Can You Wear a Printed White Dress to a Wedding?

Getting dressed for a loved one's wedding isn't an easy task. Between finding an ensemble that matches the formality of the day and selecting a dress you feel comfortable wearing all night long, landing on the right wedding guest look can sometimes feel extremely overwhelming. Not to mention, you also have to think about choosing an outfit that doesn't break any fashion etiquette rules—especially when picking a dress color, as Western tradition dictates that guests avoid wearing white when attending a couple's big day.

But here's where things get tricky (as if they weren't complicated enough): What do you do if you have an outfit that's white with a colorful print? Can you wear a white floral dress to a wedding? Ahead, we chatted with several industry and etiquette experts to help you determine whether or not you should sport a printed dress when watching a friend or family member say "I do."

Can a Guest Wear a Printed White Dress to a Wedding?

According to the experts, it's best to avoid wearing a printed white dress to a wedding. "As far as I am concerned, if the dress is white with a print over it, it still is white," explains etiquette expert Diane Gottsman. "There is very little wiggle room when wearing a white dress. There will be multiple other times a guest can enjoy wearing her beautiful dress, but not on the bride's wedding day."

Luxury wedding planner and designer Nicole-Natassha Goulding agrees: "White is always a tricky color for weddings and every bride may have different feelings on what guests can and can't wear on their wedding day," she says. "My rule of thumb usually is, if you have to question if the pattern or print has too much white, I would err on the side of caution and avoid it." Nathalie Cadet-James, founder of Luxe Fête Event Planning and Design Studio, further adds, "Hundreds of years of loving tradition tell us that only the bride is in white. Let her shine."

This rule of thumb also applies to all wedding events, including bridal showers and rehearsal dinners, notes Goulding. "I always suggest guests stay away from white for all wedding activities unless prompted to do so by the couple (i.e. all-white or themed parties)," she explains.

Additional Wedding Guest Fashion Etiquette Tips

If there's a printed white dress you truly want to wear, and you believe that it might be acceptable for your loved one's wedding, there are a few considerations to keep in mind before making a final decision. According to Gottman, "If a guest wants to wear a dress that is predominantly a variety of other colors and only a small thread of white throughout the dress, it would be acceptable because it’s not the predominant color."

Celebrity fashion stylist Cindy Conroy also advises individuals to consider the length of their ensemble. "If you’re smitten with a long, printed white dress, steer clear. Someway, somehow, a floor-grazing hemline always reads bridal. No matter how much print is dotted throughout," she explains. "You might think it’s fine, but you don’t want to find out that you’re wrong as you wait for the nuptials and an avalanche of side-eye begins. She also adds that guests should stay away from white floral dresses at all costs. "White floral applique is a red flag when dress shopping as a wedding guest. The bloom detailing in conjunction with the white dress screams bridal. It’s way too much textured white," the stylist explains.

With all this in mind, and as previously mentioned, it's always best to steer clear of wearing white when attending someone's big day. Destination wedding photographer Perry Vaile Adams even shares that she generally avoids snapping photos of guests wearing too much white. "After working in this industry for so long, if anyone shows up in anything with too much white, it’s cringe and I generally avoid photographing them too much. I still remember when a member of the vendor team showed up in an all-white ensemble on my own wedding day (in 2010!) and it still annoys me 12 years later."