If you're wondering what dress styles are appropriate for casual weddings, these casual wedding guest dress ideas and outfit ideas for daytime or informal weddings. These casual-yet-dressy styles are a great choice for wedding guest dresses to wear at outdoor or backyard weddings.
Image credits and shopping sources: 1. Maeve Pleated Midi Dress from Astr the Label 2. Sloane Floral Ursa Off the Shoulder Dress from Sugarlips 3. High Neck Cowl Dress in Aqua Gray 4. Green Print Floral Midi Dress from Lulus
Casual and Dressy Casual Wedding Guest Dresses
If you've received an invitation to an informal daytime or evening wedding, you may be looking for casual or dressy casual wedding guest dresses! These dresses are perfect for wearing to informal backyard weddings, daytime outdoor weddings, or any wedding where dressy casual attire is encouraged but formal attire is not needed.
We've picked these dresses from our retail partners to help you with your search. These dresses are picked for the current season. We change the selection as we find new dresses, so keep checking back.
What is a Casual Dress Code for a Wedding?
Casual dress codes for weddings are becoming increasingly common as weddings become more informal and intimate. This relaxed look still calls for a little bit of elevated attire. Wearing your best daytime dress, or dress pants with a nice dress shirt without a tie. Men can also ditch the tie, but pair the blazer with a nice dress shirt, and dress or khaki pants.
Image credits and shopping sources: 1. Cameron Meadow Green Belted Midi Dress from Red Dress Boutique 2. Alluring Invite Floral Pleated Midi Dress from Lulus 3. Eliana Dress from Avara (Sold Out) 4. Kavianna Dress from Lilly Pulitzer
Casual is usually a daytime look, so daytime dresses and outfits are appropriate. You know the couple best, so using that information along with the venue, you'll usually have a sense of how informal or formal the event might be. If it's just an outdoor cookout, then a step above a sundress might be all that is needed. If it's a barn wedding but with a tented reception at a nice venue, then going a little more formal is always a good idea.
If the wedding invitation asks for casual attire, it's still a wedding, so his doesn't mean you don't need to dress up at all, but wearing a daytime dress, or an elegant sundress in a nice fabric, nice pants, a pretty skirt, and top, or a jumpsuit means that you'll be keeping it casual while also being appropriately dressed.
Dressy casual means a step above your day-to-day nice attire, like nice clothing that you might wear to church on Easter, a Kentucky Derby party, a daytime dress that is a step above what you'd wear to work, or a summery or seasonally approprate dress that has a little structure, in other words, the dress isn't a flimsy sundress in a jersey or cheap cotton fabric with no lining that could be mistaken for a beach-cover up. It's a step to come as you are, but it doesn't mean anything goes.
This is a great opportunity to wear a shorter dress, a casual silhouette like a short-sleeve dress, or even a casual maxi dress.
If the casual wedding you've been invited to has a barn or outdoor rustic theme, check out these rustic wedding guest dresses for more ideas. If you're invited to a casual beach wedding, check out these beach wedding guest dresses. For more in-depth dress code details, see our Wedding Guest Attire Guidelines.
More Informal and Daytime Wedding Guest Attire
If these looks aren't quite the fit for your event, the season, or your personal style, see Maxi Dresses or these Semi-Formal dresses and Formal Dresses, too! Need an entire outfit idea chosen for the daytime wedding season? Try this look for a Spring Daytime Wedding Guest.
If you have a specific venue for a casual event, you might find this post about rustic wedding guest attire ideas or winery wedding guest styles to be helpful.
This page was originally published on September 20, 2013 and updated most recently on June 21, 2026
