Anything that looks like a wedding dress: pure white, ivory, champagne, very pale rosé and large-scale light lace on a light background. Even pale pink can land in the white range on photos. Also, black dirndls with a completely black apron are problematic in many regions because of the mourning association – a black dirndl with a coloured apron, on the other hand, is completely fine and often the most elegant choice for an evening wedding. If you're unsure whether your dirndl still falls into the safe range, just ask someone close to the bride.

For almost any wedding a midi dirndl with 65 to 75 centimetres is the safest choice. Short dirndls with 50 to 60 centimetres quickly feel too casual at more formal weddings and fit better at garden weddings or summer festivals. Long dirndls from 80 centimetres are the most formal version and suit evening weddings, gala dinners or very traditional dirndl weddings. If you're testing the length at a wedding where you're wearing a dirndl for the first time, go with midi – it's the safe all-rounder.

At least two weeks before the wedding, better three. Dirndls fit more individually than standard ready-to-wear because the bodice has to sit tight and the blouse underneath has to sit cleanly – you want time to order a different size if necessary. The most common situation that lands in our support is an order three days before the date: then there's no time for an exchange. If your wedding is less than ten days away, write to us first – we'll tell you honestly whether we can make it in time. All details can be found on our shipping and returns pages.

If the wedding takes place in the alpine region, or if you have to choose between a really good dirndl and a mediocre cocktail dress, go with the dirndl. It's significantly more festive than most people think, stands out positively in photos, and in the end is often worn more often than a cocktail dress that only hangs in the closet for one occasion. Even at a wedding without a traditional dress theme, an understated midi dirndl in a muted colour can work very well – the question is then less whether you're allowed to wear it, and more whether it matches the tone of the evening.

Yes – and it's one of the biggest advantages of a good dirndl. With a different apron and a different dirndl blouse, the same dress looks completely different. A dirndl you wear to a wedding today can work again at the next folk festival, at Oktoberfest, at a spring festival, at a Kirchweih or at a Christmas party. The cost per wear drops significantly over the years compared to a cocktail dress that disappears into the closet after a wedding. That's one of the reasons we always recommend slightly higher-quality workmanship – it pays off in the long run.