Here's the thing nobody tells you about a beach wedding. The ceremony is about an hour. The weekend around it is three days of cookouts, sand, cold drinks and one very long brunch.
The couple will tell you what to wear to the vows. Do what the invite says, iron your shirt and move on. This guide is for everything else, the part of the weekend where you're actually living in your clothes.
Short version: pack less than you think, keep the colours easy, and bring a few good tees.
Start with the bag, not the outfit
Most people overpack for a wedding weekend and still end up wearing the same shorts three days in a row. So plan for that.
Pick two or three colours and stick to them. Navy, white, khaki and one fun one (pink, green, a faded red) covers basically everything. If every top goes with every bottom, you can get dressed half asleep, which you will.
The rehearsal cookout
This one's usually the night before: burgers on a grill, a cooler of beer, somebody's uncle giving a toast that runs long. It's casual, but it's also the first time you meet half the people you'll be dancing next to tomorrow.
What works: - Chino shorts or rolled khakis - A good tee, or a tee under an open button-down if the sun's going down - Boat shoes or clean canvas sneakers
This is a great spot for the Signal Flags Tee. It spells "Hazy Point" in nautical code flags across the back, and at least one person will ask you what it says. That's a conversation started.
If it's a little cooler by the water, the Pelican Charters Long Sleeve Tee handles the breeze without making you look like you're dressed for a meeting.
The beach day
The best day of the weekend, and the easiest to dress for. Trunks, a tee, sunglasses, a hat. Don't overthink it.
The one thing worth caring about is the tee itself. A thin tee goes see-through when it's wet and looks tired by lunch. A heavyweight, garment-dyed cotton tee holds up to salt, sun and being thrown on the sand. Ours are made on the Comfort Colors 1717: 100% ring-spun cotton, 6.1 oz, garment-dyed so it already looks a little lived-in.
Two good picks: - The Yacht Club Regatta Tee, with three sloops racing past a pink sun. - The Beach Club Tee, with striped cabanas and umbrellas. Get it in Blossom and wear it with white or khaki shorts.
Bring a second tee. Somebody will spill something, and it might be you.
Golf, a sail, or just a long lunch
There's often a side trip. If it's golf, most courses want a collared shirt on the course, so check before you go. Save the tee for after the round. The Links Club Tee, with our pelican next to a pin flag, is made for the 19th hole.
If it's a sail, wear something you don't mind getting splashed and shoes that won't mark the deck. If it's just lunch, you're already dressed.
The after-party
The reception winds down and somebody says, "We're going back to the house." The jacket comes off, the tie goes in a pocket, and an hour later half the wedding party is on a porch in whatever they changed into.
Pack for this. Keep a clean tee and shorts in your bag so you can change and keep going. A long sleeve is smart if the night gets cool. The Collegiate Arch Long Sleeve Tee is soft enough to sleep in, which, given how these nights go, is a plus.
The morning-after brunch
Everyone's a little slow. Sunglasses stay on indoors and nobody judges. This is the most relaxed meal of the weekend, so dress like it.
Shorts, a tee, and boat shoes or slides. The Oyster Club Tee pairs nicely with a plate of eggs and a Bloody Mary. If you didn't wear the Signal Flags Tee to the cookout, wear it now.
Shoes for sand
You'll want two pairs, three tops: - Boat shoes or loafers for anything with a table - Canvas sneakers or slides for everything else - (Optional) the shoes the invite asks for at the ceremony
Leave the flip-flops for the beach itself. They don't survive a dance floor or a gravel driveway.
The weekend packing list
- Whatever the invite asks you to wear for the ceremony
- 3–4 good tees (one for each day, plus a spare)
- 1 long sleeve tee for the cool nights
- 1 button-down to throw over a tee
- 2 pairs of shorts and 1 pair of chinos
- Swim trunks
- Boat shoes, sneakers or slides
- Sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen
- A light sweater for the porch
That's one bag. You'll still have room to bring the couple's gift. More from the Journal: going for the long weekend look all year? Read our coastal grandpa style guide for clam-shack outfits and faded-tee rules.
FAQ
What should I wear to a beach wedding weekend besides the ceremony? Easy, casual clothes in a tight colour palette: chino shorts, good tees, a button-down to layer, boat shoes or sneakers, and swim trunks.
What do you wear to a rehearsal cookout? Shorts or rolled khakis, a good tee or a tee under an open shirt, and boat shoes or clean sneakers.
Can you wear a T-shirt to a wedding weekend? To the ceremony, only if the couple says so. For the beach day, cookout, after-party and brunch, a good tee is exactly right.
How many outfits should I pack for a wedding weekend? Whatever the ceremony needs, plus one easy outfit per day and a spare tee.
One last thing
The best-dressed people at a beach wedding aren't the ones in the fanciest clothes. They're the ones who look like they're having a good time in every photo, from the cookout to the last cup of coffee at brunch.
For the rest of the weekend, check out our short sleeves and long sleeves. Buying for the couple? A Hazy Point gift card shows up by email and never expires.