When it comes to wedding attire, not every bride dreams of a traditional ballgown. For some, the best casual wedding dresses offer a more relaxed and comfortable option without sacrificing style. As you embark on your journey of shopping for a wedding dress, it’s essential to consider all the available options, including casual styles.
“The modern bride is embracing individuality and personal style, and casual wedding dresses are the perfect way to showcase that.”
A recent study found that 35% of brides opted for a less formal wedding dress.
Choosing the right wedding dress can be a daunting task, but rest assured, this article will guide you through the process of finding the perfect casual wedding dress that suits your personal style and preferences. So, let’s explore the best casual wedding dresses and help you find the one that makes you feel both beautiful and comfortable on your big day.
The Best Casual Wedding Dress
Early in our search for the ideal casual wedding dress, we identified the MUXXN Women’s Retro 1950s Style Sleeveless Pencil Dress as the obvious choice for our top pick. It will suit any kind of wedding, but will be ideal for a casual wedding with a cocktail vibe – it’s a little vintage and a little business, but all you.
In This Article
The 5 Top-Rated Casual Wedding Dresses
| Editor's Picks | Brand | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | MUXXN Women's Retro 1950s Style Sleeveless Slim Business Pencil Dress | 4.2 |
| Runner Up | GRECERELLE Women's Sleeveless Casual Long Dress with Pockets | 4.3 |
| Best Budget Buy | OFEEFAN Women's Cold Shoulder Swing Dress with Pockets | 4.3 |
| Best Casual Sleeveless Wedding Dress | STYLEWORD Women's Off Shoulder Elegant Maxi Long Dress | 4.4 |
| Best Casual Short Wedding Dress | Sidefeel Women Off Shoulder Mini Dress | 4.3 |
*Ratings are from Amazon at the time of publication and can change
Our Top Pick: MUXXN Women’s Retro 1950s Style Sleeveless Pencil Dress
The MUXXN Women’s Retro 1950s Style Sleeveless Pencil Dress is the perfect dress for the woman who’s all business, no frills. The dress is sophisticated, but at most it’s a business attire, and that’s definitely not considered a formal gown. It’s short, which also lends to the casual mood and the asymmetrical neckline will be anything but traditional wedding. The length goes just past your knees and the neckline is modest, so you won’t need to worry about whether or not it’s appropriate in propriety.
The way the material of this dress hugs your curves will sing your body’s praises, but it won’t reveal any of the flaws with which you may be concerned. In fact, even though the rayon, cotton, and spandex blend of fabric will give your body plenty of flattery, the pleated detail across the center will hide any of your stomach insecurities, too. (And, should you still be a bit insecure, a good pair of Spanx never hurt anyone.)
There are a large number of customer reviews on this dress on Amazon – well over 3,000; and with an overall rating of 4.4 stars, there’s plenty enough to convince you that this is a dress with which you’ll be pleased. If you have a desire to shirk the formality, but still want all eyes on you, this form fitting dress will get the job done.
MUXXN Women’s Retro 1950s Style Sleeveless Pencil Dress Key Features:
- 6 sizes available
- Discreet hidden zipper closure
- 18 color options
Our Runner Up Pick: GRECERELLE Women’s Sleeveless Casual Long Dress
The GRECERELLE Women’s Sleeveless Casual Long Dress is a simple dress that won’t attract any attention in any scenario besides your wedding day. If you want a dress that you can wear again and again, then this is your dress. It’s a long dress with a sort of bohemian vibe that will flow beautifully and the sleeveless, racerback design makes it a dress you can wear for your beach wedding or whatever excuse you want for a casual white dress.
It has pockets. This is not a drill, brides; it has real, functional pockets. You can walk comfortably and hide your shoes (making it easy to choose shoes that are just as comfortable as the dress). And considering how comfortable this dress is, that’s really saying something. The rayon and spandex blend with a high-waist, empire line means this dress will complement your bust while flowing lightly over the rest of your body. And we’d be missing an opportunity if we didn’t mention that this will work to hide a pregnancy in the first few months, or to show off that bump in the later months.
Sitting with right around 3,500 customer reviews and earning an overall rating of 4.3 stars on Amazon, you can take comfort that you’re statistically likely to be one of the 81% of pleased customers who’ve purchased this dress.
GRECERELLE Women’s Sleeveless Casual Long Dress Key Features:
- 6 sizes available
- Made with a rayon and spandex blend
- 33 color and pattern choices
Best Budget Pick: OFEEFAN Women’s Cold Shoulder Swing Dress
The OFEEFAN Women’s Cold Shoulder Swing Dress is one that will have you laid back and chill on your big day – because you have enough to worry about; you shouldn’t have to worry about how well you can breath in a corset or how to go to the bathroom with a hoop skirt. The appeal in this dress’s appearance is its simplicity. The swing style will fall flatteringly on your chest and slope down, teasing your shape without any complicated details.
