Finding a wedding guest dress you feel confident and comfortable in is no small feat. Add the complexities of dressing for summer — hello, wrinkly fabrics and visible sweat marks — and you’ve got yourself a full-blown shopping project. The good news? You don't have to spend your weekend braving fluorescent-lit dressing rooms to find the perfect summer wedding guest dress. Whether you’re looking for a breezy dress for a beach wedding, a formal gown for a black-tie ceremony, or a slip dress that works across a myriad of dress codes, we’ve got you covered.
Ahead, we’ve rounded up the 28 best summer dresses for every type of wedding — from casual to cocktail — in a wide range of sizes, styles, and price points from Refinery29 reader-favorite retailers like Nordstrom, Anthropologie, and Hill House Home. All that’s left to do? Put on your dancing shoes and raise a glass to the happy couple.
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Embrace your inner mermaid for destination and beach weddings. This is your moment to lean into the breezy, slightly more casual dress code — think linen maxis, floral prints, and halter necklines you’ll want to wear all season long. For something brighter, slip into a vibrant-hued or tropical-print dress, finishing with sandals, espadrilles, or wedges.
Zara Foulard Print Long Dress, $, available at Zara
Summer Black-Tie Wedding Guest Dresses
Dress to impress at a summer black-tie wedding. The formal dress code typically calls for floor-length gowns in bold colors (yes, you can skip the black). Classic column and slip silhouettes are always on point — or go for something unexpected, like a patterned maxi or cascading sleeves..
Lulus Glamorous Dedication Sleeveless Column Maxi Dress, $, available at Lulus
Dress The Population Bella One-Shoulder Tie-Waist Side-Slit Plissé Maxi Dress
Dress The Population Bella One-Shoulder Tie-Waist Side-Slit Plissé Maxi Dres, $, available at Anthropologie
GapStudio Satin Slip Dress
Gap GapStudio Satin Slip Dress, $, available at Gap
Show Me Your Mumu Lisa Maxi Dress
Show Me Your Mumu Lisa Maxi Dress, $, available at Show Me Your Mumu
Summer Cocktail Wedding Guest Dresses
Cocktail weddings strike the balance between formal and fun, and your dress should do the same. Go for a midi-length with eye-catching details like keyhole cutouts, mesh overlays, or sequins. Minis and maxis can work too, as long as the fabric and finish feel refined — think lace appliqués, tailored shapes, or flutter sleeves.
Eloquii Floral Pattern Tank Dress, $, available at Eloquii
The styling opportunities are endless when it comes to a casual summer wedding. Try a mini, midi, or maxi in a solid shade with playful smocking or puff sleeves, or go the cheerful print route (hello, polka dots). The best part? These styles work well beyond the “I do’s” — perfect for brunches, showers, and every RSVP in between.
Coach Outlet Puff Sleeve Mini Dress, $, available at Coach Outlet
Damson Madder Sita Multiway Midi Dress
Damson Madder Sita Multiway Midi Dress, $, available at Damson Madder
Banana Republic Ruched Cotton Poplin One-Shoulder Maxi Dress, $, available at Banana Republic
Everlane The Smocked Column Dress
Everlane The Smocked Column Dress, $, available at Everlane
Universal Standard Sunset Linen Flounce Dress
Universal Standard Sunset Linen Flounce Dress, $, available at Universal Standard
J.Crew Palermo Dress in Viscose-Blend Crinkle
J.Crew Palermo Dress in Viscose-Blend Crinkle, $, available at J.Crew
Free-est At Leisure Midi Dress
free-est At Leisure Midi Dress, $, available at Free People
Zara Printed Linen Blend Mini Dress
Zara Printed Linen Blend Mini Dress, $, available at Zara
Eywasouls Malibu Scarlet Dress
Eywasouls Malibu Scarlet Dress, $, available at Shopbop
Abercrombie & Fitch Beaded Flowy Midi Dress
Abercrombie and Fitch Beaded Flowy Midi Dress, $, available at Abercrombie and Fitch
Summer Black-Tie Wedding Guest Dresses
Dress to impress at a summer black-tie wedding. The formal dress code calls for floor-length gowns in bold colors (yes, you can skip the black). Classic column, drop-waist, and slip silhouettes are always on point — or go for something unexpected, like a patterned maxi or cascading chiffon dress.
