What to Wear as a Guest of a Spring Formal Wedding - Dress for the Wedding (2024)

Spring is usually the start of the next wedding season and the time of year when you'll start to see the wedding invitations roll in with invitations for April, May, and June weddings. While many spring weddings can be outdoor daytime events and casual garden-style weddings, there are also a fair number of spring weddings this time of year with a formal or black tie wedding dress code. If you've received a formal wedding invitation to an upcoming spring wedding, we've found the perfect spring wedding guest dresses that suit a springtime formal or black tie affair.

What to Wear as a Guest of a Spring Formal Wedding - Dress for the Wedding (1)

What to Wear to a Spring Formal Wedding

What to Wear as a Guest of a Spring Formal Wedding - Dress for the Wedding (2)

Image credits and shopping sources: 1. Romance that Wows Blush Floral Dress from Lulus 2. Delphina Gown from Rent the Runway 3. Poised Performance Dress from Lulus 4.ML Monique Lhuillier Dress from Anthropologie

As always, we try to make dress code decoding easy for wedding guests, so our editor is here to share her picks for the best wedding guest dresses for spring. We're taking it a step further by finding the best spring wedding guest dresses for those who need to adhere to a formal or black tie-wedding dress code, while still rocking springtime style on your friend's big day.

70 of the Best Spring Formal Wedding Guest Dresses

Here we've found over 70 of the best formal spring wedding guest dresses that show off bold colors for a colorful black tie wedding, and offer that cheerful springtime style while remaining within the formal dress code guidelines to make it easy to find the perfect dress. These styles are also perfect for those attending any other spring formal event, like proms and other parties where formal spring attire is requested. Any of these dresses is the start of creating the perfect spring wedding outfit for your next spring wedding.

What to Wear as a Guest of a Spring Formal Wedding - Dress for the Wedding (3)

Decoding the Dress Code: Spring Formal Attire vs Spring Black Tie Attire

As you may know, a formal or black-tie wedding dress code usually calls for a floor-length gown or formal gown for women, and formal wear like a dark suit and the option of a tuxedo for men.If the wedding is not black-tie affair, then longer midi dresses and co*cktail dresses in formal fabric and style can also be suitable. If the wedding invitation dictates black tie attire then the wedding is highly formal and a floor-length dress is usually a great choice. Generally, formal is a slightly more casual wedding attire than black tie, while black tie denotes a highly formal affair.

Styling a Spring Formal Wedding Guest OutfitWhat to Wear as a Guest of a Spring Formal Wedding - Dress for the Wedding (4)

Image credits and shopping sources: Dress: Mac Duggal Cutout Waist Floral Gown from Nordstrom Earrings: Four the Money Crystal Drop Earrings from Nordstrom Bracelet: Nadri CZ Cuff Bracelet from Nordstrom Shoes: Donna Slingback Sandals from Nordstrom Clutch: Hotfix Structured Clutch from Nordstrom

To complete your perfect formal spring wedding guest outfit, be sure your accessories are also grand. Adding embellished high heels, statement earrings, glamorous jewelry, and chic clutches creates a great look.

No matter which dress you choose these spring formal styles are ready to take you from the wedding ceremony to the wedding reception and dance floor in sweeping spring style.

Colors and Trends for Spring Wedding Attire

Perhaps what sets apart these spring formal events, is that guests are often encouraged to choose attire that reflects the springtime style trend of bright colors, floral prints, and pastel hues. In our experience, spring weddings have a romantic garden party vibe which makes floral dresses. maxi dresses, and other styles of flowy dresses the perfect thing to wear for a spring wedding guest outfit. If floral prints aren't your thing and you prefer to wear solid colors, it's the perfect time of year to select bright and cheerful colors that reflect the cheerful mood of the spring wedding season.

Dressing for Spring Wedding Weather

Spring is a time of year when the weather can be warm one day and chilly the next, especially for early spring outdoor weddings, so we've included some formal gowns with long sleeves, to take you through this transitional season in style! Bringing along a wrap or other chic cover-up is also a great idea because the spring season is known for rapid temperature changes.

More Spring Style Ideas You Might Love

If you're searching for more spring wedding styles, please check out our picks for spring mother-of-the-bride dresses, our picks for the best spring wedding guest dresses for any dress code, andour special picks for what to wear to an April wedding.

More style ideas you might enjoy :

Yellow Wrap Maxi Dress to Wear to Spring and Summer WeddingsNew Outfits for Spring CelebrationsBurgundy Dress for a Fall WeddingOff-The-Shoulder Gown for a Mother-of-the Bride

« What to Wear to an April Wedding

What to Wear to a May Wedding »

About Dress for the Wedding

Sukey is the editor-in-chief of Dress for the Wedding. She brings over 27 years in women's fashion and 12 years in wedding attire experience to the creation of her wedding styling ideas and wedding dress collection coverage.

