Wedding guest dresses
Wedding guest dresses for every invitation, from garden ceremonies to black tie receptions, compared across shops so you can see your options side by side. What to wear to a wedding as a guest
Live prices from each shop. We may earn a commission if you buy. Promoted dresses are labelled.
Choosing a wedding guest dress
Start with the dress code, then the venue, then the season. Cocktail means knee length to midi. Formal and black tie mean a wedding guest maxi dress or a gown. For a beach wedding choose a fabric that moves and a hem that clears the sand. For a winter wedding look at long sleeves, velvet and deeper colours. Skip white and ivory, and avoid the bridesmaids' colour if you know it.
What to wear to a wedding as a guestWhat should a wedding guest wear?
Follow the dress code on the invitation. If none is given, a midi dress in a dressy fabric suits most ceremonies. Avoid white and ivory, and pick shoes for the ground you will be standing on.
Can you wear black to a wedding?
Yes. Black is widely accepted for wedding guests, most of all at evening and formal weddings, unless the couple asks otherwise. For a daytime ceremony, lift it with colour in your shoes, bag or jewellery.