Sabina Musayev Nicola Dress, $, available at Shopbop
Hutch Aza A-Line Halter Dress
Hutch Aza A-Line Halter Dress, $, available at Nordstrom
Helsa The Sabine Dress in Silk Chiffon
Helsa The Sabine Dress in Silk Chiffon, $, available at FWRD
Summer Cocktail Wedding Guest Dresses
Cocktail weddings strike the balance between formal and fun, and your dress should do the same. Go for a midi-length with eye-catching details like keyhole cut-outs, mesh overlays, or architectural ruffles. Minis and maxis can work too, as long as the fabric and finish feel refined — think lace appliqués, tailored shapes, or flutter sleeves.
Arrange Satin Embroidered Lace Applique Column Midi Dress, $, available at ASOS
Reformation Katarin Linen Dress
Reformation Katarin Linen Dress, $, available at Reformation
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In anticipation of the 2025 ESPY Awards on July 16 — which looks back at the 2024 accomplishments of world-class athletes — track and field star Gabby Thomas is looking forward to a brighter future. “I think we’re in such a great era for women’s sports, and I’m just so proud to be a part of that and to be having that impact on not just the people watching but especially the younger generation,” she tells Refinery29.
The five-time Olympic medalist is nominated for Best Athlete in the Women’s Sports category, following the most recent 2024 Paris Olympics, where she won three gold medals. Thomas’ ESPY category is being sponsored by TJ Maxx, who is also dressing her for the evening. “I’m thrilled to be partnering with TJ Maxx because they’re so committed to celebrating women like me who are redefining the game and owning who they are,” Thomas says, hinting she’ll be wearing an all-white “bridal-era” look following her recent engagement to Spencer McManes. “I went with something white with some fluffy, feathery finishes.”
When speaking about fashion’s recent embracing of athletes, Thomas — who has since the Olympics appeared on the cover of Vogue’s Winter Issue and attended the 2025 Met Gala — says that “this moment for women in sports and fashion is long overdue and very well deserved.” She adds: “Historically, women in sport have been using self-expression and fashion in their sports. We’ve seen it in track and field for so long. Think about Flo-Jo [Florence Griffith Joyner] and the impact that she’s had, and her style and fashion.”
Today, Thomas uses personal style to set her up for success on the track. “One of my favorite parts about race day is dressing up and kind of tapping into that alter-ego version of myself. And just tapping into that energy through what I’m wearing, through how I’m doing my hair, and just the whole look,” Thomas says. “One thing about being in the track community is that when you look good, you feel good, you run good.”
At the ESPYs, Thomas will be in good company, nominated alongside gymnast Simone Biles, basketball player A’ja Wilson, and fellow track and field athlete Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. “I’m really proud to stand alongside them in showing the world how impactful and powerful women’s sports are,” says Thomas. “It just feels really good to be up there representing our sport. It’s something that I’ve always dreamed of when I was a little girl.”
While she can’t control the outcome of who will go on to win the award, Thomas is taking the future of track and field into her own hands. Together with fellow Olympians Sha’Carri Richardson and Tara Davis-Woodhall, she has come on as an adviser-owner of Athlos League, a team-based, women-centric track and field competition set to debut in 2026.
“I’ve always wanted to leave the sport better than I found it. And the fact that we were able to do that, and also celebrate powerful women and uplift female athletes in the process, it means everything to me,” she says. “It’s going to be such a great opportunity for us athletes in the sport in terms of having competition, in terms of being paid, and just shaking things up a little bit with the new format… [and] to inspire the next generation and show what we can do in sports.”
The 2025 ESPY Awards will be broadcast on ABC at 8 p.m. EST on June 16 and streamed on Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+.
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