Lionel Messi's mother accused of trying to upstage bride Antonella Roccuzzo by wearing white dress

Lionel Messi’s mum has been accused of trying to upstage his bride – by turning up to the wedding in an almost identical white dress.

Celia Cuccittini turned up at the lavish wedding in a silver white lace gown, breaking the golden rule that guests should not wear white to a wedding.

Her decision was even more intriguing given rumours of a long-standing rift between Messi’s mother and his bride, Antonella Roccuzzo – a rumour denied by both families.

There were reportedly gasps from the assembled media as Celia arrived in the silver gown, daringly similar to the bride's dress.

The issue shines a light on the delicate matter of where the line is when it comes to wearing eye-catching clothing at weddings.

We reported last week on the debate triggered on Mumsnet, when a woman from Newcastle bought a sparkling Gina Bacconi dress to wear to her son’s nuptuals in New York.

The proud mum wrote a review of the dress on the John Lewis website, which was spotted by an eagle-eyed shopper.

One Mumsnet user wrote: "It could clash with a bridal outfit depending on the type of dress the bride wore, unless I knew for certain that the bride was ok with it, I wouldn't risk it personally," one person wrote.

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Another added: "It’s a lovely dress but yes, possibly a bit pale and long to wear to your son’s wedding."

In the run-up to Messi's wedding, the designer of his mother’s dress had told the media that the dress would be dark.

"I can assure you that they will be dark and with the cosan style impregnated in them."

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But instead she turned up in the long clear-cut white gown, with a lace hem that touched the floor. One fashion journalist remarked that the dress "was not suitable for the mother of the groom".

The pair married in their home town of Rosario, Argentina, where they grew up together. So, where is the line? For some fashion experts, it's less about the colour of the dress than the style that’s important.

Writing on the store’s blog, Annette Blacker, creative brand manager for Reiss, said: "It’s absolutely fine to wear white to a wedding, so long as if you make that decision, you don't go for something that is overly bridal in appearance.

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"For me, steering clear of a white lace dress is a must – a white wedding guest outfit should be something along the lines of smart trousers and a blouse, a summery dress that falls above the knee or a tailored suit."

But some say it’s a line that should not be crossed. An article in lifestyle magazine Glamour said there are literally no circumstances in which white is acceptable – even if the bride says 'yes'.

And the Debrett's Wedding Handbook says simply: "It is best to avoid white or cream and black. Overly bright colours and patterns should be avoided as they may dominate photographs, and care should be taken not to overshadow the bride.

"It is not necessary for all the components of an outfit to match."