The 14 Best Wedding Guest Dresses to Look Beautiful and Stunning for Any Ceremony This Season

It’s true: Sleeveless dresses are not for everyone, but in the right fit, a strapless wedding guest dress in black allows for any sort of accessories to put your own unique spin on a wardrobe classic. Open Edit, a Nordstrom-owned brand that emphasizes size-inclusive closet staples, made the ideal strapless maxi dress with a sexy side slit to show some leg — the perfect opportunity to break out a pair of sculptural or ornate designer heels with wow factor.

Price upon publish date of this article: $79.50

Not all flows dresses are shapeless. Case in point: this Amazon Fashion bestseller from Likely. Strategic cutouts on the bodice show a some skin while lightweight ruffles conceal any less-than-ideal parts of your body, and the flowy skirt provides freedom of comfort that a skin-tight dress could never. Packing the Likely Katerina Dress for every beach vacation this summer (taking up no space at all in your overnight bag) will not only decrease its cost-per-wear ratio but also turn your Instagram photos into viral sensations.

Price upon publish date of this article: $81.06

This new Cult Gaia addition at Nordstrom is already a bestseller — and it’s easy to see why. The comfort of a sweater dress that flatters your form is amplified in elegance, thanks to the addition of cascading floral appliqué design that compliments the long-sleeve, cold shoulder silhouette that’s ideal for those must-have celebration selfies with the bride and wedding party. The short hemline will give you legs for days when paired with this pointed-toe pumps or slingbacks in patent leather, which also provide a contrasting-yet-complimentary touch of texture to your stunning wedding guest dress.

When thinking about jewelry to complete your look of the evening, those sleeves don’t leave much room for playing around with bracelets or cuffs, so opt for a gorgeous pair of chunky earrings or statement chandelier earrings to highlight your beauty look of the evening.

Cult Gaia is one of our favorite new fashion brands at Nordstrom this season and the label just debuted a bridal collection that’s simply divine.

Price upon publish date of this article: $698

Drop-waist dresses are still a hot trend for the spring and summer season, which nicely compliments a petite figure with a small bust. This beach wedding guest dress style by Farm Rio also creates the illusion of a longer, taller figure with its strategic use of white down the center, framed by fabulous florals and a punch of bright green. Yes, it’s all very “The White Lotus,” and we’re so here for it. Mesh or woven Mary Jane ballet flats with a raffia clutch or gold mini purse complete the beautiful ensemble to outfit repeat on upcoming summer vacations and chic summer soirées out east.

Price upon publish date of this article: $260

The pictured dress isn’t your mother’s lace wedding guest getup. With a high neckline complimented by an asymmetrical shoulder and hemline, A.L.C.’s Alessia Satin and Lace Maxi Dress turns a boudoir-inspired number into a modern, stunning wedding guest dress. A slicked-back hair style with golden finishing touches (such as a gold statement cuff) create an elegant effect worthy of many oohs and ahhs.

Price upon publish date of this article: $695

Remember Carrie Bradshaw’s pink bubble mini dress in “Sex and the City” season five at Charlotte’s Hamptons wedding? Old Navy’s new The Occasion collection has just the right frock to recreate the memorable wedding guest dress. In Palest Blossom, this head-turner will feel like a cotton candy–hued cloud enveloping you while it hangs from thin, adjustable tie straps. The crisp taffeta holds its shape marvelously, and the pockets (a modern-day rarity!) are much-appreciated receptacles for the lip gloss and compact powder you’ll covertly pull out in the bathroom to touch up your glam. Open-toe mule sandals would work flawlessly with this voluminous dress choice, but so would a pair of adorable silver Mary Jane flats.

Price upon publish date of this article: $44.99

First off, we adore this Kate Spade minidress’ halter neck, which will make your shoulders look so sculpted, fellow wedding guests might ask you to drop that pilates routine. A bow at the back is also an unexpected infusion of just the kind of feminine whimsy Kate Spade’s legacy is known for, and the shift dress silhouette provides the right amount of roominess to enjoy the elegant evening. Take your LBD to the next level with pearl accoutrements, doll-like lashes with a nude lip and Mary Jane block heels for a sweet ’60s-inspired wedding guest outfit.

Price upon publish date of this article: $199

If you’re looking for a wedding guest dress that epitomizes romance and femininity, served in oh-so-pretty pastel colorways, delicate fabrics and ruffles galore, LoveShackFancy should always be the first stop on your search for that dreamy, special occasion frock. This breezy, beautiful chiffon bestseller from Rebecca Hessel Cohen’s fashion label features vintage-like florals that might look familiar if you happen to know the brand’s fragrance bottles.

