Is It OK to Ask Your Wedding Guests to Wear Specific Colors?

Wedding aesthetics have reached a new level. Not only are couples customizing every element of the event, like a personalized weekend festival, but many couples are also asking their guests to participate in the highly curated vision. Beyond cocktail and black-tie, engaged couples are assigning both strict and up-for-creative-interpretation dress codes for welcome parties, rehearsal dinners, and the main event, ranging from “beachside chic” to “creative red carpet” to “shades of blue” and beyond.

But is requiring a hyper-specific dress code (to an event that may already ask so much of guests) appropriate? Should color-coordinated dressing be reserved for the wedding party rather than for every attendee? Here's what the experts have to say.

The Color-Coordinated Dress Code Trend

Themes and colors can be fun. “I have been seeing couples get more creative with their dress codes for a couple of years now, and I’m personally here for it,” shares Rima Brindamour, wedding planner, photographer, and founder of Brindamour Studios. “Seeing guests show up in a cohesive color palette always brings me back to my days photographing New York Fashion Week and inspires me to capture guest arrival the way I would capture celebrities and influencers arriving for a runway show.”

She notes that as a wedding photographer, she intentionally matches her nail color to her client’s color palettes, “It’s a subtle way for me to vibe with the day while otherwise wearing all black,” she says. And those "vibes" are important—a sense of community and cohesion can totally add to the energy of an event. 

Is the Request Appropriate?

When it comes to etiquette, the term "request" is key here—making it a mandate is where it gets tricky. Telling guests they need to wear a specific color or palette "is generally a 'no,'" says Lia Seremetis, planner and founder of Cakewalk. "Unless there's a real logistical reason for it, you're essentially assigning homework that might require a shopping trip."

If the couple has culturally significant colors, it’s appropriate to state them on the invitation or wedding website. If your color dress code is more for photography, videography, and social media, make this more of a request than a requirement. "Most people already own something that works well," adds Seremetis. "Trust them." 

How to Make the Request Thoughtfully

When it comes to specifying what guests can and should wear to your wedding, aim to be generous and inclusive, as a host of any event should. "The trick is to not be too limiting and to leave room for guests to make creative decisions about what they are going to wear," says Brindamour. "Instead of saying 'Only wear emerald green velvet,' say 'Our guest dress code is semi-formal, and guests are encouraged to wear their favorite shade of green.'"

This lighthearted wording gets the request across and can help guests get creative with their outfits—especially if you don't get too specific. Vintage cerulean cocktail attire may be expensive and difficult to source. However, a favorite color, shade, or pattern can be inclusive of people’s wardrobes and abilities to rent or borrow appropriate outfits. 

Of course, not everyone follows a dress code, and the couple’s job isn’t to enforce it. Someone showed up in the wrong style or color? “Let it go,” encourages Seremetis. “You invited people to witness something meaningful, not to be art-directed," she reminds. "If someone shows up in the wrong color, that says nothing about how much they care about you, and it will not ruin your photos. The couples who enjoy their wedding the most are the ones who decide in advance that small things are small things."