lace formal dress with sleeves Mother of the Bride Style #27870 The design smoothly flows from the structured waist into a relaxed Floral Lace Illusion Sleeve Plunging

Its simple to slip into one of these understated, minimalist dresses before starting your day and the best part is you only have to put on one item of clothing

True red (see Pantone hue here) works on every skin tone and really pops in photos

Offered in misses and some plus sizes, this short bodycon party dress is short on length, not on style

Having said that, the etiquette has changed over the past few years as event dressing has evolved, with more guests deciding to wear a black dress or suit

While it's an excellent idea as an artistic appetizer, it loses the charm and magic of the great Broadway theatres, the incredible sets and the characterisation - take it from me