Invitations arriving thick and fast? The best wedding guest dresses will see you through an entire summer season of parties. As the sartorial pressure mounts, we're easing the burden with our guide to the top frocks, alongside some key wedding dressing rules to keep in mind when selecting your dress.
The best wedding guest dresses should offer timeless style. While they might give a nod to the latest spring/summer fashion trends, if you've got a stack of invites, you're going to want your frock to offer a decent cost-per-wear. Easy to dress up and down or reinvent with new accessories, the right look for a big day will depend on the style and location of the wedding and if you plan to wear a hat or fascinator to complete the look.
Offering elegance and the need for minimal styling, begin your search by assessing the theme of the day, as the best wedding guest dresses for a black tie event can differ from those for a garden affair or religious ceremony. If that wasn't tricky enough, wedding guest dressing comes with its own set of style rules too. And of course you want to ensure you find a pair of comfortable wedding guest shoes to complement your dress.
Establishing the big no-nos, such as whether you can wear white, or the same colour as the bridesmaids dresses, will help you narrow down the vast dress offering this season and avoid any fashion faux pas.
Best wedding guest dresses as chosen by our fashion editor
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From stylish dresses to hide a tummy to dramatic maxi styles, the best wedding guest dresses come in a variety of shapes and designs to match every taste and body type. In general, a midi, midaxi or maxi length dress is most appropriate for wedding guests, as a longer line frock will avoid wardrobe malfunctions on a windy day, while any length over a mini will also ensure you're not tugging at a short hemline. The best jumpsuits are also well worth considering too.
You can rework styles all season long by switching up your accessories for each occasion - a great hack if your diary is full of invites. Or if you're not looking to invest, the best designer dress rentals will ensure you get maximum style without commitment - winning!
RRP: £325 | Available in orange, mint green or classic black, this ME+EM dress is really similar to a Victoria Beckham ruched style we've had our eye on for a while. Elizabeth Day recently wore it to the Chelsea Flower Show too! There are lots of dress options in the ME+EM sale too.
RRP: £295 | If you're wondering what colour suits me? navy is pretty much universally flattering. Between the tied halter neckline and floaty tiered midi skirt that moves beautifully when you walk this truly is the perfect wedding guest dress. It's available in regular or petite lengths too.
RRP: £89 | Sienna Miller's M&S collection features this ruffled maxi dress, and it might just be the dress of the summer. The pale blue hue is so pretty, and the cut out detailing and perfectly-placed ruffles make it look much more expensive than it is.
RRP: £228 | Pale pink is a very chic option for a wedding, and won't date, so you can revisit it year after year. The cut out shoulders are very flattering, and with a stylish hat, this would be a great choice for mother of the bride or groom.
RRP: £169 | Darker shades of navy and even black are totally acceptable to wear for weddings, and with the right accessories, can look very sophisticated. We love the lace fabric on this one - and clearly so do plenty of shoppers as it's a bestselling style on the Phase Eight site.
RRP: £32.99 | One of the best plus size dresses, this midi is a total bargain, and is available in green, blue or pink. Reading the reviews, we're thinking we might need one of each!
RRP: £460 | Available in different lengths (there's even a childrenswear version!) and in sizes UK 4 to 22, this sensational dress would look stunning for a black tie dress code. The Aurora dress' most famous fan is Kate Middleton, no less.
RRP: £75 | Ideal for a wedding abroad, the organic cotton fabric of this dress will keep you cool in warmer temperatures. The statement print means you can afford to keep accessories super simple - stick with gold jewellery.
RRP: £278 | Worn recently by Jennifer Aniston, Reformation's Kourtney dress is a real show-stopper. The red floral print is really pretty, and the spaghetti straps are ideal for anyone 90s revival enthusiasts. Reformation dresses are super popular for weddings, and there's a reason why.
RRP: £278 (was £695) | One of our top Net-A-Porter sale picks, this dress is currently a whopping 60% off. The brand is a favourite of Kate Middleton, plus you'll never go too far wrong with florals.
RRP: £349 | Something old, something new, something borrowed, something... blue! You'll be a good luck charm for the bride in this Hobbs dress. One reviewer wrote: "Beautiful dress, size smaller than usual to get a slimming fit. Purchased this for my son’s wedding. Dress is comfortable and a beautiful colour against my hair and complexion, I look forward to wearing it."
RRP: £199 | How elegant is this lilac midi dress? We'd have believed it if this was by Victoria Beckham or another high end designer label. Mint Velvet is one of the best British clothing brands to have on your radar right now.
RRP: £195 | Could there be a more appropriate print for a wedding than love hearts? If Kitri's not on your radar then it's time to read up. One five star reviewer wrote: "Very pretty dress, nicely made and very flattering lovely colour."
RRP: £119 | Boho is back, and this Zara number is a great way to embrace the trend. Try dressing it down with boots and a denim jacket when you're not attending a wedding, and check out our guide on what is boho style for more styling tips.
RRP: £27.99 | The best wedding guest dresses don't have to cost the earth. If you've got a diary full of invites and nothing to wear, check out Scandinavian clothing brand H&M for its pretty frocks that can be easily dressed up or down.
RRP: from £85.20 | Amazon might not be the first place you think of to buy a wedding guest dress, but there's actually loads of great brands on there. Check out the best jeans on Amazon and the best Amazon swimsuits too.
RRP: £228.65 (was £269) | Blue is one of this season's hottest hues and this gorgeous angel sleeve number is ideal if you love a floaty sleeve. With a flattering V-neckline and elegant embellishment, you'll look picture-ready in no time.
RRP: £179 | Animal print is a neutral in our eyes, so there's no reason you can't make it work for a wedding. This one's available in regular or petite, and it's machine washable too, which isn't always the case with occasionwear.
Can I wear a sparkly dress to a wedding?
In general, it is fine to wear sequins to a wedding, although you should consider the colour of the sequins, the time of year and the style of the wedding before choosing your dress.
If the wedding includes an evening black tie party or a cocktail hour, then sequins are expected, however, if you're going to a wedding that involves an afternoon tea, or a beach ceremony, sequins might be seen as 'over-the-top' for the event.
You will want to avoid sequins that are too light - ie. too white or a very light silver, as you don't want to upstage the bride. Equally if you can find out the colour of the bridesmaid dresses, you might want to avoid that colour sequin too. If you're still unsure, ask the bride for her thoughts, she'll appreciate the thought and can put your mind at ease.
Can you wear polka dots to a wedding?
This might seem like an odd question, but many polka dot dresses have a white base colour, meaning that the majority of your dress could still end up being white. To avoid any chance of upstaging the bride, it is best to avoid white-based prints, unless there is a significant amount of colour in the dress.
Polka dots on any other colour base fabric that is not white or champagne is absolutely fine. One of the most classic and timeless prints, you can guarantee that a polka dot dress won't date and can be worn for multiple weddings, even serving as an answer for what to wear to the races or what to wear to Wimbledon (like the Princess of Wales) too.
Can wedding guests wear the same colour dress as bridesmaids?
It's best to avoid wearing the same colour as the bridesmaids where possible, as you don't want to look like you're part of the bridal party if that's not the case. While this isn't a massive faux pas, in order to avoid this, ask the bride if she can give you a heads-up on the colour theme of the wedding, so you can avoid accidentally matching.
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