You've been invited to a destination wedding! Celebrating at a beach, tropical, or resort wedding can be exciting. But what to pack and wear for the festivities can be mystifying.
How do you factor in the right outfits for the travel logistics, specialized dress codes, and the climate?

Destination wedding outfits can be quite different from traditional wedding attire. So if you're wondering, what do you wear to a destination wedding, our complete guide is for you. We cover it all — from understanding various dress codes, to choosing the right fabrics, shoes, and accessories — in order to create the perfect outfits. 

The Tie Bar makes it easy for you to find stylish and affordable destination wedding attire. Our quality, well-designed pieces help you pull together polished outfits for beach, resort, and international wedding venues. Let's get this party started!

Essential Outfit Components for Destination Weddings

Suits and Separates

Very likely, the couple has a wedding website that will specify the dress code. Look for details that indicate if you should wear a suit or separates to the ceremony.

Lightweight Suit Options

Fabrics matter. Aim for clothing that's comfortable, breathable, and versatile. Lightweight suits in natural fabrics like linen and cotton will keep you looking sharp and feeling comfortable in warm climates.

Classic suit colors like light gray, tan, beige, navy, and soft blue work well in tropical settings and photograph beautifully. Well tailored, light-colored cotton or linen suits are versatile and can seamlessly transition from ceremony to reception. 

Going Jacket-Free: Dress Pants and Shirt Combinations

What should you wear to a destination wedding if the dress code is casual? A jacket probably won't be required for ceremonies held on the beach or in extremely hot weather. 

For a polished casual look, pair a crisp open-collar dress shirt with dress pants and good-looking casual shoes. Consider rolling your shirt sleeves for a relaxed yet pulled-together appearance.

Choosing the Right Dress Shirt

Breathable fabrics like cotton, linen, or loose-weave blends will keep you comfortable.

Dress shirts in lighter colors such as white, cream, light blue, lavender, or soft pink will reflect heat and complement destination settings.

Proper fit is essential. Select dress shirts that are comfortable but not baggy. Consult our dress shirt size guide for helpful tips on how to find the right fit for your body type.

Beach Wedding Attire: What to Wear

Fabric Choices for Beach Weddings

Wondering what to wear to a destination wedding that will take place at the beach? As we said before, fabric matters. Wear breathable, comfortable fabrics that align with the beach environment.

Linen's relaxed elegance makes it one of the best go-to fabrics for beach weddings. 
Linen isn't only lightweight and breathable, but portrays a casually refined vibe. Cotton and cotton-blend fabrics can also work well for beach weddings.

Avoid heavy fabrics like wool, velvet, and thick synthetics like polyester, nylon, and acrylic. These fabrics trap heat, cause you to sweat, and don't possess the artfulness of linen or fine cotton. 

Color Palette for Beach Settings

Neutral and pastel tones are best for beach settings. Ivory, cream, light tan, soft blue, sage green, lavender, and pale pink complement beach environments and won't absorb excessive heat.

Traditionally, white is reserved for the bride and groom. Unless the invitation specifically requests you to wear white, choose from the neutral and pastel tones mentioned above.

Footwear for Sand and Sea

Your footwear will depend on the formality of the beach wedding.

If you'll be wearing a suit, try light-colored leather loafers without socks. Traditional dark leather dress shoes will look out of place.

Canvas or leather boat shoes, leather sneakers, or dressy sandals will look sharp with a dress shirt and pants.

If the reception will be held in a different venue from the beach ceremony, or your shoes end up uncomfortably filled with sticky sand, consider bringing a second pair of shoes for back-up. 

Ties, Bow Ties, or No Tie? Making the Right Choice

When to Wear a Tie at a Destination Wedding

While wedding ties add polish and style, they may not always be necessary for destination weddings. Wear a tie for formal ceremonies, but you can forgo a tie for casual weddings. 

If you do wear a tie, we suggest fabrics in lightweight silk or linen for breathability and comfort. Neckwear in blues, greens, corals, and floral patterns will complement beach and tropical environments.

WEDDING TIE COLLECTION

Bow Ties for a Distinguished Look

A bow tie is a sophisticated alternative to a necktie and can work beautifully for both formal and casual destination weddings. Also, bow ties are a great way to express your individuality and creative side.

For formal weddings go with a silk bow tie. For casual weddings, choose cotton or linen. As with neckties, choose a color that will complement beach and tropical environments. Try blues, greens, corals, and floral patterns. 

Going Tie-Free

When can you go tie-free? It's acceptable to skip wearing a tie at beach-casual or tropical-casual weddings. If you don't wear a tie, unbutton the top button of your dress shirt and roll your cuffs. This creates a relaxed, intentional look that works best with dress shirts that fit well.

Accessorizing for Destination Weddings

Pocket Squares and Tie Bars

A pocket square adds flair and personality. For beach and tropical weddings, pocket squares are a great way to add a pop of color to your light-colored attire. 

Beach environments are often breezy or even windy. Tie bars not only keep your tie in place, but add a touch of sophisticated style to your outfit.

SHOP WEDDING ACCESSORIES

Belts and Shoes Coordination

Achieve a cohesive, purposeful look to your outfit by coordinating your shoe color with your belt. You don't need an exact match, but try to wear colors that are similar. 

For destination weddings, go with shoes in lighter toned leather or fabric. Lighter colors, such as tan or cognac, will look more harmonious with your light colored clothing and will be far more appropriate to the beach or tropical environment than dark leather dress shoes.

