Wedding Guest Dresses (2024)

The chances of sharing a friend or family member’s happy day with them can become a daunting one as you start struggling to find unique, fun wedding guest dresses that you can wear to each individual occasion. Shop the collection of wedding guest dresses at NewYorkDress!

Selecting a Wedding Guest Dress

The best wedding guest dresses must fill two simple criteria: make you look and feel GREAT while not overshadowing the bride! Other than those two simple requirements, picking a dress to wear to another person’s wedding leaves a lot to an individual’s choice and style, so making sure you have an outfit that’s suitable to the kind of wedding you’re going to attend can help you narrow the choices down a bit further.

When selecting wedding guest dresses, think about whether the wedding and reception will be held indoors, or outside. A cute little mini dress might be perfect for an indoor, co*cktail-party-style reception, but if the wedding is being held somewhere with a breeze you might wind up showing off more than you meant to! Pick long dresses with more volume if weddings are being held outside, as this will help protect you from the elements as well as giving your dress motion and energy. Be careful not to be too over-the-top, though, as a long train or dramatic embellishments might wind up drawing attention away from the wedding party – a serious breach of rule number two!

Formal Wedding Guest Attire

Sometimes, a wedding can be an extremely formal occasion, and multiple dresses might be required for alternate stages in the event. Families will often attend a rehearsal dinner, in which case another dress may be needed! If the reception is likely to be informal but the wedding is being held in a church, a more conservative look for the ceremony can be changed for a sensual party dress for later on. Gauge the formality of the wedding by your knowledge of the couple, the kind of invitation they send out (hand-engraved or Facebook invite?), and the location where it’s being held. The more formal the wedding, the more formal the reception is likely to be, and if you find yourself picking a gown for both these occasions you’ll probably want something both conservative and full-length. No matter what kind of wedding it is, however, make sure that you don’t wear a white dress – that’s the Bride’s province, and guests should leave plenty of room in any shade to avoid stealing her thunder.

Selecting a Flattering Silhouette

No matter what kind of dress you want to wear or image you’d like to project, if you pick a silhouette or style that isn’t flattering on your body, you won’t be happy with the end result. Take stock of your physical features and try on different styles of dresses before you choose the dress you want to wear and remember that if you look best in a simple dress, you can always dress it up to create different looks at other occasions. Look for features in wedding guest dresses that can be used for other occasions, or that you wouldn’t mind going out on the town in – unless the wedding is extremely formal, in which case, refer to the previous section. By buying a wedding guest dress you can wear to other kinds of events, you’ll double your wardrobe for half the price – and that’s always a way to feel good about yourself.

Find Complimenting Accessories

By picking cute, complimentary accessories to go with your wedding guest dress, you’ll be able to bring your own unique style into your look. It’s a good idea to have a small bag or clutch with you when you head to the reception, as you may have makeup or other supplies that you want to bring to the table with you. Choose subdued, classic items – most weddings aren’t the place for bold, attention-grabbing pieces that buck general fashion trends – and buy quality, since high-quality earrings and jewelry can be worn over and over again, and looked at as an investment rather than a one-time purchase.

Find the Perfect Dress at NewYorkDress

No matter what kind of wedding you’re attending, remembering the two rules of selecting the perfect wedding guest dress will help make your search much easier. If you find yourself with several dresses to choose from, ask yourself which will genuinely make you look and feel your best. Once you have that dress, try and assess whether it’s a demure and sophisticated piece which will help add to the tableau created by the event’s other guests, or whether it’s an attention-grabbing piece that will make everyone look your way. If the former, then congratulations – you’ve found your dress! If the latter, then you may want to take a moment to remember that as a wedding guest, it’s your responsibility to help make the bride and groom’s marriage day special – not to hog the limelight with your own fashion sense, no matter how stellar it might be.

Each of the wedding guest dresses here at www.newyorkdress.com have been selected for its beauty, quality, and appropriateness for a wedding venue. To get an idea of the kinds of dresses that are available for you to wear to the upcoming weddings on your social calendar, look through the options in this section. You’ll be sure to find the perfect wedding guest look for the occasions!

