LaPointe Wedding Guest Dresses for Every Dress Code

A good wedding guest dress has to do four things at once: respect the dress code, keep clear of the bride, survive a long day, and look like you. LaPointe covers more of that than most labels, because the house makes everything from a jersey day gown to a full sequin column in the same clean shapes. This guide sorts the current LaPointe range by the kind of wedding you have been invited to.

What should a wedding guest wear?

Start with the invitation. Black tie means a floor length gown. Formal and black tie optional mean a gown, an elegant midi, a dressy jumpsuit. Cocktail means knee length to midi. Daytime and garden weddings ask for lighter fabrics and softer colours. Then check the season and the venue: a winter wedding in a city hotel and a summer wedding in a field need very different clothes, even when the invitation says the same thing.

Two rules never change. Do not wear white, ivory and cream, and do not try to upstage the bride. LaPointe has plenty of pale pieces, so be careful with Cream, Ecru and Cloud. Cloud is a pale blue and is generally fine; the creams are not.

For a black tie wedding

A floor length gown in a deep colour. The Satin Halter Gown in Chocolate is a long bias satin halter that looks formal without needing embellishment; Chocolate is a rare wedding colour, so you will not match anyone. The Satin Tab Gown in Berry is cut fuller with a tab detail at the neck, in a warm red berry that suits an autumn and winter wedding.

For more shine, the Mesh Sequin Sleeveless Gown With Sash in Black is a sequin column with a sash at the waist. Check that black is welcome first; many couples now say it is. Our black tie wedding guest guide has the full etiquette.

For a formal evening wedding

A gown is still right, but you can soften it. The Jersey Halter Ruched Gown in Dark Brown is a stretch jersey gown ruched through the body; it packs without creasing, which matters for a destination wedding. The Printed Mesh Halter Ruched Gown in Leopard is the same idea in a printed mesh, for a guest who wants pattern.

Feathered gowns are the house signature. The Satin Halter Gown With Feathers in Marine has a feather trim at the slit that moves as you walk and catches light in the first dance photographs.

For a cocktail wedding

A midi in satin is the easiest answer. The Satin Draped Neck Bias Dress With Feathers in Mulberry has a cowl neck and a bias cut that skims rather than clings. The plain Satin Draped Neck Bias Dress in Dark Olive is quieter, and dark olive is one of the most flattering colours for a guest. For a shorter length, the Satin Shift Dress With Feathers in Marine is the house signature shift with feathered cuffs.

The LaPointe cocktail dress guide covers this length in more depth.

For a daytime wedding

Lighter colour, less shine. The Lightweight Satin Belted Dress in Cloud is a pale blue satin with a belt; it reads as daytime and photographs softly. The Printed Mesh Draped Midi Dress in Marble is a printed mesh midi that suits a garden ceremony. A satin cape top with a wide trouser, such as the Satin Cape Tee in Sand with the matching draped satin trouser, is a strong alternative to a dress.

For a winter wedding

Choose weight and colour. Satin with feathers, sequin and jersey all hold warmth better than chiffon. Add a coat that can be worn over a gown: the Satin Double Breasted Coat With Fur in Black is long enough to cover a floor length dress. Read our guide to winter wedding guest dresses for the season’s wider edit.

What sizes does LaPointe come in?

LaPointe sizes from US 00 on dresses and gowns, and from XS on tops. The bias satin pieces have ease; the jersey gowns stretch and sit close. Luxury Handbags shows the UK size on every product, and the LaPointe sizing guide has the conversion. Most gowns are cut long for a heel, so plan a hem.

Frequently asked questions

Is LaPointe good for wedding guest dresses?

Yes. LaPointe makes floor length satin and jersey gowns for black tie and formal weddings, satin midi dresses for cocktail weddings and lighter printed and satin pieces for daytime ceremonies, in deep colours that keep clear of the bridal party.

What should I wear to a black tie wedding?

A floor length gown in a deep colour. LaPointe satin halter and tab gowns in Chocolate, Berry and Marine suit black tie. Check with the couple before wearing black, and never wear white, ivory and cream.

Can I wear a LaPointe cream dress to a wedding?

Not as a guest unless the couple has asked for it. Cream, Ecru and Ivory read as bridal. Cloud is a pale blue in the LaPointe palette and is generally acceptable for a daytime wedding.

What is a good LaPointe dress for a cocktail wedding?

The Satin Draped Neck Bias Dress, with and without feathers, is a satin midi with a cowl neck that suits cocktail dress codes. The Satin Shift Dress With Feathers is a shorter option.

What should I wear to a winter wedding?

Choose heavier fabrics such as satin, sequin and jersey in deep colours, and add a long coat that can be worn over a gown. A satin coat with a fur collar covers a floor length dress for the journey between venues.

Do LaPointe gowns need to be hemmed?

Most LaPointe gowns are cut long to be worn with a heel, so many guests have them hemmed to their chosen shoe. Allow time for a tailor before the wedding.

Read next

• What to wear to a black tie wedding
• LaPointe mother of the bride dresses
• LaPointe cocktail dresses
• LaPointe evening gowns

Written by Gemma Deeks, Fashion Editor at Luxury Shoes .