or anything too bright or too harsh that would make me stand out,” says stylist and creative consultant Rachel Bakewell, who gravitates towards soft, neutral colours that nod to the romance of the event. “I think it’s nice to look quite demure at a wedding.” One of her favourite ensembles was a microfloral cream dress by Emilia Wickstead, which she wore to the poet Greta Bellamacina’s wedding at Eggbeer Farm in Exeter. “It had this romantic pink organza overlay, and I felt pretty and elegant – like a more polished version of myself.” 

Demure needn’t mean conservative though. The SS25 collections lend wedding-guest florals fresh appeal, from Bally’s chintzy pannier-hipped dress to Loewe’s whisper-light floral silk gown, whose wired crinoline underskirt has the added benefit of acting as a buffer zone on the dance floor.

“Soft pastel shades, especially dusty pink and butter yellow, are particularly on trend,” says Net-a-Porter’s fashion director Kay Barron. Searches for pink floral dresses have, she says, increased by 575 per cent in the past three months at the e-retailer, while yellow floral dresses have seen a 550 per cent increase in the same period. Barron also points to floor-skimming satin styles by Stella McCartney (£2,200, net-a-porter.com) and floaty, boho maxi dresses by Chloé and Zimmermann, “which are ideal for destination weddings or an outdoor wedding in the UK”.

That’s not to say that pastels and hyper-feminine floral gowns are your only recourse. The journalist and founder of shopping newsletter Add To Wishlist Otegha Uwagba is an advocate for wearing suits or separates to a wedding. “When I first started going to weddings in my 20s, I would go out and buy a sort of pretty dress that wasn’t really my style, and it would be frustrating to feel like I’d spent that money on something I didn’t particularly like,” she says. “My rule now is to only buy something I can see myself wearing again.”

For suiting, Uwagba favours the contemporary cuts of London designer Rejina Pyo, which feature offbeat details such as mismatched buttons or extra large pockets (perfect for a lipstick or mini perfume). New York label Another Tomorrow also has a range of relaxed wide-leg suits in summery shades, while Loro Piana’s tomato-red suit (styled in this HTSI shoot with a baby blue Charvet shirt), would bring a certain Italian sprezzatura to an English town hall. Consider also a matching two-piece by Pleats Please Issey Miyake, which Uwagba wore to an outdoor wedding in Surrey last summer. “It’s quite loose and free-flowing so I felt really comfortable, and it went down well with all generations.”

Black, once a no-go zone for weddings, has also become a viable alternative. “If it’s a destination wedding, you can experiment with fabrics and colours that might not be suitable for a UK wedding, whereas I think black is totally acceptable at city weddings that aren’t as traditional,” says Barron. The Row’s fluid-wool column style (seen in this shoot) has a subtly revealing off-the-shoulder neckline, while London-based brand Tove offers maxi styles with cut-out backs and corseted waists that teeter on the right side of seductive. Just add earrings: By Pariah’s large sculptural styles (from £690), lend sophistication to an otherwise plain ensemble, while Completedworks’ resin earrings come in an assortment of exuberant gelato shades.

Keep in mind, too, that a wedding day is a marathon not a sprint. Check the terrain ahead of time to make sure your footwear is appropriate. And always bring a warmer layer for the evening. “Remember that you are attending a celebration, not a photoshoot,” says New York bridal stylist and brand consultant Anny Choi, who recommends choosing simple silhouettes that you can move around in easily and wear time and time again. “Be mindful of any fabrics that might itch throughout the night, and make sure that whatever you wear, you can eat and dance in it, and always allow for a little bloat.” Amen to that.

Model, Betsy Gaghan at Next Paris. Casting, Piergiorgio Del Moro and Helena Balladino at DM Casting. Hair, Laurent Philippon at Bryant Artists. Make-up, Crystabel Efemena Riley at Julian Watson using Ilia. Photographer’s assistants, Pietro Lazzari and Rosalie Nguyen Van Phu. Digital operator, Juliette Breig Kral. Stylist’s assistants, Ange Héraut and Thibaut Bergalasse. Manicure, Marieke Bouillette at Calliste. Production, Producing Love