Here’s another dress with pockets, pockets, pockets. It’s not fair to yourself if you pick a casual wedding dress that is all about comfort – and rob yourself the ultimate comfort of having your possessions within your grasp at all times. You can keep something borrowed, blue, old, or new in these pockets and you can wear it again and again without needing to grab a purse. And if you plan on only wearing this dress for the wedding reception, there will be more than enough reason to merit the pockets!
There are nearly 1,500 customer reviews for this dress on Amazon and they’ve given it a more than respectable 4.3 stars. That’s certainly enough to tempt you if you’re in the market for a casual dress. The real deal clencher has to be, without a doubt, the cost. You can pick this wedding dress up for right around $20! If your casual wedding has a budget, that makes this a deal too good to overlook!
OFEEFAN Women’s Cold Shoulder Swing Dress Key Features:
- 5 sizes available
- 95% Rayon 5% Spandex
- 43 color and pattern choices
Best Casual Sleeveless Wedding Dress: STYLEWORD Women’s Off Shoulder Elegant Maxi Long Dress
Because the name of this dress, STYLEWORD Women’s Off Shoulder Elegant Maxi Long Dress, specifically says off-shoulder, you’ll be surprised to find the dress is actually more of a halter style, tying in the back to close the top. But that means no assistance will be needed lacing it and there are no zippers to get stuck; you can put this dress on all by yourself. And if you’re having a wedding without a bridal party, this could be a big selling point for you.
This dress is casual in its design and in its simplicity. There are no details you need to stress on this dress. If you have interest in adding a bit more of a fancy vibe, though, you can accent this dress so easily. You can add a sash the color of your wedding or you can add rhinestone or lace appliques. If you’re big on jewelry, this dress is perfect for a large decorative bib style necklace or a crystal belt. You could even add a beaded sash and add a plethora of bling; bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings, and more. This dress can be a blank canvas to express yourself.
There are just under 500 customer reviews on Amazon, awarding this dress an overall rating of 4.4 stars. If that’s not enough to convince you, take a look at the customer reviews and the photos – there are beautiful wedding pictures that customers have shared in this dress.
STYLEWORD Women’s Off Shoulder Elegant Maxi Long Dress Key Features:
- 4 size options
- 14 colors and patterns available
- High quality, thick fabric with empire waist, maxi dress
Best Casual Short Wedding Dress: Sidefeel Women Off Shoulder Mini Dress
The Sidefeel Women Off Shoulder Mini Dress offers a casual feel and a subtle sexy vibe with its tight skirt that comes mid thigh and off shoulder top that folds over and covers your chest and torso. That means you’ll cover everything important with this dress, but show off your legs, shoulders and neck. So if those features are what you love, or what your future spouse loves, this is a dress you’ll want to take into consideration.
The bodycon style will hug your curves and stretch over your body in a form fitting way. However, even those of us with a few extra curves need not worry: the off shoulder ruffles will fall over your waist to cover whatever you feel insecure about. And if you don’t have any insecurities (Good on you, bride!), this dress will at least cover your “food baby belly” after devouring the buffet at the reception.
There are right around 2,500 customer reviews on Amazon for this dress and that’s plenty to lend confidence in the accuracy of the 4.3 star overall rating. And, if you like it in white, the dress is just as comfortable and attractive in other colors, as well. Get one in white for your wedding day and one in black for the honeymoon!
Sidefeel Women Off Shoulder Mini Dress Key Features:
- 9 colors available
- 95%Polyester and 5% Spandex
- 7 size options
Who Should Buy a Casual Wedding Dress
Some types of wedding ceremonies are better suited for casual wedding dresses. Really, anything outside of a traditional church venue will justify the use of a casual attire. If you plan on getting married in an outdoor venue, you may still want a formal gown, but you can certainly get away with a casual dress without much shock. If you plan on getting married on the beach, or in a rural environment (think rustic barn or woods landscape), it may even seem out of place to wear a formal gown. And certainly if you plan on marrying in a less formal ceremony conducted by a Justice of the Peace or a a fast ceremony performed by a family friend, you’d want to consider a casual dress, as that’s more the status quo.
However, even if you do have a traditional church wedding, you may still want a casual dress. If you can wear it to church on Sunday (and most churches allow pretty casual attire – even jeans in some cases), then you can wear it to your wedding. You’ll have to discuss it with the religious leader or the church’s administrative office to make sure there are no strict rules on the dress, though. Some will require a long dress, or a dress with sleeves, etc, but for the most part, they probably will let you pick your dress pretty freely.
