The 20 Best Summer Wedding Guest Dresses Aren't Just for Weddings (2024)

Zimmermann's dresses have developed a cult following on TikTok in the last few months, but the label has run the wedding guest and bridesmaid game for years. A style it brings back season after season to tons of praise is this silk wrap mini. It can easily go from family-only backyard wedding to 500-plus guest French Rivieria blowout, plus non-nuptial events at all other times of year.

Sizes: 00–4 (equivalent to US0–US10)

Colors: Red, blue

Material: 100% silk

Jacquard fabrics are my favorite way to nod at the bouquets going down the aisle, like in this Rixo dress. It's on-theme but not too obvious—and it has a nostalgic feel that I love.

Sizes: XXS–XL+

Color: Yellow jacquard

Material: 100% Viscose

A dress that epitomizes Hsu's exact recommendation, this silk slip has a breezy quality fit for weddings and events from the semi-formal to everyday. Try it with a baroque pearl necklace and open-toe mules for a beach wedding, or a metallic sandal heel for a vineyard rehearsal dinner.

Sizes: XS–XL

Color: Green

Materials: 100% Silk

If you're the first person out on every dance floor, your best wedding guest dress will match your party energy. Enter: This beaded-all-over mini fit for rowdy receptions that last until the morning after.

Sizes: 2–12

Colors: Purple/black sequin

Materials: 97% cotton, 3% elastane

The Rachel dress's jewel tone silk and flowy silhouette were made for city weddings with a sparkly statement heel from Mach & Mach or The Attico. It's just as suited to be a luxurious update to a lineup of summer day dresses: Designer Azeeza Khan told me in her Lucky 13 interview that she wears it between three and four times per week.

Sizes: XS–L

Material: Silk

Colors: Purple, light pink

A dress with the comfort of an effortless silk slip and the drama of an Oscars red carpet gown? Say no more: This Alessandra Rich is exactly what I suggest for a black-tie summer wedding.

Sizes: IT38–IT44

Colors: Black, green, white

Materials: 100% Silk

Here's a select straight from the DMs of a very discerning fashion expert—BAZAAR senior fashion editor Tara Gonzalez, to be exact. She pointed out this dress as we were ogling all of spring 2023 runway pieces Tory Burch finally listed earlier online this month, calling it a great summer wedding select. I can't disagree—just look at those mirrored embellishments!

Sizes: 00–14

Color: Yellow

Material: 100% Viscose

This dress's nautical stripe print and subtle back cutout strike me as an immediate "yes" for weddings along any coast this summer. If you'd rather go the solid route, it's also available in two other fabrications. All three look divine with a chunky gold cuff bracelet and a stiletto sandal heel.

Sizes: 00–24

Colors: Blue stripe, black, pink eyelet

Material: Taffeta

While Staud is one of the best new wedding dress designers hitting the white dress market in 2023, the Los Angeles-based label has always stocked dresses worthy of any guest list. Its latest collection has all sorts of minis to consider, including this key lime organza number for weddings in Miami now and parties in Palm Springs later.

Sizes: 00–16

Color: Kiwi

Material: Organza

It was love at first sight for this ethereal Aje dress and me. I'm so enamored with the carefully constructed bodice and the cotton candy-soft skirt, I'd find a wedding to crash just for the opportunity to dress up in it.

Sizes: 4–16

Colors: Lilac, black

Materials: 69% Linen 31% Viscose

I wore this Bec & Bridge dress as a bridesmaid and plan to wear it again (and again) as a regular guest. It glides on like butter and stays in place through a long night of dancing, mingling, and raising a glass for toasts.

Sizes: 2–12

Colors: Pink, blue

Material: 100% viscose

Retrofete is known for dresses that make the whole place shimmer. This best-selling wrap is lightweight and carefree for a summer wedding in Cabo, but its versatile shade and wrap silhouette can take you all the way through fall events.

Sizes: XXS–XXL

Colors: Bronze, lilac, black, hot pink, lime green, kelly green, and more

Material: 100% Viscose

In a year of marathon weddings—plus events around the big day, like rehearsal dinners and after-parties—I've always used an LBD when I pack it as an outfit option. This sleek '90s mini is exactly what I mean. My favorite way to wear it? With a low bun and an enormous earring (like the Bottega drop studs).

Sizes: 0–12, 14–24

Colors: Black, white, chocolate, champagne

The most versatile wedding dresses will do the styling for you, like this Johanna Ortiz gown. It comes with a sash that can wrap around your neck, drape down your back, or get tied in some other creative way you have yet to try out.

Sizes: 0–12

Color: Olive

Material: Crepe

A frill-free design and a sense of power dressing aren't mutually exclusive, especially where wedding guest dresses are concerned. Take this Emilia Wickstead dress: It's streamlined without an embellishment in sight, but that makes the fiery red shade even more eye-catching.

Sizes: 2–14

Color: Red

Material: 2% elastane, 17% polyamide, 73% polyester, 8% silk

This dress is sitting in my cart for the weddings I'm attending here in New York City, hosted by couples who are skipping a formal ceremony and going straight for an intimate dinner with our closest friends. The ruffles along the center and the 3-D rosette embellishments have that special occasion energy, but they match the mood of a more casual wedding (and fashion week parties at the very end of summer).

Sizes: 2–14

Color: Black

Materials: 100% silk

I'm not saying this structured midi dress will upstage the bride, but I am saying compliments are guaranteed in this waist-defining dress. Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, and several Kardashians who've all worn House of CB would likely agree.

Sizes: XS–XL

Colors: Green, pink, brown, blue, and more

Materials: 100% polyester

Shopper review: "Loved the color and the dress is true to its size. Received a lot compliments. Wore the dress to a wedding."

From Carrie Bradshaw's closet straight to yours. Norma Kamali's Diana dress has been a mainstay of her line (and the wedding circuit) for decades. You can see how it reached hero item status—and landed a cameo on And Just Like That...—in the sleek neckline, comfortable-yet-formal fabric, and broad range of colors to choose from.

Sizes: XXS–XL

Colors: Seafoam, black, white, blush, tiger red, and more

Materials: 95% Polyester, 5% Spandex; Inserts: 82% Nylon, 18% Spandex

Shopper review: "This dress is well worth the money. The part that made it was the entire bodysuit that was underneath. I didn’t need to wear an uncomfortable strapless bra (at a 36ddd) or Spanx to smooth out any bumps. Some may say that there were VPL but I didn’t experience that."

The metallic threads in this tiered dress will shimmer like a moonlit waterfall under the twinkling lights of an outdoor wedding's tent. It's also striking from all angles, with a low-cut back.

Price: $55–$70 for a one-time rental

Sizes: XS–XL

Color: Blue

Material: Chiffon

Shopper review: "This dress was so flattering and I received a ton of compliments. I'm 5'7", 145 lbs, and wore two-inch heels. Size medium (regular) fit me perfectly. I loved the open-back, too! I would definitely rent again."

Because summer is the best time to embrace a strategically placed cutout—and because this one is also adjustable with a subtle waist tie detail. This dress has "beachfront wedding" written all over it with the addition of an espadrille heel.

Sizes: XXS–XL

Colors: Pink, blue

Materials: 100% Viscose

Shopper review: "Purchased for a summer wedding in Mexico. Fitted in all the right places especially with the ruching and tie at waist. The fabric is a bit heavier than I thought it would be but is still nice for spring with a jacket. Color is stunning!"