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. A satin spaghetti strap dress with a chic cowl neck and a built-in shelf bra so looking good doesn't come at the cost of not being able to enjoy the buffet and move freely on the dance floor.
Promising review: "This is the perfect dress! I gave it 5 stars because I am impressed. I didn't think it was going to be this gorgeous for that price. Fits beautiful; it's stretchy so that makes it fit better and elegant. You can wear for weddings, parties, etc. I recommend it 100%. The only downside is that the material is satin and so, you need to be careful with your nails or ring or anything that can pull the material and ruin it. But if you are careful like me, you'll be perfectly fine." —YNunez
Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in sizes XS–XL and 38 styles).
2. A chiffon midi dress that'll bring a ~tier~ to your eyes the minute you shimmy into it.
Promising review: "So pretty! Very comfortable! The ruffles are noticeable but not over the top and annoying. Just a nice, cool, lightweight fabric that you can dress up or down. I got the black and you can’t see through it." —AmaznCustoMoM
Get it from Amazon for $35.98+ (available in sizes S–XL and in 26 styles).
3. A bodycon dress with a cutout waist and exposed back band if you're fully aware that this is technically not your wedding but still want to feel like the star of the show. This dress has big "main character energy" if you ask me.
Get 15% off sitewide with our exclusive code BUZZFEED.
Promising review: "I would say this dress is true to size and with the stretchy fabric, it sat exactly how I wanted it! So elegant and perfect for an upcoming wedding. You can even pull the dress up at the back if you wanted a smaller gap (more wedding appropriate). Very excited to wear!" —Amelia C.
Get it from Petal & Pup for $79.95 (available in sizes 0–12 and in three colors).
4. A high-low lace cocktail dress to show some ankle (scandalous!!) and help prevent any embarrassment that might arise from tripping on your dress hem in front of all the other wedding guests (something I would...not...not do).
Promising review: "I bought this dress for a wedding in Arizona. This dress is see through in the back. I love that! It looks so beautiful. I had a lot of compliments, even from the men at the party. I am very happy with my purchase." —Adriana J
Get it from Amazon for $36.89 (available in sizes S–XL and seven colors).
5. A bandage midi dress for all the other guests with hurt feelings because — damn! — you look so good in this lil' number.
Get it from Boohoo for $55 (available in sizes 12–20 and three colors).
6. A timeless off-the-shoulder evening gown with a thigh slit so absolutely stunning you'll probably get tired of saying, "OMG thank you!" every time someone compliments your dress.
Promising review: "This dress was amazing! I wore it to a formal wedding in Tennessee and no one would have ever guessed it was an Amazon dress." —Andrea Cruz
Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in sizes S–XXL and eight colors).
7. A sleeveless lace dress that'll truly surprise you in terms of how nice it looks for the price. Nobody's gonna know (it's from Amazon). How would they know?
FYI, this is included in Prime Wardrobe so you can give it a trial run if you're a member!
Promising review: "Perfect dress for a fancy atmosphere! I bought this dress to wear to a family wedding where I wanted to look cute — perhaps even 'good.' My dress received a lot of compliments and most importantly it was so comfortable! SOOOO comfortable!!! The dress is true to picture and true to size." —a_bennett
Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in sizes S–XL and 13 colors).
8. An off-the-shoulder maxi dress if you've been invited to a beach wedding and need something that'll make you look like an absolute goddess when it catches a breeze.
Promising review: "I ordered this dress to wear to my cousin’s wedding and let me tell you, I’m so glad I did. I received compliments on this dress all night long! People loved it and I felt amazing in it. If you’re looking for a special occasion dress, you can’t go wrong with this one." —Katelyn Hayden
Get it from Amazon for $46.99+ (available in sizes 4–26 straight, 14–26 plus, and 13 colors).
9. A one-shoulder gown with a sash to make every step feel as dramatic as your very Leo personality. Or, wrap the sash around your neck and it'll feel like a whole new dress.
Promising review: "This was for a wedding and I was a bridesmaid. Let's talk about fabulous!! It fit perfectly and looked amazing. It is something that I will bring on my next cruise!!! I felt so elegant and fabulous in this dress. The quality was great and the material is amazing. It looks exactly like the picture!!! Every single person looked amazing in this dress!" —D lovely
Get it from Amazon for $49.99+ (available in sizes 4–22 straight, 4–22 plus, and in six colors).
10. Or the version without a train so you have maximum movement range for the bouquet toss. Alternatively, the loose fit allows you to make a mad dash to the bathroom ("coincidentally" timed to match the bouquet toss) if you're tired of hearing, "So when are you and [partner] getting married?"