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What to Wear as a Guest of a Spring Formal Wedding - Dress for the Wedding (2024)

FAQs

What to Wear as a Guest of a Spring Formal Wedding - Dress for the Wedding? ›

Formal Wedding

What is spring formal attire for a wedding? ›

Floral lace and dreamy chiffon fabrics are perfect for a springtime wedding. Experiment with bright, fresh colors, or soft, dusty pastels to complete your spring wedding outfit! Add matching accessories and you'll be beaming with pride—and with style.

What should I wear to a wedding with a formal dress code? ›

Dress Codes like 'Black-Tie Optional' and 'Formal' also fall loosely into this category — basically somewhere between 'Black-Tie' and 'co*cktail'. Essentially, a smart matching jacket and pants, with a shirt and tie, for men, and an equally chic ensemble for women, like an elegant dress or pantsuit, will suffice here.

What does a female guest wear to a formal wedding? ›

At a formal event, women can wear some of the finest gowns and dresses. It's typically expected that female guests should attend in floor-length gowns. These gowns are the most elegant option and can be considered the female equivalent of a tuxedo.

What is spring formal dress code? ›

The main thing you need to keep in mind is that the Spring Formal dress you choose needs to be fancy enough for the occasion. Here are the two main types of dresses for Spring Formal to consider: Long Formal Dresses - A classic choice for any fancy celebration, long formal dresses are the top pick for Spring Formals.

What colors are best for spring wedding guest dress? ›

Yellow, pink, lilac, and green dresses are all great options to wear as a wedding guest. Dresses with patterns and floral designs also work well for the spring season—just be sure you aren't wearing the same color as the bride's bridal party, and of course, stay away from white!

What not to wear to a spring wedding? ›

It doesn't matter if the dress code requests "casual" attire, jeans, T-shirts, shorts, flip-flops, and sneakers are never appropriate to wear as a wedding guest. Show respect for the bride and groom by dressing formally.

What does formal dress on a wedding invitation mean? ›

Formal Wedding

As the name suggests, it allows more flexibility than a black-tie dress code. Men can wear tuxedos or formal dark suits, and women can wear anything from evening gowns to dressy co*cktail attire.

What are the basic etiquette for formal dress? ›

  • Always open the last button of your shirt.
  • You should unfasten the buttons while sitting down. ...
  • Button the shirt at the top, please do ensure that you are not choking yourself, in case you are then you should change the shirt.
  • If you are wearing a dark suit, a light pocket square is advised and vice versa.
Oct 11, 2018

What is the formal dress code for ladies? ›

For Women. For women, it helps to have a selection of gowns to use for formal events. Opt for gowns and dresses of different lengths so that you can adjust your outfit for white tie, black tie, and formal events. Skirts, blouses, and fancy jewelry can also be useful when attending special occasions.

Does a woman have to wear a long dress to a formal wedding? ›

Traditionally women are expected to wear a floor length evening dress to a formal wedding. Often a sophisticated and dressy co*cktail dress is also appropriate, however if the bride is traditional we recommend a floor length dress. A full length dress means that the ankle is not visible.

Can I wear floral to a formal wedding? ›

Can you wear a floral dress to a formal wedding? The short answer: Yes! Floral wedding guest dresses come in so many different styles, from festive frocks to sexy slips.

Can a woman wear a black dress to a formal wedding? ›

However, in today's modern-day age, wearing black to a wedding is completely acceptable, and in many cases, it's even encouraged. “Black is often considered the most formal, polished, and flattering color,” explains wedding expert Ashley Smith.

Can you wear black to a spring formal? ›

Though it's technically OK to wear black at any time of the day, Aleece says it's better suited for late afternoon and evening weddings in the fall and winter, along with formal and black tie weddings in the early spring.

Can you wear navy to a spring wedding? ›

Be sure to dress for the season.

For spring & summer weddings, wear lighter shades and pastels. For fall & winter weddings wear more darker tones. Navy blue is perfect for all year round!

Is it okay to wear black to a spring wedding? ›

In short, yes, but the key is in the styling. You want to avoid looking like you dressed for a funeral, and your outfit should feel like it was chosen with a special occasion in mind!

What is spring formal attire for men? ›

A three-piece suit is a winning ticket when abiding by formal or black-tie optional men's attire for spring weddings. This includes a pair of trousers with a matching vest and blazer. Typically, formal weddings call for darker colors like black, navy or charcoal grey, especially if they're in the evening.

Can I wear a short dress to a formal wedding? ›

However, short does not mean revealing. This means although a mini dress could be acceptable, it's best to avoid something that could be revealing, and not something you would want to wear around the bride or groom's grandparents. Like with any outfit at a wedding, you don't want it to overshadow the newly weds.

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