Wearing white to a formal wedding.....am I crazy or something?

It's a pretty standard thing to not wear white to someone else's wedding. I know I went to one once where everyone gossiped about a girl who wore a white dress.

I had some friends (in the UK) think it was outrageous for a bride to request that though as if the guest wants to wear white, they should be able to. When I said that I've only heard of it being seen as rude they seemed to not think it was. Not sure if it was just them, or if it's a cultural thing though.

I thought it was pretty generally known that a guest should not wear white. I know a lot of brides may not care, but I was under the assumption that this was common knowledge.

As far as borrowing a dress from FMIL, if they are friendly and similar in size I think it is sweet that they have the type of relationship where they can share clothing. It always helps to have a friend in a similar size, especially if it means you don't have to buy yet another formal dress. That being said, FMIL should probably know that white is generally a no-no.

It's a pretty universal rule... I swear some people must live under a rock. I think I've known this since I was 2?

If she wears white people will talk about her, but since she will be in your photos I would be a little upset if she wore white. Although you can always have the photographer change her gown color later

I'm in the UK and I've always heard it's rude to wear white as the bride should stand out as the only one in white.

Also no black (bad luck because associated with funerals) or green (bad luck, something to do with peacock feathers I think)

LOL, how has she never heard of that before?

Maybe she really never heard it. My cousin didnt know that and showed up to my brothers wedding in an ivory dress. When we told her she got all embarrassed

Why would she ask you what colors to avoid and then be offended when you tell her which colors to avoid? To not wear white or something similar to another person's wedding is common knowledge.

And now that she has heard of it, she has no excuse. I also find it a little weird that the MIL didn't tell her not to wear white...

Thanks for sympathizing. I have three FSILs. Only one has really be supportive. One of the other ones just doesnt get the timliness of things. Like her brother didnt RSVP at all and when I asked about it she told me to "chill out." Umm thanks.

You're not crazy. They are. I posted a few weeks ago about my FMIL buying a hideous dress...and its white!

My mom bought a white dress to wear to my sister's wedding and when I said she can't wear white to a wedding she said the same thing about never heard the "only the bride wears white" rule. I threatened her life, not really, if she showed up to my wedding in anything that even looks like it used to be white. lol

My website says any women-other than the bride- between the ages of 10 and 70 caught wearing white will be tickled until they pee

OMG. The girls in the office and I were discussing this exact thing, yesterday! My friends FSIL wore a full length, white, beaded gown to her wedding. And it will wasn't even a formal wedding! The bride actually said that girl was the most formal dressed, even over her. She just made sure that girl didn't make her way into any pictures. I wouldn't even wear ivory to my SIL bridal shower. There are just some things that anyone with couth would not do. She would be the one looking like an idiot.

Hahahahaha

It's like people hear wedding and they get the great idea to wear white! Why even bother to ask you what she should wear if she was going to insist on wearing that particular dress anyway?!

@Anisea that is perfect. My dress is champagne and my mom knows this clearly as she bought it. She calls me and tells me she found a "light gold" dress and wants to get it.

UGH LIGHT GOLD IS CHAMPAGNE MOM.

I don't even understand how people DON'T know not to wear white...

White, blush, ivory, champagne----if the photographer took a picture and said person could in any way be confused for a bride at her ceremony or reception in the picture? Then DON'T WEAR IT. This is common knowledge and common sense. Very poor taste for her to consider wearing a dress like this, and in equally poor taste for FMIL to suggest or lend a dress like this. Absolutely ridiculous.

Is she from a different culture? I know that in other cultures white is not the color brides wear. However, if she was born and raised in the US (the only country I can actually speak of with certainty), she should know that only the bride should wear white/off-white. More importantly once she asked she should not be questioning your response. I also agree with the poster that said that your FMIL should have told her that people don't wear white/off-white to a wedding (maybe FMIL didn't know that she was intending on wearing it to your wedding?)

It is different in various cultures. It's mainly rude here in America, especially as many other cultures, the traditional bride's outfit may not be white.

But then again, since she asked you what you didn't want her to wear, she should have just taken the answer you gave her. If she was so insistent on wearing her white dress, why even bother asking what you don't want her to wear at all?