Been invited to a summer wedding but struggling to find the perfect outfit? Mary Holmes from Ruby Seven has everything you need to know.

Weddings in Ireland

There has been a shift away
from church weddings in recent years and many people are getting married in the
same venue as the wedding reception.

This makes it easier for guests to deal with the unpredictable Irish summer weather conditions in terms of outer layers of clothing. If there is little or no outdoor aspect to the ceremony and reception (ie. they are both in the same hotel), then there’s no need for a pashmina, coat, cape or alternative.

Some trends for weddings in
Ireland 2019:

• Two-piece outfits such as coloured trouser suits, dramatic floor-length skirts and short tops. The advantage of choosing a two-piece is getting additional wear out of both pieces as separates.
• Jumpsuits instead of dresses.
• More hairbands and hair ornaments than fascinators.
• Yellow, orange, coral and pink are strong colours for this season.
• Bold prints and bright florals trump pastels for Summer fashion this year.
• Events on the following day such as family BBQs require a more casual but still dressed up approach this season. Maxi dresses or culottes are an option here.

Weddings abroad

Recent
years have also seen a rise in weddings abroad, which usually involve a smaller
number of guests attending several functions before and after the wedding date
as well as the main event.

Generally, weddings in warm climates are slightly more casual than at home and depending on what the prevailing surface will be (sand, grass, tiles, etc) appropriate footwear will be required.

Some trends
for weddings abroad Summer 2019:

• Lightweight, floral maxi dresses with straw hats and espadrilles.
• Floaty midi dresses with sandals or platforms.
• Culotte jumpsuits with wedges and decorative hairbands.

Mother of the bride

Many mother-of-the-brides are looking to break the mould of the coat, dress and hat combo and are opting for dramatic, floor-length, one-piece dresses and jumpsuits instead.

Colour-wise, some are choosing to blend in with or compliment the palette chosen for the bridesmaids and the wedding theme.

Many department stores such as Arnotts offer a large selection of statement dresses as well as online sites such as onefabday.com or theknot.com.  

Mothers of
the bride (and indeed other close family members of both bride and groom) are
no longer limited to specialist stores and boutiques to find that special
outfit

Always
check with the mother of the groom what her intentions are dress-wise so to
avoid a clash or duplication.