Promising review: "Beautiful, lightweight, true to size dress! I would suggest getting a slip for under it because if the light hits it just right, it’s a tad see-through. Excited to wear this dress at a summer wedding! The lightweight material will help with the heat." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $42.99+ (available in sizes 4–26 and eight colors).
11. A convertible dress if you're ready to be wowed by its seemingly infinite configurations. Seriously though! You can rearrange your dress every time you go to the bathroom so no two wedding guests will see the same version.
Promising review: "I bought this dress to wear as a wedding guest. I needed something nice but not too flashy or revealing (because I was going to be around conservative people) and thought this dress would be perfect because I can choose how to wear it at different points in the day. Lengthwise it's really long so some people may feel the need to hem or cut it, but I like my long dresses/skirts dragging on the floor so the length for me is perfect. I really like this dress and think I'll definitely be buying it in other colors. And as a plus, they have excellent customer service. Tina is really nice, helpful and prompt with her responses." —Tee Bow
Get it from Amazon for $49.89+ (available in one size and one size plus, and in 28 colors).
12. A drapey set because — shhh! — it's not really a dress. (Sorry, it was too beautiful to leave it out!) Enjoy the freedom of a pant with all the flow and looseness of a dress. And did I mention that color?? 😍
Hanifa is a Black woman-owned fashion brand started by Anifa Mvuemba.
Get it from Hanifa for $295 (available in sizes XS–2XL).
13. A backless halter neck dress to beat out the other five dress options you bought and that don't make you feel as cute as this one.
FYI, this is included in Prime Wardrobe so you can give it a trial run if you're a member!
Promising review: "I really didn't expect to love this dress, but I was so impressed with it that I ended up ordering it in two other colors and also in another style. It's the perfect dress to wear to a party, weddings, or the like. The shorter slip underneath the sheer polka dot overlay of the dress is the perfect length to add a sweet, feminine detail without being too short. Really happy and very impressed!" —Alyssa Algra
Get it from Amazon for $23.99 (available in sizes S–XXL and 29 colors).
14. A high-neck mermaid dress with a ruffled hem and leg slit so you can channel your inner 💃. I can already see the resemblance.
Promising review: "This dress I completely fell in love with. I was completely amazed at how well it fit; it is true to size I must say. I used it for a wedding where I was the godmother and everybody else paid 100 or more dollars for their dresses and they were amazed and would only compliment my dress." —A customer
Get it from Amazon for $52.99 (available in sizes S–XL and nine colors).
15. A sequin dress with a deep V-neck in the front and the back if your aesthetic is disco ball — but in a good way.
Promising review: "I wore this to my brother's wedding because the bride had requested guests stick to a certain color palette. I got the dress in rose gold, and it is really comfy and looks incredible! I would definitely buy this dress again. In fact, I love it so much I am considering using this dress for my own bridesmaids in my upcoming wedding. Also, another plus about this dress is that it is very light! Many sequin dresses can be heavy, but this dress was light and comfortable to wear. It was also really nicely made! I'm legit just looking for another excuse to wear this dress!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $21.69+ (available in sizes 2–22 and in 38 styles).
16. A form-fitting V-neck cocktail dress with a leg slit because it's Jessica Rabbit approved.
Promising review: "I got so many compliments on this dress. I wore it for a formal winter wedding and got so many compliments. Love the slit! It provides some sexiness without being over the top." —David Byars
Get it from Amazon for $49.99 (available in sizes S–XL and nine colors).
17. A strapless gown with a statement-making low cowl back to give 'em a show from the front *and* from behind.
18. A gradient one-shoulder gown for anyone who doesn't mind saying, "Hey! My eyes are up here."
Promising review: "I don’t know where to start. I bought this dress for a wedding. All I could say was WOW!!! I got so many compliments on this dress. My hubby complimented me alllll night about how I was the best looking women at the wedding (#blushing😊). The dress seriously exceeded my expectations like on the real. It looks much better in person. I previously bought another dress for the wedding but I didn’t really like it. So I bought this dress as a back up. And men I’m glad I did. The only small complaint I have about the dress is that it has a weird lining in the waist but it’s barely noticeable. Overall very happy. Planning on getting it in another color as well." —Lady LG
Get it from Amazon for $89.99 (available in sizes S–XXL and seven colors).
19. A long-sleeve midi dress with a thigh-high slit if your legs were also invited to the wedding.
Get it from Reformation for $248 (available in sizes 0–12; available in five colors).
