Wedding Guest Dresses

Wedding guest dresses

The right wedding guest dress depends on the venue, the season and how long you will be on your feet. This range covers all three, with tailored minis and pencil midis for a city ceremony, linen blends for a garden or beach wedding, and satin for an evening reception, in sizes 4 to 18.

Match the dress to the wedding

For a church or registry ceremony followed by a formal reception, a fitted midi such as the Mila Pencil Midi Dress is the safe choice. For an outdoor wedding in summer, the Kendal Linen Blend Dress stays cool and still looks considered, and the rest of our linen styles work the same way. For a cocktail-style reception, a satin V-neck or a twist-shoulder dress does the work on its own.

If the invitation says relaxed, a shirt dress with sleeves is a good middle ground between a short dress and something more formal.

Sleeves, length and colour

Sleeves matter on a long day. Short-sleeve panel dresses, lantern-sleeve shirt dresses and dolman midis give coverage without a jacket. On length, a midi dress suits almost every wedding, while a mini is fine for a daytime or casual celebration.

Leave white and ivory to the bride. Look instead at navy, colour or a print dress, and keep black for an evening wedding.

Fabric and fit

Satin catches the light and suits the evening. Linen blends breathe in the heat. Panel dresses hold their shape from the ceremony through to the last dance. Fitted styles depend on measurements, so check the size guide before you order and allow time for an exchange.

Finish the look

Keep the extras simple. A plain satin dress takes one strong earring and little else, while a busy print is better with fine jewellery and a small bag. A cropped jacket or blazer over a sleeveless dress covers the ceremony and comes off for the reception.

If the event is less about a wedding and more about a black-tie night, our occasionwear range runs to the same shapes in heavier fabrics.