Decoding those invites and deciding on what wedding-guest dress to wear can be a confusing task at times, so we asked Nordstrom buyer Ashley Woodworth to help us out. She breaks it down in terms that are totally easy to understand, and we’ve provided a range of dress ideas to simplify your decision-making process and get you ready to raise a glass of bubbly and toast to a lifetime of love. NYDJ print dress | Manolo Blahnik pump | This is an obvious but fun one to dress for! Maxi Dresses: My first thought is a beautiful, flowy maxi, either printed or in a great solid pop color. A Little Lace: Also pretty would be a crochet or cotton lace style (less serious than cocktail lace). I also love the idea of some of the new halter trapeze shapes we’re seeing, still dressy but short and easy for the beach—bonus that those styles look great with wedges or flat sandals in case you want to change shoes after you get off the beach. Bold Prints: Depending on the location, you could also do a cool tribal-print shift, turquoise or stone jewelry and gladiator sandals.

I’m thinking of Mexico here… Floral Laundry by Shelli Segal gown | Eliza J geometric-print maxi dress | Maggy London pleated a-line dress SHOP: Wedding-Guest Dresses for the Beach This could be any venue from a patio or tent at a country club to outdoors in a rustic location or on the grounds of a winery. Prints: My first thought is floral and feminine or stripes—definitely less serious. This is the type of event where color is festive and fun. Shoes: I always think of what shoes are right for the occasion and location when I’m choosing a type of dress. Blue Smoke CurtainsFor daytime or outdoors, you might do a metallic flat sandal or an espadrille wedge. Cheap Van Rentals In Brooklyn NyThe more casual cottons, printed fit-and-flares and even a pop color eyelet dress are just right for those shoes.Indoor Christmas Fairy Lights

Comfort: The other thing to think about is comfort (you won’t look great if you’re sweating, can’t walk on grass or have a tricky dress that looks good in photos but not so much when walking the event grounds). This is where breathable, fit-and-flare or A-line and short dresses are also perfect choices. Alice + Olivia two-tone dress | M Missoni zigzag-stripe dress | Kaya & Sloane strapless dress INDOOR CEREMONY AND COCKTAIL RECEPTION This is more your semiformal ceremony followed by a hotel or restaurant ballroom reception. The Dress: I use the filter of “cocktail dress that is seasonally appropriate” for these types of weddings. So if it’s July, cocktail might be a pretty lace style in a beautiful color, whereas in October a great LBD or fun metallic jacquard dress would be equally appropriate. The Details: For summer versions of cocktail I tend to think of more “special” details: embellished necklines or belts, more novelty fabrics and definitely lace, either all over or trims.

This doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice color to be dressed up enough, just thinking of a more elevated look than a daytime or more casual affair. The Shoes: This is where your fun colored or metallic sandals can be a great complement to your look. Just make sure you can still be comfortable enough to hit the dance floor! Ted Baker London print tunic dress | Diane von Furstenberg sheath dress | BB Dakota navy lace dress If you like getting dressed to the nines, this is a fabulous opportunity to do so. Black Tie: While most people think of long dresses, you can also opt for a really beautiful short cocktail dress with elevated details. Think shine, sequins, embellished neck, etc. Elevate a short dress with a beaded clutch and strappy sandals. Avoid: Stay away from flirty printed styles that would work better for daytime/afternoon. Think more evening here. Black: Still totally appropriate in the summer for a formal event. If you’re worried about looking too dark, a pop of pink lip, a colored shoe or a metallic clutch can keep it less “holiday” feeling.

Maxi as Gown: A dressy maxi (think chiffon or silk) can work well as a summer gown. Metallic accents keep it formal. Go with your hair up and you’ll be perfect “summer black tie.” A final piece of advice: While the invite is important, so is making it feel seasonally appropriate. If I know other people going to the wedding (as you usually will if it’s a friend in your circle), I will ask the other girls what they are thinking. It’s a good gauge of how other guests interpreted the invite. Another trick is to find the wedding venue online to get a sense of how it looks; I’ll do this to see where on the dressed-up scale the venue falls if I don’t know anyone else on the guest list. 3.1 Phillip Lim two-tone dress | Elizabeth and James black maxi dress | Adrianna Papell beaded pastel gownIn just a few months, Nashville will FINALLY be getting a Nordstrom and, as you can imagine, I'm beside myself with excitement. Since the new Nordstrom (currently under construction) is a big topic of conversation among my mom friends, I've begun hearing more and more about Nordstrom's exceptional return policy.

"Nordstrom takes back anything!" one of my friends told me recently. "I had a pair of shoes from Nordstrom that were four years old and they took them back!" "Nordstrom even took back a set of snow tires!" another friend claimed. "Or was it a chainsaw? Anyway, a man brought it in and even though Nordstrom didn't sell it to him, they gave him a refund!" I found the snow tire story hard to believe. However, I've heard it several times since my friend recounted it to me.And what is Nordstrom's actual return policy, anyway? Read on to find out! Lucky for us, Snopes has investigated the widely circulated snow tire story and found that it's ... John Nordstrom (of the Nordstrom Nordstroms) claims the story is true and has been quoted as saying he was there when it happened. Making the story more plausible, he says the Nordstrom in question had once been a tire store and the customer may have been confused. With that in mind, the tires were accepted by the employee. However, in the 1980s the company itself said the story was not true, but that it was often repeated simply because the department store chain's liberal return policy is truly legendary.

Whether the story is true or not, the fact is that, unlike at most other stores, Nordstrom will generally take your purchase back without a receipt if it carries the item in question. Items that clearly couldn't have been sold at Nordstrom however (like snow tires and chainsaws) aren't eligible for return.That's good enough for me. Nordstrom also is smart enough not to put the specifics of its return policy in writing. From the Nordstrom website: How do I make a return at Nordstrom? For an in-store return, contact or stop by the Nordstrom store nearest you, and we will make every effort to see that your needs are met. Why not be more specific? Because apparently Nordstrom has problems from time to time with customers returning obviously well-worn merchandise. In one hilarious fashion forum discussion on the subject, a user had this to say: My sister works for the lingerie department at Nordstroms. Just imagine the crap, the seriously naaasty crap that people come to return.

So tell me, readers. Have you had any experience with Nordstrom's return policy? And are there other stores you can think of that make returns easy peasy? I'd love to know about them! UPDATE: Here's an official answer to this post from Nordstrom PR rep John Bailey: "We are  really  excited to open our doors in Nashville next September (9/16) and start serving customers. You mentioned in your blog about how we handle returns.  We have no formal policy regarding the return of merchandise at Nordstrom.  We handle all returns on case by case basis, with the ultimate objective of taking care of the customer.  We want our customers to know that if they’ve purchased something from Nordstrom that isn’t right, we’ll work hard to find a solution.  A valid government issued photo ID is required for all cash refunds. Also, the tire story is true and it is true that John Nordstrom was there.   When we opened our store in Alaska, we purchased a business where tires and other goods were sold.