The Best Wedding Guest Dresses on a Budget

Disclaimer: The dresses in this post have been provided by The Mint Julep Boutique. All opinions are my own.

Welcome to wedding season folks. Coming up pretty quick here I will be attending my first wedding and I’ll be honest – it’s a bit nerve-wracking. All the sudden, I realize that I’m at an age where people are getting married. Wow, welcome to adulthood.

So I’m writing a quick post on how to shop for wedding guest dresses when you’re on a budget, like myself.

General Wedding Guest Attire General Guidelines:

Don’t Wear White. This one should really go without saying. The bride wears white, you do not. I would also avoid variations of white such as a cream color or a print on a white background.

Don’t outshine the bride. Again, this goes without saying. It’s her day. Try to avoid anything that will make you the center of attention, rather than the bride. This means beware of too-short hemlines or too-low necklines too.

Don’t go too flashy. Personally, I would recommend a simpler dress and, if you really want to be fashionable, let your accessories do the talking. You can wear a fashionable dress with a pretty summer print, but avoid long dresses with a lot of bling or even a short dress that speaks volumes louder than anyone else at the party.

Do opt for romantic prints and cuts. Flowy and romantic dresses are perfect for weddings, especially since many of the summer weddings are outdoors. Outdoor weddings are the perfect occassion for elevated sundresses in pretty floral prints and wedge heels.

Do wear comfortable shoes. Short wedge heels, block heel sandals, and even a pretty pair of flats are perfect shoes for weddings. If you do decide to go with heels, make sure they’re comfortable. You could be standing and dancing all day.

Do dress for the location. Outdoor and indoor weddings can be very different. When I attend a wedding in a church, I like to make sure my shoulders are covered, but I pay less attention to that at an outdoor wedding. If it’s going to be warm outside, make sure you aren’t wearing uncomfortable, sweat-inducing fabrics.

Shop for the location, season, and time:

Seasonal: Use the colors of the season! In the fall, opt for maroon and navy. In the winter, a winter green or deep cranberry red is perfect. In the spring and summer, colors get lighter and dresses tend to get more flowy and romantic.

Beach: For the beach, opt for an elevated sundress with shoes that won’t get caught up in the sand. Wood wedges with a light, flowy dress is the perfect option.

Garden: For an outdoor wedding, definitely be wary of heels! You don’t want to be plugging the lawn for them with your stilletos! Opt for floral prints on a flowy midi dress. The attire for this wedding would

Formal: A good formal event is always fun! Usually, heels are worn at a formal event, but nice flats can be worn as well. Just make sure the dress is more on the formal rather than daytime side. The line between a formal wedding and a white-tie wedding isn’t as finely drawn as it is for men. If the wedding is a white-tie wedding, you can bet that it is a big deal. Opt for elegance over glitz and glamour. Think long, simple black gowns or sleek silhouettes for formal occassions.

How to Find Dresses in Your Budget:

• Don’t forget to check out last season’s dresses! Spring dresses will be going on sale in the summer, which typically make for perfect wedding guest dresses.
• Check out local boutiques and online boutiques for dresses under $50! (Shop my under $50 picks from The Mint Julep Boutique below)
• Shop your friend’s closets! After all, it’s highly likely that someone else will have a wedding guest dress or at least one that’s close enough.
• Rent a dress! If you want to go designer but don’t have the money, try renting a dress for a weekend!

My Wedding Guest Attire Picks:

I found a dress from The Mint Julep Boutique that I will be wearing at a wedding this month. That light blue dress I’m wearing in the photos was under $50, is possibly the most flattering dress I own, and I could easily accessorize it with spring accessories I already own. I paired the dress  with the white summer sandals I can’t get enough of and gorgeous long earrings from My Lavender Crush. you could easily pair this dress with statement earrings from any store, which are usually under $20!

I went more simple with the other dress I got – the floral wrap midi dress. I let the prints and ruffles do the talking and paired them with simple pumps from Steve Madden that I’ve had for years. The only reason I’m not wearing this dress is because I’m following my own advice! I don’t want to plug the lawn at the venue since it’s outdoors!

Just look below for my two dresses (and one other simple pick under $50) and easy ways you could accessorize them!

All dress picks are under $50!

For the beach: Fancy Flow Dress (seen below)
For a basic look: Taupe Wrap Maxi Dress
For the outdoors: Floral Romantic Wrap Midi Dress (seen below)