Wedding Guest Dresses (2024)

FAQs

What should a female guest wear to a wedding? ›

Women wedding guests should wear full-length dresses, be it a ballgown, a sheath or an A-line dress. High heels are strongly recommended. Feel free to accessorize with opulent jewelry and even elbow-length white silk gloves.

What is the dress code for a guest at a wedding? ›

1) Do Consider the Wedding Dress Code

Black Tie: floor length gowns, black ties, tuxedos. Formal: floor length gowns, tuxedos optional, black suits acceptable. Semi-Formal: below the knee dresses, dress shirts, slacks. Casual: sundresses, collared shirts, khakis.

What does a 50 year old wear to a wedding? ›

Wear Something Dressy and Party-Like

Plus, when you look good, you feel good and everything is much more fun! Aim for something dressy and party-like, heck even a little glamorous. The easiest way know how formal you should dress to check the dress code on the wedding invitation.

What color dress is OK to wear to a wedding? ›

Neutral shades are timeless options that won't detract from the wedding's formal atmosphere. For a more colorful look, consider wearing shades of blue, lavender, or pink to show that you're in the celebratory spirit. If the wedding is in a tropical destination, opt for colors like yellow, orange, and green.

Is it OK to wear black to a wedding? ›

“Can you wear black to a wedding? You definitely can!” says bridal stylist Anny Choi. “The rule feels antiquated. Black is a great staple option that you can rewear to different weddings.

What color should a female guest wear to a wedding? ›

Unless the invitation specifies that, there is no etiquette for color, other than no one but the bride should wear white. Sometimes an invitation will indicate a certain style of dress, such as formal, black tie, business casual, etc. If that is the case, please follow the style requested.

What should a 60 year old woman wear to a summer wedding? ›

Although maxi dresses are suitable for the warmer weather, they can also be worn well into fall. Knee-length or midi co*cktail dresses are also great options. Make sure you know what type of wedding you are attending as a garden or beach wedding requires a different style of dress than a black-tie formal wedding.

What should a 56 year old woman wear to a wedding? ›

Make sure your outfit fits the body you have and not the one you want to have in the future. Wear something comfortable, but not casual - weddings are formal events and the dress code is usually smart. Similarly to wearing white, do not wear black - black is seen as a colour of mourning.

What color is taboo to wear to a wedding? ›

At most weddings, the bride's attire is one of the major highlights, and it is crucial that guests respect her choice and refrain from wearing anything that might compete with her gown. This includes not only the color white but also other shades of off-white, ivory, and champagne.

What do you wear to a 5pm wedding? ›

The staff suggests that if a wedding is taking place at 4 p.m. or 5 p.m., you should wear something that easily transitions from day to night; any ceremony after 6 p.m. should be strictly co*cktail.

What to wear to a June wedding 2024? ›

WEDDING GUEST

When it comes to colors, traditionally, white, black or red is a faux pas! To be prudent, opt for soft or bold shades of pink, green, yellow or blue. Think print too. Florals and polka dots will capture the joyful tone of the occasion.

What should a 60 year old woman wear to a wedding? ›

Midi length is the preferred length for many women who want dresses to attend formal or semi-formal events. Maxi Length – Maxi dresses can be flattering if you are over 60 because it makes sure that everything is safely covered. It is elegant and suitable for fancier occasions.

Can I have bare legs at a wedding? ›

For example, is it more correct to wear panty hose to a wedding? It should LOOK like you're wearing stockings. So if your legs are toned, tight and tan, sure go barelegged. Of course, you're still going to want to use a nice tinted moisturizer or leg makeup just to make sure everything is nice and even.

What should a female guest wear to a summer wedding? ›

When it comes to comfort on a hot summer day (especially if the celebration is outside), a casual dress code is ideal. But don't forget this is an important event. Showing up in shorts and a T-shirt is not a good idea. Pretty, flowy dresses paired with sandals works for women.

What do you wear to a 5 pm wedding? ›

The staff suggests that if a wedding is taking place at 4 p.m. or 5 p.m., you should wear something that easily transitions from day to night; any ceremony after 6 p.m. should be strictly co*cktail.

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