Can a Male Guest Wear White to a Wedding?

The bride's attire tends to take center stage at a wedding, but well-dressed men play a key role in the big day, too. While the groomsmen typically have set dress codes, wedding guests are often left wondering what's appropriate to wear. While women typically avoid wearing white to a wedding—no one wants to compete with the bride's white dress—does this apply to men, too? We asked wedding experts whether or not men can wear white to a wedding.

Rules of Etiquette

Morgan Baker, a bridal buyer and salon manager for Neiman Marcus, takes a logical approach to the question, considering the reason for the rule in the first place: keeping all eyes on the bride. "If a man showed up to a wedding wearing white, it would garner attention just like it would if a woman was wearing that symbolic color," she says. Put this way, the rule isn't a gendered one so much as it's an all-inclusive etiquette rule.

That rule is one that's held over more than a century. The tradition of brides wearing white began when Queen Victoria wore a white gown for her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. Her choice of white set a trend, and by the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it had become the standard for Western weddings.

Laws of Fashion

As for the laws of fashion, Andrew Blackmon, co-founder and CEO of the Black Tux, takes a different perspective. "It's probably OK-especially if, for example, it's a beachy wedding and lots of men will be in light-colored suits, or the dress code is black-tie and you want to wear a white dinner jacket," he says. Still, his is far from a glowing endorsement. "That being said, if people not thinking you are rude depends on them understanding the finer points of wedding etiquette, you're setting yourself up to look bad."

Ultimately, even the most stylish white ensemble, no matter how well-worn, isn't worth the risk of drawing attention away from the couple. Weddings are emotionally significant events, and traditions—while ever-evolving—still hold weight for many couples. Wearing white could be seen as distracting, inconsiderate, or even disrespectful.

A good rule of thumb comes from Lanie List, the founder of Lovely Bride, who advises, "If you have to ask yourself if it's appropriate, don't do it." When in doubt, opting for a different color ensures that all eyes remain on the couple. And with all the countless stylish options out there, finding a wedding-appropriate outfit that avoids controversy is the better choice.