The wedding starts at 12. Sun, garden, white marquee, floral arrangements. And that's the moment when half the guests turn up as if they were at a black-tie gala in November. Daytime weddings have their own rules - some of them so strict that protocol experts have been repeating them for decades, and we still keep making the same mistakes.

First rule, absolute: no white or light colours. Beige, champagne, ivory, cream - all reserved for the bride. This isn't an old superstition, it's a sign of basic respect. If you're posting an Instagram shot with the bride where you're both in cream, you've done something wrong.

Black? Designer Juan Avellaneda says: "Ideal for formal evening weddings, but not for many traditional or daytime events in a natural setting". Translation: at a 2 PM garden wedding, black reads wrong. At a 9 PM forest-restaurant wedding - perfect. Context before rule.

All shimmer, sequins, anything cut-glass - far from daytime weddings. That goes for the dress, the shoes, and the accessories. Daylight turns them into kitsch. Those same shiny materials that look luxurious under artificial light look like Las Vegas poolside wear under the sun.

Length is the next category. Midi or knee-length for daytime weddings. Only the bride, her sister, and the bridesmaids have the right to floor-length. Everything else is an attempt to outshine. As for shoes - closed footwear if the material is quality, otherwise heels no taller than 10 centimetres for daytime events (10-12 for evening).

Fifth rule that many people break: the wide-brimmed hat (pamela). Protocol expert Gisela Prencipe says: "The hat doesn't come off until the couple's first dance". Unless it's blocking the woman next to you at the table while she's eating - then at least lift it or move it to a support. You don't toss it on the table - it's a styling choice, not a prop.

Makeup - natural, discreet, elegant. Earth and rose tones. No flickering shadows. A simple, elegant hairstyle. That's also what Ana Garcia-Gajoso, wedding planner and author, recommends. And that finally defines the difference between someone who's going to a wedding to celebrate the couple and someone who's going to be the centre of attention. The first option is always classier.

Wedding protocol isn't the old world - it's protection for one important day for two specific people. Those rules developed with logic. When you respect them, you let the wedding be about the newlyweds - not about the Instagram strix. That's all.