Aside from one lovely micro-wedding last summer, it’s pretty surreal to think that I—who was basically a professional wedding guest from 2015 to 2019—have neither attended nor been invited to one in over a year. I’ll admit it was nice at times to not have to worry about finding dresses, booking flights, or nursing (as many) hangovers, but I really have missed the wedding circuit that once dominated my social life then basically came to a complete halt at the start of the pandemic. 

Now that things are beginning to finally open up and safe gatherings have become less of a dream and more of a reality, it’s no surprise that the invites from the couples who chose to postpone due to the pandemic as well as those who found themselves engaged thanks to quarantine have started to pour in. Naturally, I’ve had my eyes on quite a few dresses for quite a while. However, there’s one difference. While I used to almost exclusively shop with a black-tie dress code in mind, things these days seem to be trending a bit more casual, so prepare to see that reflected in today’s finds. Now that I’ve said my peace, simply keep scrolling to start shopping my picks.

I love how you can easily dress this brand’s dresses up or down.

New brand alert! You’re going to want to save this one.

I mean…

This draping is perfection.

Bridgerton but make it “garden chic.”

It’s styled perfectly, too.

It’s like I always say—buy now, figure out the underwear situation later.

Beach-wedding ready.

In case you’re curious which of these dresses I have actually purchased—so far.

This matching set can easily be dressed up with a small shoulder bag and heeled sandals. Shop the matching Lucca Skirt ($285).

Wait until you see the back.

Ruching always gets me.

Ready to look gorgeous in green?

It’s the print for me.

I’ll always be a sucker for mismatched straps.

I would. Shop the matching Peasant Skirt ($495).

Need.

I love how this will look amazing with any heel color.

I’m always a fan of tie details.

The ladies at Rodarte never get it wrong.

A cute cardigan would look lovely with this.

This dress never gets old.

A pop of neon takes the LBD to new heights.

This dress gets better in every new color.

Basically, I would take any excuse to wear any dress by Christopher Esber anywhere.

Another one you can easily dress up or down.

Daytime wedding, here you come.

It’s not a wedding-guest dress roundup without a little Self-Portrait.

This is how you make a knit number feel “fancy.”

Next: The Best Summer Dress Brands, According to Me.