If your fridge is currently covered in Save the Dates and you feel like your calendar has every other weekend blocked off for fast-approaching weddings… same. It’s the era of every 20 and 30-something having half-a-dozen weddings on the horizon, and odds are, you have at least one wedding approaching during the glorious warm months of summer.
Picking out a wedding guest dress is always a little intimidating, but picking one out for the summer months arguably increases the difficulty tenfold. Steamy, hot weather and getting dressed up don’t necessarily mix, but we’re here to tell you that picking out a summer wedding guest dress should actually be something you’re celebrating. Buttery yellows, dreamy florals, delicate fabrics—hallelujah, you get to wear something beautiful and don’t have to cover it up with a coat or jacket!
From black-tie to casual beach weddings and everything in between, these 30+ wedding guest dresses will put you at the top of the best-dressed guest list at the upcoming nuptials your attending.
Wedding Dress Code Tips
While some weddings won’t specify a dress code, many will, and if the bride and groom take the effort into guiding you to what you should wear, you should take it as a blessing.
When you’re given a dress code, follow it, and make sure the attire you’re planning on wearing falls under it. The last thing you want is to show up in a black-tie dress while everyone else is super casual or, worse, show up super casual when everyone is dressed for a black-tie event.
If the invitation doesn’t give a dress code, double check the wedding website, and if that still turns up no information, reach out to a bridesmaid to ask (avoid bothering the bride with questions you can get answered elsewhere). If they still don’t know, dress for the location. 95% of the time, you aren’t going to show up to a ballroom in a sundress or wear a floor-length gown to a beach wedding.
Casual & Semi-Formal Summer Wedding Guest Dresses
The absolute best thing about casual and semi-formal weddings is that you can usually wear the dresses you get for them to multiple events afterward: dinner dates, bridal showers, engagement parties, bachelorette trips—you name it. If a wedding ceremony calls for a casual dress code, short dresses and ones that fall into the sundress category are both fair game.
Semi-formal wedding attire can feel like a big question mark. This dress code gives you a bit of flexibility in what you choose to wear, so the season of the wedding and the venue where it’s taking place should both play a major factor in the dress you choose. For the summer months, pastels, florals, and lightweight fabrics are great options for a semi-formal dress code.
Cocktail & Formal Summer Wedding Guest Dresses
A cocktail dress code allows for a wide variety of outfit choices, the most common being a cocktail dress (obviously). It’s more casual than black tie, but still calls for an elevated, special-event worthy look. For a cocktail dress code, your best bet is to opt for a short or midi dress and heels.
One of the most common dress codes you’ll see on a wedding invite is “formal.” These are probably the dresses that come to mind first when you think of a wedding guest dress. Formal wedding dress code is a step down from black tie, and gives you a bit of leeway in what you can wear. A fancier cocktail dress can fall under the formal dress code, but when in doubt, a longer dress is a great option for formal attire.
Black Tie Optional & Black Tie Summer Wedding Guest Dresses
Black tie weddings are generally the most formal dress code you’re going to see. They’re most common when the wedding reception is going to be held in a ballroom.
The best practice for when a black-tie dress code is specified is to wear a floor-length dress. Obviously, which floor-length dress you choose can vary widely. A plain, solid-colored dress in a classic silhouette is a no-fail option, but you can also branch out and opt for a dress with a pop of pattern or texture. The only “rule” you need to focus on is your dress’ length—the rest is up to you.
