A wedding in Hawaiʻi might begin barefoot on the sand as the sun goes down, at a long table under the trees of a family yard, or in a hotel ballroom with the doors open to the trade winds. Each of those places asks something different of what you wear. This guide is for guests and for the couple's families. It walks through the invitation, the place, the hour and the weather, and then how to dress wāhine, kāne and keiki so the whole family is ready for a long and happy day.

If the invitation says aloha attire, our guide to aloha attire dress codes explains what casual, crisp and formal mean. Here we stay with weddings, and with the details that make a wedding day easier to dress for.

One print, worn three ways.

Start with the invitation

Read every line of it. Aloha attire, cocktail, beach formal and black tie each ask for something different, and many couples add a line about the setting. When the invitation names a dress code, follow it. When it names only a place, let the place guide you. When you are still unsure, a short message to the couple or their family settles most questions.

Two courtesies hold at almost every wedding. Unless the couple asks for it, we leave white and ivory to them. And if the wedding party is wearing one print or one color, choose something that will not be mistaken for theirs in photographs.

Dress for the place

On the beach. Sand pulls at heels and fills closed shoes, so flat sandals are easier, and some couples invite guests to go barefoot. A hem that ends at the ankle or a little above stays out of wet sand. Near the water, a skirt with some weight to it behaves better in the breeze than a very light one.

On a lawn or in a garden. Thin heels sink into grass. Block heels, wedges or flats keep you steady through the ceremony and the photographs that follow. A midi length keeps the hem clear of damp grass.

Indoors, at a hotel, a church or a restaurant. Dress one step up from what you would wear outside. Rooms are often cool after a warm day, so a light wrap is worth bringing.

At a family home or a community hall. Some weddings are held close to home, with family cooking and a long evening. Dress for comfort, and for sitting, standing and joining in. If the reception is a lūʻau, our guide to what to wear to a lūʻau has more on dressing for one.

Dress for the hour and the weather

Island weather is gentle, but it moves. The trade winds blow much of the year, most steadily in summer, so expect a breeze near the shore. In the lowlands, showers come most often at night and in the morning, and least often in the middle of the afternoon. Below the uplands, winter is the wetter season on most coasts, though on the Kona coast the summers are wetter. The windward side of each island is wetter than the leeward side, so two weddings on the same island can call for different plans.

Evenings in the lowlands stay mild, usually in the 60s or 70s Fahrenheit, so a light layer is enough for most sunset receptions. For a daytime ceremony in full sun, bring sunglasses and sunscreen, and a hat you can take off for the photographs.

For wāhine

A dress in a print you love is the simplest answer for most weddings. For a daytime or garden wedding, a midi length moves easily. For a sunset or evening wedding, a long dress feels right, and a print on a dark ground or an embroidered piece takes it a step further. Our dresses come in midi and maxi lengths, each in an original Kahulaleʻa print.

For the most formal evening weddings there is the holokū, the long formal gown that usually has a train. Our Lehua Embroidered Holokū is strapless and fitted through the waist and hip before it falls into a long train, with gold Lehua blossoms embroidered at the bust and across the train on deep black. It suits a formal evening, and with a train it is worth checking the invitation, or asking the couple, before you wear it.

A few practical things help on the day. A dress with some structure travels and sits better than one that creases at a glance. A pocket or a small bag keeps your phone, sunscreen and tissues within reach. And if you plan to dance, try a few steps at home in the shoes you will wear.

A long dress for a sunset ceremony.

A long halter dress for an evening reception.

For kāne

A rich print with dark slacks for an evening wedding.

When the invitation says aloha attire, an aloha shirt is the usual choice for kāne, from the families of the couple to the guests. For a beach or garden wedding, wear it untucked with light slacks or chinos and loafers or dress sandals. When the invitation says crisp aloha attire, or for an evening wedding, choose a darker or richer print, press it, and wear it with dress slacks and closed shoes. Some people read crisp as tucked, so tuck it in if you are unsure. Our aloha shirts come in original Kahulaleʻa prints.

If your family is dressing together, an aloha shirt in the same print as the dresses brings everyone together in photographs. The next section has more on that.

If the invitation asks for black tie, follow it.

Dressing the ʻohana together

Families often dress together for a wedding, and one print, worn by everyone from tūtū to the youngest keiki, gathers a family together in photographs. Our ʻOhana Matching Sets carry one original print across dresses, aloha shirts and pieces for keiki, so parents and children can wear the same print in shapes suited to each. For the youngest guests, our Keiki collection has dresses and aloha shirts that pair with the grown-up pieces. For keiki, choose something they can sit, run and rest in, and pack a second outfit for a long reception. Sandals that stay on make sand and grass easier.

If you are part of the couple's family, ask whether the families are coordinating. Some couples choose a print or a color for parents and grandparents, and a quick question before you shop saves a second trip.

One print across the family: dresses, a top and skirt, and an aloha shirt.

Lei at the wedding

Lei are part of many weddings in Hawaiʻi. Couples often wear maile, the open vine lei long associated with romance, and parents and grandparents are often given lei on the day. For them, a lei takes the place of a corsage or a boutonniere. Writing in Ke Ola Magazine, Leilehua Yuen describes an older way of giving a lei: hold it in both hands just above the heart and offer it, so the person can take it and put it on, rather than reaching over their head. If you would like to give a lei, ask the family first, in case of allergies and so the lei suits what they plan to wear, and choose flowers that will not stain clothing.

At a glance

Common questions

Is an aloha shirt dressy enough for a wedding? In Hawaiʻi, yes, when the invitation says aloha attire. Press it, choose a richer print for an evening wedding, and wear it with slacks and closed shoes.

Can I wear black? For an evening wedding, we think a print on a black ground, or a black holokū for the most formal nights, works well unless the couple has asked for colors.

What if the wedding is upcountry? It gets cooler as you climb, so an evening ceremony in the uplands can feel much colder than one by the shore. Bring a wrap or a light jacket, and shoes that can handle damp grass.

What holds at every wedding

Follow the couple's wishes, dress for the place and the weather, and wear something you can celebrate in for hours. If you are in Honolulu, visit us in store at Ala Moana Center or in Waikīkī, where you are welcome to try pieces on. Online, shop the ʻOhana Matching Sets for the whole family, or start with dresses and aloha shirts.