Get in, we’re going shopping! Together, we’ll find some cheap but cute wedding guest dresses. Follow along on the list, k? It’s free + fun!
Did you receive a wedding invitation in the mail and now you need a dress to wear to it?
Same!
As a wedding planner, I already have my share of outfits at the ready. But when I’m attending a wedding as a guest, it’s a whole new game!
I suddenly need/want a new dress, new shoes that are actually comfortable for dancing, an evening bag, the whole nine yards.
And yet, I don’t really want to spend a lot of money on it since my fashion choices change like the wind.
If there’s one thing I don’t like to spend a lot of money on, it’s an outfit to wear to a wedding when I’m not a bridesmaid, the Maid of Honor, or the Bride. Other than that, cheap dresses are totally fine with me as long as they don’t look or feel like I got them at a budget price.
I’m proud of myself: this past year, I’ve embarked on a closet purge that would make Marie Kondo proud and I’ve also been exercising more.
Therefore, spending a lot of money on a wedding guest dress I’ll only wear once or twice doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.
Furthermore, I don’t plan to wear the same style dress to the next few events… as they say, variety is the spice of life. With a couple of weddings on my radar, I will need to purchase a few outfits.
So, yeah, cheap is going to be key here.
Anyway. What do you think we’ll find together? Perhaps we’ll find some adorable, yet affordable outfits to wear to these upcoming weddings. I hope something I show you here will inspire your own outfit.
Now, I’m calling these cheap only because they’re all firmly placed UNDER the $200 mark. Some are even under $100. Price is subjective because to some, cheap is $20 and to others, $175 is a bargain. My goal: something in the $80 to $100 range, so maybe we’ll find a pretty outfit in that range.
Here are my goals for finding cheap wedding guest dresses:
They must be…
1) Affordable, yet stylish. Under $100 is ideal, as I’m looking to buy more than one guest outfit.
2) The dress must be suitable for a semi-formal wedding in fall or winter.
3) I want a few dress options on rotation for the next few upcoming weddings and formal events, so that I’m not committing to a dress that I may only wear once, then feel guilty for spending so much on it,
and finally,
4) It can’t be too fancy, since it needs to also be worn for a few formal events that aren’t wedding-y
Does that make sense?
If this criteria works for you too, then awesome: here’s to cheap wedding guest dresses and what we end up finding here, together!
Cheap Outfits to Wear to a Wedding This Fall and Winter
So, to start, here are some of my favorite places to get cheap outfits I think will work perfectly for the weddings coming up.
One of my favorite places to shop lately is Lulu’s. Have you tried them before? I have and I do like the quality, although I’ve only tried a few dresses from them so far. I do like their reviews a lot.
Dress #1: Black Satin Halter, $79
This dress I saw on their newly added dresses feature is one of my favorites. I love the midi length, the halter neckline… it’s a classic black little black dress. Oh, and it’s only $79.
Dress #2: Black Floor Length Dress with Sequins, $109
This is a pretty black dress that sparkles and shimmers. I love the A-line cut and thick shoulder straps with cut-out detail at the waist. The sequins are perfect!
Dress #3: Burgundy Maxi with Ruffles, $89
Then we have this one for $89, a burgundy long maxi dress to the floor. It has a v-neck and ruffles, and I like how it has a little bit of a flutter sleeve on the shoulder. What really impresses me on this dress is the long-length and the color… it’s so pretty. And it has nice ratings, 5-star from customers. A solid contender!
Dress #4: Midi Blue Organza Tiered Dress with Print, $89
I do like blue, so this navy blue midi organza dress drew me in. I like the tiers and the square neckline. The thick straps and the length are nice, too. The pattern? Pretty, without being over the top. Now the only thing is the tiers. I LOVE the tiered skirt trend for dresses right now, but does anyone else feel like, here I am with my tiered skirt? No? Just me? Still, I’d try to pull off this look because I do think it’s a cute dress. $89.
Dress #5: Burgundy Jumpsuit with Keyhole Detail, $75
Oooh, what about a jumpsuit? It’s not just cheap wedding guest dresses that are out there, but cute and affordable jumpsuits, too! This one caught my eye: it’s a really nice color in burgundy and the wide legs look stylish without being too stiff. What I really like, though, is the halter top with that little keyhole detail. Cuuuute! This is one of my contenders for sure. Only $75.
Dress #6: Ruched Halter Bodycon in Rust, $79
What do you think of a ruched halter bodycon dress? I like the color here (shown in rust) and the length. Will it bunch up and be too tight? Will it hug me in all the wrong places? I’m not sure but the reviews seem to say it’s a slam dunk with one reviewer calling it “spectacular”, so there’s that! I really love the halter style and this length. It looks like a fun little dress to wear. Going on the list! $79.
Dress #7: Emerald Off-The-Shoulder Dress with Ruffles, $69
This next one is a gorgeous option: a dark green off-the-shoulder midi with a little ruffle near the calf. So so cute. I love emerald green, it’s one of my favorite colors especially for the fall and winter months. This style is so me, so it’s definitely one of my top picks so far. It’s a nice affordable price, too, coming in at $69.
And the winner is…
Of all of these options so far, I’m going to say that the emerald green one directly above and that long-length burgundy maxi are my two top picks. I think I’m going to buy both of those and try them on.
For the price, they make really great dressy occasion outfits, suitable to wear as a wedding guest dress but also for a little night out.
What do you think? Do you like any of these? Did you find your dress, too?
I’ll also give Amazon a try (this one is a key possibility), but last time I had no such luck.
I’m used to shopping at Lulu’s so I’m sticking with it. Their prices aren’t that different than Amazon and I’m also finding matching shoes I really like. There’s something about shopping somewhere OTHER than where I buy toilet paper, batteries, and shampoo. Ya know? ;)
So, cheap wedding guest dresses aren’t so hard to find after all. When you know what you want — i.e. dress style, colors, price points — it seems like it leads you to the best outfits you really can afford and look good in. We’ll see the verdict when they arrive at my doorstep.
Part 2, perhaps?!
Let me know what you think of these dresses in the comments. You can find more guest attire here.
Also, what do you consider cheap for a new dress? I’m curious.
Talk soon,
xo
Emma