20. A sparkly midi dress to reflect your ~sparkly~ personality — and earn you oodles of compliments.
Promising review: "This dress exceeded my expectations beyond belief! A friend of mine thought I ordered it from a boutique website she viewed it on for $300! The material is thick but has a fair stretch to it. The fit of the dress is very comfortable. The length is very elegant. I would wear this dress 1,000% again!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $73+ (available in sizes S–3XL and also in green).
21. A satin midi dress for folks who want a dress they can wear to a wedding, date night, birthday parties, and beyond.
Almost There is a LA-based fashion brand started by Celine Kabaker, who's worked as a buyer at companies like Juicy Couture, Forever21, and Victoria's Secret. With Almost There, Celine wanted to prioritize sustainable and ethical production as well as an inclusive size range. Through Almost There's partnership with One Tree Planted, a new tree is planted for every dress sold.
Get it from Almost There for $238 (available in sizes XS–4X and three colors).
22. A cutout gown so no one would even guess that you waited until the last minute to get a dress.
23. A maxi dress with a cute keyhole in the front that'll have you ready to get down on one knee and pledge to love and honor it for the rest of your life.
Promising review: "For all of my fellow plus-size women who are looking for an all purpose dress, look no further! Seriously! I debated ordering this dress for almost two weeks. Even with all of the good reviews, I was unsure about the actual size of the dress (seeing as how a 3X can be deceiving). I am a true plus-size individual. I ordered this dress in a 3X in black. I wore this dress out to dinner for my anniversary, and my boyfriend along with many others complimented me all night long. This dress is sexy, flirty, and sophisticated. You will not be disappointment in this purchase!" —Sametra
Get it from Amazon $34.99+ (available in sizes XL–3XL and five colors).
24. A V-neck wrap dress if you want a classic shape that you can 1,000% wear to tons of events after the wedding.
FYI, this is included in Prime Wardrobe so you can give it a trial run if you're a member!
Promising review: "Fits so well and is comfortable to wear all day — great for a dressed-up work day or wedding. I wore to a wedding and got lots of compliments. The chest area does come down a little bit so if you’re a more conservative person I’d suggest wearing a cami or bralette underneath. The length is great if you’re a taller girl. I’m 5'8" and it hit a couple inches above the knee." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $19.90+ (available in sizes S–XL and 24 colors).
25. An off-the-shoulder skater dress because you're saying "see you later (boi)" to dresses that you can't twirl in.
Promising review: "I spent hours online and combing through racks at stores trying to find a nice, simple dress to wear to a wedding. Finally, I stumbled upon this dress on Amazon and ordered it in black. Let me just say that it's just whatt I was looking for. The material is a cotton-spandex and has nice quality stitching. Also, unlike most off-the-shoulder dresses/shirts, the sleeves remain off the shoulder and I don't have to constantly pull them back down. So A+ for anyone looking for something inexpensive but chic." —Sam Ander
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in sizes XS–XXL and 11 colors).
26. A sequin mermaid gown to sign away your voice for. JK, you don't need to do that. But people might be speechless when you show up looking this good.
Promising review: "I purchased this dress for a wedding my husband and I attended. I received so many compliments on this dress. It is a very beautiful dress for any formal occasion. My only thing that I did not like was the sequin scratching me in armpit area. But I would definitely recommend this dress!" —GD
Get it from Amazon for $65.89 (available in sizes XS–XL and in four colors).
27. A pencil dress with beaded sleeves so you're ~pearl-fectly~ dressed for the occasion.
Promising review: "I love this dress. Just took it out of the package and tried it on. Fits perfectly. I hate that I gave it a 5-star rating only because now others may be wearing the same dress LOL." —buyer in Stafford
Get it from Amazon for $36.99+ (available in sizes Large Plus–5XL Plus and 13 colors and styles).
28. A lace maxi dress with a high collar and cap sleeves that'll save the day when that Tinder hookup turns into an actual relationship and they ask you at the last minute to go as their plus one.
Promising review: "I needed to find a dress for a wedding and saw this one and was very hesitant. I didn't know what to expect since I've never ordered clothes from Amazon before. When I received the dress it was beautiful and then I tried it on and I loved it. I loved the fact that the dress was very roomy at the bottom. Everyone who saw me in it said I looked amazing. I really love the dress so much, I ordered another one in a different style for another wedding in February. I would definitely recommend this dress to anyone looking for something affordable and pretty." —Lucy
Get it from Amazon for $49.99+ (available in sizes S–XXL and in nine colors).
You when the invite says "black tie attire":
