2 Weddings 2 Weeks Apart: Here's How I Tackled Wedding Guest Dressing

Man, I do love a wedding. I love the pomp and the circumstance, the happy tears, the gorgeous dresses, the melding of two families… I love it all! As an aging millennial and former bridesmaid, the past few years have been a flurry of RSVPs. This is to say my wedding experience is vast and, as someone who walked down the aisle last year, quite intimate.

Here's the thing about that aforementioned melding of the families: One day, you and your dearly beloved will look at your calendars and realize that you both have relatives getting married sometime during that time warp between Thanksgiving and Christmas on two different continents—yikes. Even though we're nuptial veterans, traveling this extensively so close to the holidays felt daunting.

In the spirit of true partnership, we decided to divide and conquer. My husband took on the task of navigating our travel itineraries (musts: Tim Tams, koalas, beachfront cocktails) while I began the mental gymnastics of packing for two very different climates and cultures ahead of the Punjabi-Australian and Jewish-Colombian celebrations. 

Keep reading to unveil what made my packing list.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

First up was my cousin Shareen's big day in Melbourne. Shareen and I first met as flower girls at our aunt's wedding, so seeing her walk down the aisle felt extra special. (Here come those tears again.)

SANGEET

DRESS CODE: COLORFUL AND FESTIVE

LOCATION: AN ICONIC LIVE MUSIC VENUE

In lieu of a rehearsal dinner, we celebrated the night before the wedding with a sangeet (a Punjabi tradition), a colorful evening of food, dancing, and fun. 

With the bride's blessing, I rewore my own sangeet lehenga, an Indo-Western butter-yellow silk two-piece. Pattern-wise, this set below is the closest to what I wore but comes with pants instead, which are probably easier to dance in than my voluminous skirt.

WEDDING CEREMONY

DRESS CODE: FORMAL

LOCATION: HOTEL ROOFTOP

Peter and I were given the honor of being emcees at the wedding ceremony, so a bold fiery-red gown felt like the call. I sourced this vintage chiffon Halston dress after falling in love with its sari-like draping.

NORTH MIAMI, FLORIDA

Zipping through several time zones on our return trip, including a night in Singapore and a Narita pit stop for Japanese Kit Kats (if you know, you know), we were finally home… only to empty our suitcases, snuggle our cat, and repack for the balmy beaches of Florida.

REHEARSAL DINNER

DRESS CODE: DRESSY CASUAL

LOCATION: HOTEL ROOFTOP BAR

As one of the handfuls of California relatives, we were excited to reunite with my husband's largely East Coast–based family at his cousin's wedding. Sadly, the friendly skies had other plans for us. A severe Friday morning delay caused us to land midway through the rehearsal dinner. After weighing our options, jet lag won out, and we ate Serafina takeout in a stupor before crashing hard.

Needless to say, I didn't get to wear my 'fit, a patterned two-piece, but here I am taking it for a spin on my Jamaican honeymoon last year. The lightweight cotton breathes well in humidity, and the bold print and ankle-length pants are just right for a beachside affair. If prints aren't your speed, switch gears with the beautiful green duo below.

WEDDING CEREMONY

DRESS CODE: BLACK-TIE OPTIONAL

LOCATION: SYNAGOGUE

Anytime I'm in Miami (or, in this case, Miami-adjacent), my impulse is to sex it up. Knowing the festivities would take place in a temple, I was sure to get a second opinion on my look and reconfirm the dress code before packing.

Once I was in the clear, I slipped on a crêpe asymmetrical jumpsuit and went big on gold accessories. The bride's family hails from Colombia, meaning an absolutely ripping dancing floor, so pants were the right call. If your vibe is "more is more," jazz it up with sequins.