We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
Unless otherwise specified, all sizes in this post are listed in women's.
1. An off-the-shoulder ruffle dress in which you can really get down to Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" — an absolute wedding banger.
Here's what BuzzFeed editor Ciera Velarde has to say:
"I wore this to a wedding this summer that had an outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour in 90-degree heat, and even though it's maxi length, I didn't get too hot or sweaty. I was really pleased with how the pleated tiers fell on my body...I just felt very dainty and romantic and confident in this dress! I also loved that I could wear it on or off the shoulders. And no joke I had at least a dozen people compliment me on this dress! And no one believed what I spent on it! I might just have to buy this in many other colors now!"
Get it from Amazon for $37.60+ (available in sizes XS–XL and 40 colors/patterns).
2. A spaghetti strap cowl-neck number with some slight stretch so you won't have to wrestle your way out of it at the end of the night.
Promising review: "If love was a piece of clothing this dress would be it!!! The fit is absolute perfection!!!!!!! It fits like it was made for my body and the color definitely has my melanin popping!!!! Girl!! Just buy it!!!" —Amber
Get it from Amazon for $41.55+ (available in sizes L Plus–5X Plus and in 48 colors/styles).
3. A pleated one-shoulder maxi one reviewer says doesn't wrinkle a bit — making it an ideal choice for destination weddings where you don't always have access to a steamer or iron. (And even if you do... you certainly don't want to use them.)
Promising review: "Love this floral dress. Such a pretty color combo. The dress fits true to size. The material is not see through. Would be perfect as a wedding guest outfit or for a special occasion! Definitely recommend." —Nadine
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in sizes S–XXL and in 14 colors/styles).
4. A satin midi dress that's semi-adjustable thanks to a tie-front design so if you're in between sizes, you don't have to drop even more cash on tailoring.
Promising review: "Really liked this dress! Wore it to my friend’s wedding. The color is vibrant and the material has a satin finish and doesn’t feel too heavy or too light. I was able to wear a bra underneath and safety pinned it under the bow I tied in the front. Highly recommend!" —Savitha Racha
Get it from Amazon for $38.99 (available in sizes S–XXL and in 19 colors).
5. A short puff-sleeve dress sure to have you feeling like a Disney princess with its Jasmine-esque bodice and sleeves.
Promising review: "Bought this as a last-minute dress to wear to a wedding and it was perfect! I liked that it wasn’t see through or sheer by any means because I often find that dresses I buy online are super thin. The quality was pretty good and I was overall very satisfied." —Brooke
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in sizes XS–XL and in 30 colors).
6. A one-shoulder tiered midi if you're looking to dip your toe into one of 2023's most on-trend designs. Cold shoulder? Nooooo, thank you. One shoulder? Always.
Promising review: "I absolutely looooove this dress!!!! It is beautiful and flowy and perfect for vacation! The one shoulder is so on trend right now! And the color is stunning!!" —Emad Abdelrahman
Get it from Amazon for $44.99+ (available in sizes S–XL and in 38 colors/styles).
7. A textured boho maxi dress with an extremely comfy elastic waist so you can actually *enjoy* sitting down for dinner and not spend it counting down the seconds until you can stand up.
FYI: The vast majority of reviewers suggest sizing up one if you're busty as there's no stretch in the top.
Promising review: "I NEVER leave reviews or heck even a picture but this dress is just perfect for me! Was looking for a dress to wear for our family pics in a few weeks and this dress fits perfectly and feels like a good, solidly-made dress. This could definitely even pass as a bridesmaid's dress! I will say that if you are very large chested, this may not be the dress for you. It fits me fine but I have smaller boobs and it fits comfortably (but snuggly) on my chest. I will likely order this dress in another color :-)" —Kaitlyn
Get it from Amazon for $37.99+ (available in sizes XL–4X and in five colors).
8. A one-shoulder bodycon midi one reviewer has worn to multiple weddings already. They say it washes so well and has garnered them so many compliments, they were honestly tempted to gatekeep it.
Promising review: "Finding a dress for a wedding is annoying. I bought four different dresses and this last one that came the day before was the winner at 1/4 the cost of the others. Amazing buy. Good quality. Looks elegant and fit beautifully. So happy with it." —S. Camarena Di Paola
Get it from Amazon for $44.99 (available in sizes S–XXL and in 22 colors).
9. A cowl-neck abstract plisse maxi if you're not one for solids — especially when you have an excuse to dress up.
10. A strapless corset number with boning in the front so it doesn't lose its structure — even when you're dropping it low. (Well, as low as your elder millennial body can handle.)
Get it from Amazon for $43.99 (available in sizes S–XL and in three colors).
11. A maxi dress with a porcelain-esque print I could see being a *major* hit at beach and vineyard weddings alike.
Get it from Boohoo for $24 (originally $48; available in sizes 12–24).
12. A batwing swing dress that will have you waving your arm around to Beyoncé in such a dramatic fashion, you'll look like you're in high school color guard.
13. A one-shoulder bodycon you can absolutely dress up with heels but also use post-wedding by pairing it with your chunkiest platform sneakers and your tried-and-true jean jacket because who doesn't love a versatile piece.
14. A sweet little open-back dress outfitted with long but lightweight lantern sleeves and dreamy ruffles that'll have you twirling your way to your designated reception table.
