The wedding starts at 12. Sun, garden, white marquee, floral arrangements. And that is the moment when half the guests arrive looking like they're at a gala dinner in November. Daytime weddings have their own rules - some of them so strict that protocol experts have been repeating them for decades, and we are still making the same mistakes.

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

Black? The designer Juan Avellaneda says: „Ideal for formal evening weddings, but not for very traditional or daytime events in a natural setting”. Translation: at a garden wedding at 2 p.m., black doesn't read well. At a wedding in a forest restaurant at 9 p.m. - perfect. Context before rule.

Anything shimmering, sequinned, frizzy - stays away from daytime weddings. That goes for the dress, the shoes and the accessories. Daylight turns them into kitsch. The same shiny fabrics that look luxurious under stage lighting look like a Las Vegas beach outfit under the sun.

Length is the next category. Midi or knee-length for daytime weddings. Only the bride, her sister and the maids of honour are entitled to a floor-length gown. Anything else is competition. As for shoes - a sandal is fine if the material is good, otherwise heels of no more than 10 centimetres for daytime events (10-12 for evening).

The fifth rule many guests break: the wide-brimmed hat (pamela). Protocol expert Gisela Príncipe says: „The hat does not come off until the couple's first dance”. Unless it gets in the way of the neighbour at the table while she's eating - then you at least lift it or rest it somewhere. You don't throw it on a chair - it is a style choice, not a prop.

Makeup - natural, discreet, elegant. Earth tones and pinks. No shimmering shadows. A simple, elegant hairstyle. That is what Ana García-Gayoso, wedding planner and author, also recommends. And it is what finally separates someone who is going to a wedding to celebrate the couple from someone who is going to be the centre of attention. The first option always has better taste.

Wedding protocol is not a relic of the old world - it is the protection of an important day for two specific people. These rules developed through logic. When you respect them, you allow the wedding to be about the couple - not about Instagram gossip. That is all.