The best wedding guest dresses for 2023 (2024)

Is your mantelpiece filling up with save the dates? Summer (and autumn, gah!) weekends fast filling with B&B bookings, carpools and flights to Tuscan vineyards and Ibizan agroturismos? Wedding season is fast approaching friends, but what in the father, son and Holy Ghost’s name are you going to wear?

For men, different dress codes tend to be fairly prescriptive but for women the choice can feel overwhelming. “I always consider versatility, surroundings, and most importantly comfort,” says Natalie Dickson, head of women’s luxury at Flannels. “In other words; can I dance in it? Is it appropriate for the location? And will it survive past dinner?” Liane Wiggins, head of womenswear at Matches Fashion, agrees. “Start by thinking about the destination, is it a beach wedding, a chic summer city wedding or a countryside escape? Then, build your outfit around the location.”

Funereal black and bridal white are still very much no-nos, as are limelight-stealing neons. It is worth checking before if hats are required or encouraged – it is rare nowadays and there’s no point wearing one if you hate them and don’t have to. If you must be hatted, renting makes a lot of sense – Fulham’s Hectic Hat Hire is a treasure trove – and opt, says Debrett’s, for a style that doesn’t hamper kissing. In fact, rental in general is sensible when it comes to wedding garb, particularly if you’re in the market for something OTT that you’re less likely to rewear. Try Hurr and Rotaro for current season stock at a fraction of the price. And read on for some ideas on how to tackle four of the main nuptial dress codes.

A country wedding can vary enormously in formality – from a boho garden party vibe to a Catholic church with sleeves mandatory and hats advised. Ditsy florals are a classic for the former, try Reformation’s slinky bias-cut spaghetti strap iterations for a cool girl 90s take on chintz or for more modest dress codes try Rotate’s buttercup floral wrap dress (£250) or Borgo de Nor’s maximalist floral midis (£750).

The ever unpredictable British summer time necessitates prep for the chill. British brand E. Stott, founded by Emilia Wickstead’s ex senior designer and recently launched on Matches, does clever silk midi and maxi dresses with easily detachable sleeves (£2,780, matchesfashion.com). Take a warm layer for nightfall: little cardies look infinitely cuter with florals than blazers (try Self Portrait’s diamante button cropped white fluffy one, £260). Sky-high stilettos are best avoided when there’s grass underfoot; opt instead for a block heel like Aeyde’s gold nappa Natania sandals (£345) or a wedge mule (try Wandler’s mirrored silver ones, £350) – both make for fashion forward alternatives to the omnipresent Castañer wedge. And for anyone serious about her stint on the dancefloor a pair of pretty ballet pumps from Porte & Paire (£195, net-a-porter.com) or some velvet Mary-Janes from Le Monde Beryl (£395, matchesfashion.com) will make a welcome Cinderella change come midnight.

Reformation silk dress, £505; shop here

Wandler mirror wedge mules, £505; shop here

Self Portrait cardigan, £260; shop here

Mango ruffle dress, £99.99; shop here

Whether registry office, town hall or restaurant, urban nuptials call for sharper attire – think chic structured mini dresses, suits, separates and sling-backs. Colour keeps tailoring cheery not corporate, and few suits are more uplifting than Reiss’s baby pink wool blend one (trousers £168, blazer £268), which looks great styled with a puss*bow blouse or exaggerated collar 70s shirt in a tonal pink. Power skirts also feel sexy in the city; Belgian label Bernadette’s dramatic bow-front jewel colour taffeta minis (£340) look amazing paired with crisp white shirts and pointy courts or try its stunning one-shouldered pale pink taffeta top and matching floral embroidered pencil skirt – damn chic for Claridge’s.

Reiss pink suit, trousers £168, blazer £268; shop here

Gucci slingback pump, £795; shop here

Bottega Veneta clutch, £3,500; shop here

“This is your chance to go bold! With bright colours, loud prints, and daring cut-outs,” says Dickson. The retailer’s rental site has high impact Jacquemus mini dresses in lime, orange and hot pink to hire for just £70 for four days, leaving you spare change for a spray tan. Fellow rental site Hurr, meanwhile, predicts the silky cutout Triqueta dress by Christopher Esber to be one of its top rentals once again this summer – and it has dropped in lots more colours.

If you like that vibe but prefer to buy, Ghost’s silk Freya midi (£159) oozes Esber for a fifth of the price, while everything on the Cult Gaia site screams glamorous destination wedding – stick to acid brights and gold bling for extra just-stepped-off-my-yacht appeal. “If travelling to a tropical destination think about how your outfit will pack and choose fabrics which will not crease and will be easy to wear and breathable on the day,” says Liane Wiggins. A silky slip is blissfully breezy in the heat (note: pack a steamer) and Olivia von Halle’s (£490) come with mega fab chain and diamante spaghetti straps. Brava!

Olivia von Halle Bibi dress, £490; shop here

Rene Caovilla Cleo flats, £1,120; shop here

De La Vali silk maxi dress, £590; shop here

Zara earrings, £7.99; shop here

If your pals are tying the knot at night-time, you might find yourself navigating a black tie dress code. Straightforward for the boys (no clip-on bow ties, please), for women it means floor-length dresses or co*cktail dresses that hit the knee … if you’re sticking to the Debrett’s definition that is. “Elegance is key,” says Dickson. “Look for something full length, but don’t be afraid to show a little skin up-top.”

Jordanian label Nafsika Skourti is fast-becoming a fashion insider go-to for evening dresses that don’t skimp on 90s cool, while London labels Galvan and De La Vali can always be relied on for max-impact maxis and gowns. Self Portrait has long ago shed the curse of its practically-too-popular Azaelia dress and is now expert at balancing saucy mesh and diamante with decorum. Throw it all together with a feathery bolero (try Cos and Nadine Merabi), some diamante-dusted courts (Jimmy Choo’s crystal Saeda plexi pumps, £895, are the stuff of Disney) and lashings of twinkly bling.

Nafsika Skourti dress, £1,326; shop here

Mach & Mach bow bag, £815; shop here

Jimmy Choo plexi Saeda pump, £895; shop here

Jennifer Behr hair clips, £80 for 2; shop here

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