“Hello! I’ve a fashion challenge that’s causing me a lot of anxiety, and I’m hoping you can help:) I have a July wedding to attend in London to see my very close friend get married. I’ll be on my own with my 10-month-old nursling, over a whirlwind 24 hours that will start and end with a plane journey. I need something packable, nursing-friendly, and comfortable enough to be running around after a baby in.”  -Tana

We can allll relate to this question, Tana! I remember the first wedding we went to after G was born . . . she was seven-months-old and Zack was in the wedding. I honestly don’t know what I was thinking because I wore a dress that came up to my neck and was long sleeved . . . ?? Thank goodness the wedding was at a hotel and one of the guests let me use their room to breastfeed. I literally had to strip down in order to do so. Lesson learned. (I’ll chalk that one up to being a first-time mom.)

Nursing-Friendly Wedding Outfit Ideas

The best decision of the night was to bring a glam baby carrier to put G in . . . we danced with her in tow and had a great time. The key to postpartum wedding looks is to keep it nursing-friendly (unlike me), and be as comfortable as possible with a few well-chosen, wildly practical, yet totally glam accessories. Because we’re nerds, here’s a formula:

Beautiful Dress + Pretty Sandals + Glam Baby Carrier + Fabulous Tote

Look for fabrics like jersey to make packing easier, and flat or low-heeled sandals in metallic colors or with wraparound laces. A tote can easily double as a diaper bag, especially when you use an insert (like this one) to keep your things organized. Keep jewelry to a minimum and let your baby carrier be the glam accessory. Here’s some inspiration.

1. Wrap ’em Up In A Wrap Dress

This wrap dress is gorgeous and drapes perfectly to disguise a pooch (the stretchy jersey fabric will pull-down for nursing). I love the pale pastel with the gold. Such a pretty look that would definitely be dressy enough for even a black tie wedding.

1. Sakura Bloom Sling in Pebble

2. Tie-Front Maxi Dress

3. Gold Tote

4. Gladiator Sandal

2. Wrap Dress Idea, Part 2

If you like the silky wrap dress but prefer sleeves, this one is for you. The draping still covers the pooch, but this one can cover a more substantial nursing bra (more support!). I love the rich colors ,and these shoes are the perfect combination of comfort and glam. Again, this dress is jersey, so should pull-down nicely for nursing.

1.  Sakura Bloom Sling in Anise

2. Wrap Dress

3. Metallic Tote

4. T-strap Sandal

3. A Button-Front Dress Is a Romantic, Pretty Win

This dress buttons all the way up, and the full skirt (with pockets! yasssss) is flattering without being overwhelming. Love the pop of color with the baby sling (it actually comes in a ton of colors) and the bag is perfect for every day/special occasions/everything in between. This is perfect for daytime wedding.

1. Baby Sling

2. Floral Maxi Dress

3. Michael Kors Tote

4. Terri Sandal

4. Or Try a Nursing Friendly Top & Dramatic Skirt

This is my favorite of the bunch. Love the olive green with the blush color . . . this is the infamous best nursing shirt ever, just sleeveless. The Sakura Bloom in Sandstone is almost a perfect match. Shana and I disagreed on the shoes — I’d wear the kitten heels, but she thought they’d be too tricky for a mom on her own who has to babywear all night. What do you guys think??

1. Sakura Bloom Sling in Sandstone

2. Sleeveless Portofino Shirt

3. Blush Maxi Skirt

4. Blush Leather Buckle Tote

5. Nine West Leisa Sandals in Natural Suede

 5. Don’t Forget About Stretchy Rompers

If skirts/dresses are just not going to cut it, the black jumpsuit is for you. It’s easy to dress up or down, and I love adding a baby carrier in a pretty pattern or color. The block heel makes the sandals more stable and the black and white bag brings it all together nicely.

1. Black & White Reversible Floral Baby Sling

2. Black Jumpsuit

3. Black & White Tote

4. Block Heel Sandals

6. Wedding Is Casual? Try a Nursing-Friendly Day Dress

Sometimes you just want a shorter dress . . . and this one buttons for easy-access. (For babies, that is). The St. Anne Diaper Bag is one of my favorites — roomy, wipeable and totally customizable by color/pattern. Wrap sandals are my favorite this summer and the anchors on this baby carrier fit perfectly with this nautical look! Another great option for a daytime wedding.

1. Mamaway Ring Sling Baby Carrier

2. Sheer Panel Dress

3. The St. Anne Diaper Bag

4. Wrap Sandal

Tana, good luck out there!  We’d love to know how it goes!

XOXO,

Scotti