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- 1 Best Maxi Dress
- 2 Best Midi Dress
- 3 Best Mini Dress
- 4 Best Affordable Dress
- 5 Best Dress with Long Sleeves
- 6 Best Wrap Dress
- 7 Best Outfit with Pockets
- 8 Best Off-the-Shoulder Dress
- 9 Best Plus-Size Dress
- 10 Best Chiffon Dress
- 11 Best Shirt Dress
- 12 Best Fit and Flare
- 13 Best Lace Dress
- 14 Best Statement-Maker
What to Wear To a Fall Wedding—Perfect Dresses and Outfit Ideas for Wedding Guests
Summer may be peak wedding season, but we're suckers for a fall wedding, when the changing leaves make a stunning backdrop and the possibility of a doughnut dessert station is strong. Plus, fall wedding guest dresses are the best—there’s no worrying about sweating through the fabric like in summer, no having to hide a fabulous dress under a heavy coat like in winter. We’ve rounded up the best dresses to wear to a fall wedding, so you can spend less time figuring out what to wear and more time daydreaming about the spiked apple cider in your fall wedding future.
Best Dresses to Wear to a Fall Wedding
Best Maxi Dress
Beautiful fall colors call for beautiful fall maxis. Payal Jain's long, semi-sheer dress in a dark, romantic floral print is a smart buy that will keep giving and giving for years (and fall weddings) to come. Rock it with a deep red lip, suede boots or sandals, and a moto jacket if there's a chill in the air.
Best Midi Dress
Not as formal as a long gown but warmer than a short summer cocktail dress, the midi is the perfect length for fall. Speaking of perfection: the pleats on this long-sleeve embroidered dress are made for twirling the night away. And how great will that dazzling red hue look in photos against a background of pumpkins, haystacks, and fall leaves?
Best Mini Dress
Cinq à Sept's tiered mini has all the retro glam factor of a 70s party dress without feeling the least bit stuffy. Dress it up with gold metallic heels and a blowout for a lavish fall party, or go more casual with a suede jacket and chunky boots if you’re celebrating the newlyweds with a backyard bonfire.
Best Affordable Dress
Drape ourselves in a dramatic, off-the-shoulder cape dress—for under $30? We’ve never clicked "add to cart" faster. This budget-friendly little black Amazon dress is more versatile than it looks. Wear it for toasting the lovebirds anywhere from a rustic apple orchard to a candlelit chapel.
Best Dress with Long Sleeves
You've checked Instagram lately, yes? Animal print is huge for 2019. This zebra-printed midi is bold without being loud but so sleek it can't be ignored (especially with a pair of sky-high strappy heels or tall black boots). It looks great all on its own, but would also pair perfectly with a bunch of autumnal wildflowers if you happen to catch the bouquet.
Best Wrap Dress
This House of Harlow wrap-style dress may perfectly match some of the foliage you’ll see at the soiree, but rest assured you won't blend in wearing this head-turner. Textured fabric, a floaty fit, and a fabulous color will make it one of your go-tos long after this season's weddings.
Best Outfit with Pockets
A glam jumpsuit in a gorgeous fall hue, made from crushed velvet that travels well? With comfy wide legs that let you boogie to Bruno Mars the way you were meant to? And it has pockets?? Sounds too good to be true, but this chic Tahari one-piece is the real deal.
Best Off-the-Shoulder Dress
Delicate off-the-shoulder sleeves, a sweetheart neckline, and a flouncy hem give Reformation's iconic Butterfly dress a floaty, flirty feel that captures the sweetness of the night.
Best Plus-Size Dress
It’s impossible to look anything but cool as hell in this polka-dot maxi, a perfect plus-size wedding guest dress for fall. With a matching belt and billowing off-the-shoulder sleeves, this is everything you need for an effortless but memorable look.
Best Chiffon Dress
This chiffon maxi brings Audrey Hepburn levels of grace to the scene—perfect for the moment you take the microphone to toast to the lovely couple.
Best Shirt Dress
This shirt dress by Mango is appropriate for more casual fall weddings (you risk feeling underdressed for more formal occasions), with a longer length; a tie at the waist; and a vintage floral print in a black, cream, and saffron color scheme. Wear it with short black booties or tall heeled leather boots and a rich plummy lipstick.
Best Fit and Flare
The best fit-and-flares are ready to party, and this satiny sleeveless frock certainly rises to the occasion. We dare to say the wedding photographer won’t be able to stop shooting the high-low skirt swirling perfectly across the dance floor.
Best Lace Dress
Fall wedding decor might skew less towards lace and more towards sunflowers, haystacks, and spider mums, but that’s no reason to leave your favorite lace dress at home. The rustic overlay and sophisticated trim on this upscale Little House on the Prairie look make it just the type of lace that will fit in perfectly at a down-home fall wedding.
Best Statement-Maker
Gonna go big or go home for your fall wedding? Two words: Velvet. Suit. This Zendaya/Tommy Hilfiger-designed ensemble—the cinched-waist suit coat and fitted bell bottoms—will stand so far out in a sea of dresses, other guests won't know what hit ‘em.
Foolproof Outfit Ideas for a Fall Wedding
What to Wear to a Barn Wedding in the Fall
It can be tough to find an outfit that nails both “wedding attire” and “barn appropriate.” But Lost + Wander’s red floral dress nails the rustic chic aesthetic. Add some tan heels or boots, a slouchy cardigan for the crisp air, and a few pieces of simple statement jewelry for a touch of extra sparkle.
What to Wear to a Fall Outdoor Wedding
This dress from Australian designer Gorman is the perfect base for an outdoor wedding—on its own, it looks like it just walked off the runway, but it’s fun to add layers that play off the bold pattern and color combo. Feel the crunch of the fallen leaves under these pointy brown boots and pack a chic, drapey scarf in case a fall breeze blows through.
Foolproof Plus-Size Fall Wedding Outfit
Have you heard? Bell sleeves are in, and nowhere are they better done than in this dress from Eloquii. (Outside of a Tom Ford gown, that is.) The striking shape on this dress doesn’t need much embellishment. Just top if off with some fun pumps, a pair of hoops, and a patterned clutch, and you’ll be good to go as the most colorful guest there. Of course you can’t go hiding those sleeves with a jacket once the temperature dips—instead, reach for a soft ruana the color of a purple dahlia.
Foolproof Outfit for a Casual Fall Wedding
Lean into the season’s coziness with a sweater dress for a casual fall wedding. The softness of this cashmere from Everlane contrasts beautifully with an edgy suede moto jacket, and the outfit comes together with a pop-of-pattern purse and black booties you’ll wear again and again. Whether you’re kicking it in a foliage-covered countryside or hearing the “I do’s” during an afternoon on a farm, you’ll be the perfect combo of cozy and chic in this head-to-toe look.
Foolproof Outfit for a Formal Fall Wedding
Glide into a formal fall wedding with the glitz and glamour of a Jazz Age-inspired gown. Let the intricate sparkling details on this dress combined with its flouncy skirt do most of the talking by skipping any statement pieces, instead pairing this one with classic, delicate accessories. If the formal affair moves outdoors to dance under the harvest moon, drape yourself in a luxurious cashmere pashmina to stay warm.
Fall-Wedding-Ready Shoes
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