If You're Attending a Winter Wedding, These Are the Best Dresses to Wear

Traditionally considered the "off season" for weddings, winter was once an unconventional choice but is rapidly growing in popularity. With roaring fires, mood lighting, and wild floral displays, winter ceremonies have an intimate, romantic atmosphere, with couples often leaning toward a more formal dress code for guests.

You will need a tailored coat (leave the puffer at home) and might even want to consider wearing Heattech tights under floor-length gowns. However, the cold shouldn’t get in the way of glamour. Lean into indulgent fabrics and a rich color palette—think crimson velvet, molten satins, and structured taffeta. This season’s trending colors—burgundy and chocolate brown—are perfect for winter nuptials. Printed midi dresses might be a spring wedding uniform, but in winter, you can’t go wrong with navy blue polka dots or red rose prints.

When it comes to brands, Reformation has become an unofficial outfitter of weddings and has plenty of options that will earn you best dressed status. The Pernille silk maxi dress, which has beautiful bows on the shoulders, is a forever investment piece. At the contemporary price point, Self-Portrait, Aje, and Rixo have all turned wedding guest dressing into big business, while if you were hoping to spend less than $200, we recommend you turn to Mango, Massimo Dutti, and & Other Stories. Keep reading for our edit of the best dresses for winter weddings.

Best Sleeved Dresses

Whether the wedding is taking place in a drafty church or will have an outside element, a sleeved dress is a sensible option for winter weddings. We love Self-Portrait’s midi dress, which has a built-in bouclé jacket, and Reformation’s merlot-hued Elly dress.

Best Black-Tie Gowns

Whether it’s a New Year’s Eve wedding or a February celebration, winter weddings tend to be more formal affairs with black- or white-tie dress codes. Stick to a rich color palette with burgundy, red, navy, or emerald green.

Best Midi Dresses

Midi dresses will work for several wedding dress codes and are easier to dress down than floor-length gowns. There are lots of satin midis around this winter, including a silver cowl-neck dress by Massimo Dutti and a sage-green bias-cut midi by & Other Stories.

Best Printed Dresses

Floral prints aren’t just for spring—a moody or rich color palette can make prints feel seasonally appropriate. Bernadette’s snow-drop midi dress is ideal for winter nuptials, while Rixo’s polka dots are always a crowd pleaser.

Best Mini Party Dresses

Winter wedding dress codes can often involve more sequins, embellishment, and satin than summer weddings. Embrace the party mood with a playful mini—the chocolate brown Mango dress and Kika Vargas festive red strapless mini are our favorites.