Shoes woven in leather or fabric will provide that relaxed look you want, plus they'll offer maximum breathability. Woven shoes can be worn with or without socks – your choice.

Sunglasses and Watches

Sunglasses are essential. Wear UV lenses to protect your eyes from strong tropical or beach glare. The style is up to you.

If you want to wear a watch, go with a classic style that complements your outfit and isn't too formal. For maximum cohesiveness, coordinate your watch band with your belt buckle and tie bar. Or, if you wear a fabric or leather band, you can match it to your clothing or shoes.

Hat for Sun Protection

A handsome Panama hat will add flair and also protect you from the sun. Many foldable hats are packable and good-looking. Unless the wedding is uber-casual, a baseball cap or hiking hat will be too casual and detract from your relaxed but sophisticated look.

Tropical and Resort Wedding Style Tips

Embracing Tropical Patterns (When Appropriate)

Formal destination weddings call for solid-color attire in lightweight, light-toned fabrics. An oatmeal linen suit, a white dress shirt, and a solid silk blush tie is an example of refined formal destination wedding attire.  

However, casual dress code weddings will allow for relaxed clothing. This is when you can wear understated tropical patterned shirts or floral ties. Just keep patterns tasteful by avoiding overwhelming motifs and brash colors.

Layering for Indoor and Outdoor Settings

Indoor, air-conditioned temperatures can be dramatically different that outside hot, humid temps. 
What's the best way to stay comfortable? 

If you won't be wearing a suit, pack a lightweight blazer or jacket that you can add and remove as needed. Unconstructed blazers and linen or cotton shirt-jackets are versatile and lightweight options.

What to Avoid Wearing to a Destination Wedding

Now, do you feel like an expert on what to wear to a destination wedding? Great! But just for good measure, it's wise to be clear on what to avoid wearing to the wedding:

• Shorts (unless explicitly stated as acceptable).
  
• T-shirts or tank tops.
  
• Athletic or performance wear.
  
• Baseball caps or hiking hats. 
  
• Wearing a hat during the ceremony or indoors.
  
• Flip-flops or athletic sandals.
  
• Overly casual beachwear.
  
• Heavy, dark fabrics that will look out of place and be uncomfortable in heat. 

Bottom line: wear clothing that shows your respect for the special occasion, even if the setting is relaxed.

Cultural Sensitivity Considerations

You may be attending a destination wedding in a country with a different culture than yours. Before your trip, become familiar with local customs. Understanding the customs will enhance your trip and help prevent cultural faux-pas.

Some destination wedding ceremonies are held at religious venues or sites. Learn the standards that will be expected and dress in modest, more traditional attire for these ceremonies. We're guests in countries other than our own – and we want to be respectful guests.

Packing and Travel Tips for Destination Wedding Attire

Wrinkle-Resistant Packing Strategies

Some seasoned travelers swear by rolling their dress shirts to avoid wrinkles. Others prefer separating folded shirts with plastic or tissue paper to avoid fabric-on-fabric friction. Suits should be packed in garment bags when possible. 

As soon as you arrive at your destination, unpack your bags. Hang your clothing and check for wrinkles. Some wrinkles will disappear once you hang your clothing. 

For stubborn wrinkles, either hang pieces in the bathroom while you're showering – or plan ahead and pack a small bottle of wrinkle-release spray for those obstinate creases and crinkles.

Bring Backup Options

Include an extra dress shirt – spills can happen when you least expect them. And even if the wedding is casual, pack a tie just in case the dress code unexpectedly changes. Also, consider bringing an extra pair of comfortable shoes for non-wedding activities. 

Final Styling Tips: Pulling It All Together

Balancing Comfort and Style

Your destination wedding attire should be both comfortable and polished. Wearing lightweight, breathable, and stylish pieces is the key to feeling composed and self-assured. 

Coordinating with Your Plus-One

Photography cements memories. If you anticipate being involved in the wedding photos, consider coordinating your outfit colors with your partner's.

Go with complementary colors rather than matching exactly. For example, if your plus-one will be wearing a cream outfit, you could complement the cream with sandy beige attire.

Don't Forget the Importance of Grooming

Schedule a haircut a week before the wedding. Allowing a week avoids a freshly-shorn look and lets your hair settle into its intended style.

If your hair gets unruly in humid weather, pack taming hair products. Whether you have facial hair or not, attend the ceremony with a freshly groomed face.

And by all means, be sure to pack and wear deodorant and sunscreen. If you'll be wearing sandals, schedule a pedicure along with your haircut. Looking fresh, clean, and polished is as important as the outfit you choose.

Shop Destination Wedding Attire at The Tie Bar

Key points to ensure you have the perfect destination wedding attire:

• Follow the wedding dress code. Notice if there are different dress codes for the ceremony vs. the reception.
  
• Choose clothing pieces tailored in lightweight, breathable fabrics.
  
• Go with light colors appropriate for the beach or tropics.
  
• Choose tasteful accessories. Be sure to pack sunglasses and a hat.
  
• Schedule a haircut and pedicure before you depart and pack grooming essentials.

Destination weddings are joyful celebrations that call for comfortable and stylish attire. Now's the time to take a look at The Tie Bar's fashionable wedding collection. You'll love our affordable, high-quality pieces that are absolutely perfect for destination wedding celebrations. 

At The Tie Bar, our mission is to help men feel confident and comfortable while achieving a polished look that doesn't break the bank. So start exploring The Tie Bar now!

SHOP WEDDING FAVORITES