What to wear to a beach wedding?

Recently, I received a question from a readers' lovely friend Emily:

Q: “(…) Our friend is attending a BEACH wedding in Zanzibar, Africa and she asked us to suggest an outfit suited for this special occasion. I AM LOST, sadly =( and the other friend is busy...Please, please give us a few suggestions!!(…)” (Emily)

A: Emily, thank you so much for your question! Having never attended a beach wedding myself, I found it an interesting one that got me thinking of what I would wear if I were to attend one. Not knowing your friend’s colouring, body shape, tastes & budget, I chose a few dresses I would pick for myself (although some of them would require my money tree actually bearing fruit, which it is yet to do…).

From my own wardrobe my thoughts immediately went to this 3.1 Phillip Lim saffron floral strapless pleated bodice silk dress, which I have up for sale (so if she’s a US 2 or 4 she may be in luck!):

3.1 Phillip Lim saffron silk pleated-bodice dress

Here is why:

I picture beach weddings to be casual, relaxed, intimate & sometimes…bohemian. Having an absolute passion for draped pieces, I believe them to be perfect for such an occasion. What would I look for in a dress for a beach wedding?

1) Length – long (or at least mid-length). For a few reasons:

a. On a sandy beach, the footwear of choice will most likely be a flat pair of sandals or possibly even none at all. Therefore, I would need the dress to be calf to ankle length, as it would be most flattering for my short stumpy legs. Of course, if you are tall & slim (and I am sadly, neither), you may not have that problem.

b. Walking on a sandy beach may not always be a graceful task, which I find is easier done when my legs aren’t on display.

c. Sea breeze – you don’t want it to pick up a shorter skirt, or have to worry to place your hands to ensure it doesn’t get blown up from under you.

2) Material – flowy & comfortable. In the warmer climates you want to make sure you are comfortable, your skin can breathe, and that your movements aren’t restricted by a tight-fitting dress.

3) Colour – nothing too severe. Personally I would not choose anything too vibrant, but would gravitate to soft palettes. For example, I also have the Phillip Lim dress above in cream/black, which although I think would be perfect for a garden wedding (maybe worn with a touch of red or yellow), I would find too dark for a beach wedding. Often darker colours may appear more sombre, which would be better suited for a formal affair.

Missoni Kiera organza maxi dress

I absolutely adore the muted colours and gauzey, floaty fabric.

Halston (sadly sold out, but I love the print, which would be perfect for a beach wedding in Zanzibar)

Halston long wrap dress - perfection

Alexander McQueen Grecian Bustier Gown

This grey dress does appear too pale, and if true to colour, I would consider too similar to ivory/white, which I would never wear to attend a wedding (unless I were the bride, or if the fabric were patterned with another colour), but I am hoping that (as I have previously found), pictures on NAP are much paler than their true colour due to their flash. In which instance, this dress would be absolutely gorgeous.

Alice & Olivia Ombre strapless dress
I am in two minds about this Alice & Oliva Ombré dress’ colour, but love the ombré, as I think it would be perfect for a sunset beach wedding.

Temperley London Glade silk printed dress

Love the toga, grecian feel off-set with the feminine purple floral print. This is also available in all ivory for any beach brides out there...

La Petite Salope draped dress

This may be too dark, but I just loved this dress (also comes in a gorgeous red)

I couldn't resist posting these two, as they are just gorgeous, and could be possible 'beach bride gowns':

Thakoon Draped crepe gown

Roksanda Ilincic Corsage Embellished Gown

This is absolutely divine! The rosettes, the drapey-ness... my jaw dropped when I saw this. Ahh! If only I could come up with some excuse to wear such a stunning gown...Vows-renewal perhaps?

These were just a few examples of dresses I found during a quick search, on one site only (or I would've searched endlessly). If anyone has any further suggestions for Emily, I'm sure she'd love to see them!

What would YOU wear to a beach wedding?

PS. I don't know if you noticed, but yesterday I added a little playlist (To the left. The first song is the one I mentioned in a few posts ago - Denice Williams 'Free', the second song by Bebel Gilberto was my '1st dance' with hubby at our wedding...). I get startled when clicking on a blog and music springs out of nowhere, so I thought I'd make it play only if you wish it to...(just click 'play')