Wedding Guest Dresses for Summer Weddings

Good morning! This is my second official day of summer, and I am loving it! I spent yesterday weeding and planting in our garden, taking Bentley to the vet and cleaning like a mad woman. Today, little Bentley is at the groomer, and I am blogging at the local Starbucks.  Have you had the vanilla sweet cream cold brew yet?! If not, you need it in your life! My mom and Gary were in town over the weekend, and it was so great. Here's a pic of us trying to get 3 pups and a baby to look at the camera:

I don't know about you, but Mike and I have a bunch of weddings this summer for which we are SO EXCITED!!  We had my cousin Kara and Josh's in May, we have Lee (our best man) and Jacque's wedding this Saturday (the same day and time as our other good friends, Jackie and Pete! But both weddings will be amazing!), and then we have my cousin Rosie and Vincenzo's in August! Of course, as a guest at a wedding, you need dresses for these momentous occasions. My cousin, Ashley, actually came up with the idea of this post. Thanks, girl!

^^This weekend Lee's the man of the hour! 

Just a few items to note about shopping for a wedding guest dress: remember, the bride is the woman of the day! Do not try to upstage her! To that end, you should stay away from any hue of white. No solid creams, etc. Some brides won't mind at all, but to others, it might be upsetting.

Here are ten dress ideas to check out for the next wedding you attend.

[1.0] Gianni Bini is a newer designer exclusive to Dillards. I am in love with all the embroidered details of these dresses!

[2.0]  Anthropologie dresses.
Anthro dresses are definitely splurge dresses, but I am not exaggerating when I say the one I bought for my sister's wedding rehearsal in July 2013 is still in immaculate shape, even after 15+ wears and several dry cleaner visits. They are always so unique and intricately designed. Prepare for tons of compliments and years of wear! This might be the most lovely LBD I have seen in my entire life! I have seen it on two women at two different weddings I attended, and it looks amazing on ANY age woman!

[3.0] J. Crew dresses.
This yellow silk dress might be my favorite option right now! Stay tuned for J. Crew sales; I never pay full price for anything J. Crew! You can then re-wear any of these J. Crew choices for wedding rehearsals, showers, baby showers, etc. I just bought the peplum one (below) in the Kelly green for $60!

[4.0] Lilly Pulitzer-- classic summer! I am wearing the Eliot shift in the coral color for Jacque and Lee's wedding this weekend.  It is beaded and just stunning -- a lot prettier IRL than from the website pics.

[5.0] Rent the Runway
If you haven't done RTR yet, do it! You, quite literally, rent a designer dress for a super affordable price! I talked about it last year on the blog, but essentially, you pay anywhere from $40 + to rent a dress for 3-4 days. You receive two sizes of the dress in case one doesn't fit. I have had such great luck with it! I used it for my engagement party and a wedding! Additionally, you receive 20% off your first order! Oh! There's actually a RTR store in Chicago and Vegas, if you live close to either!


[6.0]  Nordstrom.
This is a no-brainer: free shipping AND free returns. Plus, tons of rewards if you are a cardholder. If you've never experienced Nordstroms' customer service, you are missing out!  PS: I have this dress in maroon and green, and I am obsessed!

[7.0] Banana Republic has incredible, versatile, unique dresses. These are dresses I wear to weddings and showers, but I also wear to work and parent-teacher conferences.
Also, currently 40% off everything! Just add the item to your cart! No code needed.
There are constantly BR sales-- just sign up for the emails. Also, if you have a Banana Republic, Gap or Old Navy card, you will get huge discounts. Check out these fresh dresses for summer weddings:

[8.0] ASOS is another favorite of mine. There is free shipping and returns, too, in case a size doesn't fit perfectly (since it is all online).

[9.0] Express.
Express has awesome deals for on-trend pieces. I am loving this lace-sleeve dress! Depending on your climate, you could totally wear this one to a wedding!

[10.0] Chicwish.
Chicwish is a website that I discovered through some of the bloggers I follow, and I am head over heels for their super trendy, fun pieces. The prices are outstanding. I love this crocheted dress for $51 and this tassel dress. That tassel dress might be the coolest dress I have ever seen!!! My sis would for sure make fun of me for it, hahaha, per usual. But I love it!

Do you have any summer weddings to attend? What are you wearing? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!
xxoo
Mary