Promising review: "This is such a beautiful dress! The medium was a little loose in the body but perfect length-wise. Still was very comfortable. I got a lot of compliments! It was made with a good quality material. The under-skirt was nice and thick so you couldn't see through it. I wore short black shorts underneath in case it was windy at the wedding. I paired it with knee-high boots also from Amazon!" —Noel Cossaboon
Get it from Amazon for $39.98 (available in sizes S–XL and in 32 styles).
15. An asymmetrical satin cocktail dress that gives me human tulip vibes and I kind of love that??
Promising review: "This is the perfect wedding guest dress! Very elegant while still being fairly priced. I could’ve potentially sized down for a more fitted look in the chest, but I’m not sure if I would’ve run into more problems doing that. Love that this dress comes in so many colors, too! My only issue with the dress is the belt. I thought it was attached to the dress. A part of me wished it was but I felt like it looked silly when I tried to tie the belt around so I opted for the beltless look." —Felicia
Get it from Amazon for $42.99 (available in sizes S–XL and in 28 colors).
16. A halter-neck maxi so easy to wear, one reviewer bought it in four colors! If you're chronically online like I am, you probably have a certain TikTok sound — "If I like it, I'll just grab it in another color. If I like it and they have it in another color... I'll just grab it." — playing in your head right now.
Promising review: "This purchase completely exceeded my expectations. Dress is well made and SOFT. It also has a slip underneath, which is awesome — no fear of undies showing! Waist is elastic. Comes with a detachable belt so it can be worn with or without." —MsMGR
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in sizes S–XXL and 28 colors).
17. A smocked long sleeve dress that comes in an array of arresting prints and — the real clincher — you don't even have to shave your pits! (Not that you have to anyways, but if you're self-conscious about that type of thing.)
18. A high-low dress with some much-needed clearance in the front so you don't trip over yourself in a rush to the dessert buffet.
This is another favorite of BuzzFeed editor Ciera Velarde. Here's what she has to say:
"This is the perfect summer dress for any fancy activities you have! It's ultra-breathable and thin, so you can wear this even when it creeps up to 100+ degrees outside! I've worn it to a wedding last year and then to a rehearsal dinner this year, and I will keep this in my regular rotation to break out any time I need to look cute!"
Promising review: "Love, love, love this dress! It fits perfectly and is lightweight enough for the heat wave we are experiencing in LA." —Sweet Serenade
Get it from Amazon for $43.99+ (available in sizes S–XXL and in 35 colors).
Check out a similar option available in plus sizes for $45.99 (available in sizes 16–28 and in 10 styles).
19. A pleated halter-neck maxi with a silhouette that's strapless bra-friendly so you don't have to worry about searching high and low for specialized undergarments.
Promising review: "Needed a dress for a last-minute event — this arrived quickly and was dressy but not too formal, so it's pretty versatile. True to size and it wasn't see-through (not sure about lighter colors, though). Nice bold color and overall a simple, pretty dress that could work for many different occasions." —NW
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in sizes S–XXL and in 12 colors).
20. A 100% chiffon tie-back mini dress so floaty, you'll feel blissfully unencumbered as you pull off your best "Electric Slide" yet.
Promising reviews: "It’s soooo cute and I got so many compliments at the wedding we went to. I am a bigger-chested girl and it fit just right. I’m a shorty and it wasn’t too long. So comfy too. It’s a must-get! May get it in a few other colors eventually." —Emily Tomas
Get it from Amazon for $39.49 (available in sizes XS–XXL and in 21 colors and prints).
21. A lightweight chiffon dress with a freakin' cape and ruffled sleeves that lend themselves quite well to twirling around on the dance floor or even just enthusiastically bobbing around in your seat.
Get it from Amazon for $41.99 (available in sizes 16–24 and in five colors).
22. A simple square-neck dress that won't one-up the bride but will earn you endless compliments all the same.
Promising review: "This dress is absolutely adorable and so comfortable! I wore this to a wedding as a guest and got so many compliments! The material is great quality and it looks more expensive than it is. You will have to steam it before wearing because it’s creased from being folded in the packaging. I can confidently say this is one of my favorite dresses in my closet. The only downside is you have to tie the sleeves in a bow and it can be a bit difficult to do on your own. Other than that, this dress is amazing." —mj
Get it from Amazon for $45.99 (available in sizes S–XL and in 23 colors).
23. A split hem midi dress with an effortless, elegant silhouette so you can accessorize to the moon and back.
Promising review: "This was a the perfect wedding guest dress. It is so stretchy and comfortable but still formal for an event. I got the brown color." —Jessica Fee
Get it from Amazon for $33.99 (available in sizes XS–XL and in 25 colors).
24. And a tie-front satin dress so good, you *might* grow impatient waiting for the day you can wear it.
Just FYI: the majority of reviewers say to size up!
Promising review: "This dress matched my expectations. The material is silky and can be a little clingy with static. It comes very wrinkled and creates wrinkles easily so definitely iron before wearing. I love how the straps are adjustable, though. The top is stretchy and was almost a little on the bigger side for me but was very comfy to wear." —Christina
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in sizes XS–3XL and in 16 colors).
Reviews in this post have been edited for length and/or clarity.