We have found the most amazing dresses to rent to wear to your next wedding, no matter what the dress code. We took a look at reviews and the newest wedding guest dresses for rent and tried to edit it down to all the best dresses to rent from Rent the Runway. We've suggested a dress for each dress code in the hopes that this makes your next event and rental a breeze!
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The Best Dresses to Rent for a Wedding Guest
Image and rental sources - All dresses from Rent the Runway 1. Lef Dress 2. Green Brielle Gown 3. Floral Cutout Gown 4. Red Floral Maxi
Wedding Guest Dresses to Rent by Dress Code
If your summer calendar is full of weekends when you'll be attending your friends' weddings, you may be looking for a cute dress to wear! It can be a huge investment of time and money to find a wedding guest dress! One of the ways we get through the busy - and pricey - seasons of events is by renting dresses to wear to weddings.
We have used the services of Rent the Runway several times to rent dresses for speaking engagements and to wear to weddings. If you have a membership already for work clothes or your daily style then it only makes sense to dip into their offerings for wedding guest dresses to rent.
If you want to wear a designer dress or need a high-quality, showstopping dress for a wedding - especially if it's a black tie event - Rent the Runway is one of the first places we look because you can wear an expensive dress for a fraction of the cost. We love being able to have access to the new styles by MacDuggal, Sachin and Babi, Sabina Mustayev, and other designers we probably wouldn't be able to afford for a wear-it-once dress. Best of all renting is a sustainable practice so we added Rent the Runway to our list of sustainable wedding guest dresses.
Best Dresses from Rent the Runway to Wear to Weddings
We've paired these favorite dresses to rent with suggested dress codes, venues, and seasons, but of course, these dresses can do double or triple duty for all sorts of weddings, parties, and events!
Find your favorite dress to wear to your next wedding or event below!
The Sunny Outdoor Wedding
Expecting sunshine and perhaps hot temps? Stay elegant and cool in this daytime wedding guest dress. The Lef Dress by Alexis
The Classic Wedding
This above-the-ankle dress can go to nearly any type of wedding, at any time of day. Blue Floral Dress by Badgley Mischka
The Rustic Wedding
Heading to a barn wedding or something in the mountains or countryside? A semi-formal length maxi dress in a floral print is always a good idea! We love this dress, the Floral Midi Dress from Slate and Willow
The Winery Wedding
This rosey floral maxi dress, with a deep v ruffled neckline, keeps it looking romantic, and ready to go to a wedding at a vineyard or other outdoor location. The Natasha Dress.
The Elegant Wedding
This dress is an extreme compliment-getter! Perfect for a black tie wedding. The Green Brielle Gown from Sachin & Babi
The Casual Coastal Wedding
Need something festive for an outdoor casual wedding in a backyard, or perhaps at the beach, park, or other informal venue? This dress is the perfect embodiment of dressy casual. With the right accessories, it can definitely go to more formal afternoon weddings as well! Blythe Dress by Astr the Label
The Semi-Formal Beach Wedding
Heading to a beach wedding at an upscale formal beach club or resort? This elegant gown in aquatic tones is a wonderful choice! Chiffon Halter Gown by Liv Foster
The Traditional Wedding
A floral midi dress is a classic! Wear it to a hotel wedding or a country club wedding or any other traditional wedding venue! Frieda Dress by Sau Lee
The Boho Wedding
This dress will be perfect for anyone who wants a unique dress with personality! Wear it to a city wedding in a chic venue, an art gallery wedding, a garden wedding, or a boho wedding. It's the Baobab Mia Dress
The Black Tie Wedding
If the invitation is black tie, and the venue is formal, a long gown like this is in order, and this one has so much beauty in the floral print and shoulder details. MacDuggal Floral Cutout Gown.
The Hot Date Wedding
Are you someone's plus one, or do you just want an excuse to wear a sleek dress that is still classic wedding-appropriate? Try The Dean Dress- it's a gorgeous color and a classic style!