As expected, LoveShackFancy’s offerings never miss the mark on the smallest of details, such as the touches of lace on the dress straps that can also be found layered over parts of the printed maxi dress. The cascading ruffles that take on a life of their own by movement from the slightest of seaside breeze also create an illusion of an elongated form for petite women to look lean and tall. The roominess of the silhouette, while still showcasing your favorite feminine curves, delivers that ideal ease in dress with that feels right out of a romance novel (similar to another famous Carrie Bradshaw number by Richard Tyler worn in a episode of “Sex and the City” at the Central Park Boathouse).

As Rebecca Hessel Cohen puts it, “dressing for a more informal wedding, like a beach wedding, should be fun and playful,” and this stunning beach wedding guest dress perfectly encapsulates this. Let your voluminous hair waves take flight with a little help of sea salt air and let your toes feel the warm sand with your heeled flip-flop sandals in hand as you celebrate the bride and groom during a fairytale-esque summer sunset ceremony.

There’s something equally sweet and sensual about a polka dot-printed, body-skimming, floor-length dress with a darling string tie at the bust line and simple spaghetti straps. This Favorite Daughter number is an ideal wedding guest dress for a laid-back outdoor celebration that you’ll want to wear again on your upcoming Euro Summer adventures.

As for the dress’ polka dot print, we can assure you this pretty print is right on trend this season. Spotted on the spring 2025 runways of designer labels like Jacquemus and Acne Studios, polka dots are considered by many as this season’s new neutral. The proof is in the data, too: According to the trend forecasting agency Trendalytics, searches for polka dot dresses increased by 52 percent in January of this year compared to 2024.

Price upon publish date of this article: $268

She is beauty, she is grace, she is Ulla Johnson’s Lisbet Satin Dress. The rich, jewel-toned green hue of this dress is elevated by the sheen of satin fabric and a streamlined, flattering silhouette for the modern minimalist. When you find a dress this beautiful to wear to a wedding, the worst thing you can do is over accessorize. Keep it simple with a luxury timepiece, sculptural huggie earrings and a pair of black or silver slingback pumps to let your investment dress shine with elegance.

Price upon publish date of this article: $650

Did we mention sequin dresses are a top spring and summer dress trend? From refined shimmery embellishments to large-scale paillettes, top fashion labels like Prada, Brandon Maxwell, Burberry and more played with these high-shine adornments to add texture to sophisticated silhouettes. This Dries Van Noten pastel pink stunner is an elegant wedding guest dress for black-tie weddings with draping in all the right places to compliment most body shapes. The relaxed cowlneck and short dolman sleeves add to the allure of this sequin number for effortlessly chic sophistication. When it comes to accessorizing this wedding guest gown, less is more.

Price upon publish date of this article: $2,320

Another prime example of the draped dress trend (albeit one that saves this draping exclusively for the hip region), this long-sleeve wedding guest dress style is demure on top and party-ready below the waist with a refreshing pop of green and side slit for ease in movement as you twirl all night long. Crafted out of stretch jersey fabric, you know you’ll feel comfortable from the ceremony through the dinner and into the wee hours as you return home for an unforgettable evening. Gold bracelets are the move in this styling situation, and so are Roman coin necklaces that will demystify the goddess trend highlighted in the Pinterest Predicts report for 2025.

Price upon publish date of this article: $1,250

This Missoni number is not for the wedding wallflower. The chevron patterned knitwear that the Italian fashion house is known for gets the glam treatment with eye-catching sequins and a one-shoulder design that ties around the neck, which doubles as a necklace and a gown in one, for the ultimate cool-girl wedding guest dress with the versatility for both formal and relaxed beach ceremonies. While you don’t necessarily need a supermodel bod to pull this shape-hugging number off, you will need step into the ceremony with a great deal of confidence in this showstopper as you comfortably dance the night away in cute summer sandals.

For anyone who plans to party in Ibiza this summer, this dress is sure to become a must-pack piece for partying in paradise.

Price upon publish date of this article: $1,970

In 2015, everyone collectively lost their minds over Phoebe Philo’s lace-trimmed silk slips on Céline‘s runway, and, a solid decade later, this dress style is back for good. Swapping spaghetti straps for puff cap sleeves, this LoveShackFancy exemplar is coquettish at its heart (an aesthetic that all of TikTok, with over two million posts under the #coquette tag, is devoted to as of late). Its lace trim in all the right places and a neck-elongating V-neck make the dress markedly vintage-inspired, and we already envision you wearing it with a sensible kitten heel to ring in the beginning of the rest of the lovebirds’ lives together… only to reuse the same look for a picnic birthday party or dinner-and-drinks date night later on. For taking all that femininity to the next level, consider a headband or head scarf to hold back your hair, plus an everyday handbag in a matching pink.

Price upon publish date of this article: $695