The one wedding etiquette rule for guests is to never wear white. Of course, there are some exceptions in different cultures, but in most Western traditional weddings, white and its shades are reserved for the bride. Knowing this, a woman chose a yellow dress as a wedding guest.

But, when the party got in full swing at the end of the evening, the lights went down and black lights came on, the dress appeared white. A person then approached the woman and asked her to leave. Thinking this was ridiculous, she refused and stayed. Still, she wanted to check: was she being inappropriate?

A woman wore a yellow dress to her friend’s wedding, thinking it would be a safe color

Image credits: parallel (not the actual photo)

However, when it appeared white under a black light, a member of the wedding party asked her to leave

Image credits: Wesley Tingey / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Consistent_Olive_604

Image credits: Soulful Pizza / Pexles (not the actual photo)

Yellow materials might glow under a black light because their pigment absorbs UV radiation and emits visible light

While black light parties might not be so popular at weddings, it’s certainly a genre of its own. It can be a nice way to make a party more vibrant and exciting. The most fun part of a black light party is the fact that decorations and clothes glow in the dark.

How does black light even work and why do certain colors glow under it? Black light is UV (ultraviolet) light; it’s a type of radiation that we can’t see. A black light bulb emits UV radiation and causes certain materials to fluoresce.

A black light doesn’t change an item’s color; it’s more likely that what the OP meant was that her dress was glowing under the black light similarly to the bride’s white dress, and that’s why the person approached her and asked her to leave.

Do all colors glow under a UV light? No, it’s only lighter colors such as white, yellow, and green. Others, like blue and purple, can appear even darker under a black light. The fluorescent dyes in these colors absorb the UV radiation and, in return, emit a visible light. Whether they will glow also depends on the material of the clothes as well.

In theory, if any of the guests were wearing green, pink, or purple, they should’ve been looking like glowsticks as well. These colors appear almost neon-like under a black light because their pigments contain a lot of fluorescent compounds that absorb UV light and emit light.

Image credits: Alem Sánchez / Pexles (not the actual photo)

To avoid misunderstandings, dress codes should clearly communicate the dos and the don’ts

Since the bride and groom planned the black light portion of the reception, they probably knew clothes of other colors would be glowing. If they really had a problem with it, they probably would’ve included dress code guidelines in the wedding invitations.

Wedding planning experts at Trademark Venues recommend using wording that is instructive but polite and fits the tone of the invitation overall. This is where wedding websites come in particularly handy. When a dress code is ambiguous and raises some questions for guests, they might find more information on the website. The planners can include detailed examples and even FAQs.

Possible questions among them might be “Is there a dress code?” and “Are there any styles or colors you’d prefer me to wear?” It’s the nice and polite way to let guests know what would be a fashion faux pax at your wedding.

Wedding planners say that it’s best to address these questions in advance. Nobody wants to be embarrassed mid-reception! Australia-based professional wedding singers and DJs Benny Hanna emphasize that clarity about dress codes is crucial. “Addressing dress code expectations well ahead of the event can prevent last-minute wardrobe dilemmas and any discomfort for guests,” they write.

The bride and groom didn’t seem to have any problem with the dress, it was just one family member

“Some people have nothing better to do than look for problems that don’t exist,” people said

“Yellow is still kind of risky to to wear to a wedding,” others countered

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