The Romantic Wedding
Lovely floral accents and ruffles - this maxi dress is a romantic standout! Pink Ruffled Floral Gown
The City Wedding
Simple lines, a modern silhouette, and a knock-out color, and pretty pleats make for the perfect sleek dress for a city wedding. The Renzo Dress
The Afternoon Wedding
The afternoon wedding can still be sunny, and one of those in-between times where it's not quite time for a fully formal dress, that's why we love elegant midi dresses like this one. The Polka Dot Lucy Dress
The Southern Wedding
Heading to a daytime wedding in a hot climate? We love the classic structured floral of the Pria Dress
Modern Colorful and Bright
Black tie doesn't have to mean a stuffy sort of formal. We hear "colorful black tie" is the new thing ins wedding dress codes. If you've received such a directive on the invite, try the elegant and modern Ari Gown
The Spring Garden Wedding
Garden weddings call for pastel florals, like the Zahra Floral Gown
The Vintage or Retro Wedding
Perfect for a retro theme wedding, or if you love wearing vintage styles! This pleated style harkens back to 70s style for us! The Solie Dress
The Hot Summer Wedding
This pretty floral dress in coral won't wilt in the summer heat. Red Floral Maxi
The Wedding Where You Don't Want to Wear a Dress
Not every wedding needs a dress; try a jumpsuit! This one is full of celebratory spirit! The Pamela Jumpsuit
The Cocktail Attire Wedding
Bright color and great shape makes this cocktail dress unforgettable, it's the Frieda Silk Dress
The Fall Wedding
Chic for a fall wedding, this Emerald Green Satin Gown is a gorgeous color and a favorite among renters!
The Spring Wedding
This one-shoulder floral number is perfect for early spring weddings. Priya Dress
The Winter Wedding
A fabulous golden sparkler that would be perfect to wear to a holiday wedding. Helena Gown
The Formal Wedding
The beautiful neckline and subtle flecks of color meet formal style, with a lovely split skirt for dancing. Watercolor Chiffon Gown
The Tropical Destination Wedding
A beautiful relaxed formal style for a tropical wedding, try the Mali Gown.
This is actually just the tip of the iceberg of offerings at Rent the Runway! We search there all the time, and still, each time we visit we see a new fantastic dress to rent that we haven't seen before!
Reading the reviews and looking at the pictures is an excellent way to get a better idea of how the dress looks on you, and if it will be appropriate for the event you're attending.
More Picks for Wedding Guest Dresses to Rent
Even with picking a dress for every dress code, we still found more! Here is a complete view of all of our favorite picks we found for this article. All are from Rent the Runway.
If these don't work for you, Rent the Runway makes it easy to find more dresses, just check out their list of dresses by occasion to find dresses by dress code, color, or time of day!
Tips for Renting a Dress
It can be tricky to reserve the exact style you want during the busy wedding season, so browse and reserve early! Reading the reviews and fit notes of each dress is key!
If you are stuck, try to find a reviewer with a similar body type, and see what they say about their experience with the dress.
The customer service team is also helpful for this! I have also used their membership program to rent dresses to try out well in advance so that I know they'll work when the event comes!
Reasons to Rent a Dress to Wear to a Special Event
We very rarely get the chance to re-wear a dress these days. It often seems by the time the next event comes up, the last dresses we have purchased are either out of season, often out of style, or are the exact dress the same group of people saw us in already.
Rent the Runway allows for a new dress at about a third of the price of buying a new dress, and designer styles, which would never be in my budget, are about the price I'd spend on an average dress from a department store.
If you want to wear a designer dress or need a high-quality, showstopping dress for a wedding - especially if it's a black tie event - Rent the Runway is one of the first places we look because you can wear an expensive dress for a fraction of the cost. We love being able to have access to the new styles by MacDuggal, Sachin and Babi, Sabina Mustayev, and other designers we probably wouldn't be able to afford for a wear-it-once dress. Best of all renting is a sustainable practice so we added Rent the Runway to our list of sustainable wedding guest dresses.
Best Designers To Rent for Wedding Guest Attire
Here are some of the designers Rent the Runway carries, that we always look to for stylish, and appropriate dresses to wear to weddings.
- Likely for pretty modern dresses in gorgeous colors and sleek styles.
- MacDuggal for modern floral and formal styles
- Badgley Mischka for formal gowns and sequin numbers
- Shoshanna for pretty and preppy looks
- Yumi Kim for beautiful floral dresses
If you're a bride-to-be , Rent the Runway is also a great option for all the dresses for the events leading up to the wedding or for the wedding itself!
More Attire Ideas
Do you have any other wedding dress codes that have you stumped? Leave us a note on Instagram and we'll try to decode your wedding dress code and find an outfit!
Also always check out our Summer Wedding Guest Dresses!
Originally published July 2018, and updated most recently in June 2023