Of course, there’s one other reason that pretty much anyone could want a casual wedding dress: for the reception. Even if you spend the hours leading up to “I do” in your big, puffy wedding dress, that doesn’t mean you have to spend the whole day in it. Walking down that aisle in your formal dress may be just how you pictured your big day; but you may want to enjoy your reception without being restrained by that formal gown. This is especially appealing if you have an uncomfortable (but gorgeous) dress or if you want a bit more independence. For example, if you want to use the restroom without a team of assistance, a switch out may be the ticket.
Important Features to Consider
A casual wedding dress should have a few important features. Here’s what to consider when selecting a casual wedding dress:
- Off-white. When you see “off-white” we mean everything other than white. If you have a casual vibe for your wedding, then another way to emphasize that casualness is by bucking the traditional white. You can incorporate a bit more of yours and your future husband’s personalities this way, too and that’s a big win for the focus to be about your marriage and not how bright white your dress is. This means, though, the color is all up to you. The sky is the limit on your day, after all.
- Beach bohemian. Choosing a “beach” style dress doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be getting married on the beach. In fact, you may be getting married just about anywhere and still show up in a “beach” style dress. Beach style has taken to mean a flowing dress with a bit of bohemian undertones. (Or sometimes overtures, it’s up to you with how la vie boheme you get.) If there are sleeves, they’re probably wide and the fabric is often a chiffon that will make you appear to float when you walk. It will catch wind wonderfully, showcasing the style and as such, works wonderfully for outdoor weddings.
- Accessorize. Even with a casual wedding, you may want to have some accessories, but you’ll want to steer clear of too many. And while you’re keeping the dress and your appearance relatively simple, remember to adopt that same mantra with your hair. You can have a more “casual” veil, but that’ will probably mean a short veil without a tiara. Shoes, particularly in a short wedding dress, will help you establish the dress code, as well. If you really want casual, then go mega-comfortable in flip flops or sneakers.
- The not-a-wedding-dress wedding dress. If “casual” is the name of the game, then you may get a lot more of what you’d actually like if you just nixed searching for a “wedding” dress altogether. Don’t limit your choices; you may not like what you’re stuck with if you need the dress to be labeled a “wedding” dress. There are so few of us that choose a casual wedding that most dress manufacturers won’t create dresses they label strictly “wedding.” Because the market isn’t as vast as they may like, a lot of manufacturers will avoid the wedding label so that the dress won’t be eliminated from less formal affairs, as well. For example, if your graduation gown is white, you’ll need a white dress beneath – the dress you choose for your wedding dress may also fit that scenario well, too, and dress sellers won’t want to prevent their dress from coming up by labeling it a “wedding dress.” The right dress for the wedding you have planned may not be a “wedding” dress and if you want a casual dress you should be sure to open up your search criteria.
- Pockets! This one merits all capital letters and an exclamation point. If your dress isn’t a stuffy formal dress, then all kinds of possibilities open up for you. Our absolute favorite is the potential for pockets. In a formal gown, you may have a discreet pocket sewn somewhere unreachable in polite company to keep something small, but for a casual dress, you can carry your something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue with you the whole day, never needing to sneak it in a shoe or tie it to your corset. It seems a bit odd, after all, that tradition dictates you carry these things with you and then evolves the traditional dress without any means to actually carry them, doesn’t it?
- Winter wear. When you are picking a casual dress, you can account for some additional mitigating circumstances on your big day. For example, you can’t often find a warm wedding dress that’s also formal and if you plan on a nice winter wedding, that’s inconvenient to say the least. Whether it’s indoor or outdoor, a winter wedding dress will be a big help in keeping you comfortable on your special day. (You’ll have to get from the church to the reception, after all.) And while you may need to take precautions so your nerves don’t make you sweat through the casual sleeves, having a bit more coverage on those blistery days and frigid winter nights may make that worth it!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different types of casual wedding dresses?
Is there a limit to what type of dress is appropriate for your wedding? Not as a rule, that decision is entirely up to you and your standards. It can be short or long, stretchy or linen. You can have patterns or solid colors, opt for modern or vintage. Business casual still counts as casual, so you can even wear a nice pencil skirt white wedding dress if that’s your style. In fact, it may be easier to talk about what isn’t a casual wedding dress. If it has a tulle under skirt that makes it difficult to walk up stairs, it’s probably formal. Too many embellishments will also make it formal so go easy on the bead work, rhinestones, or sequins if you want to keep it casual. Lace can make it appear formal but if it’s done properly, the addition of lace to a casual dress doesn’t necessarily make it formal. You can have long sleeves or strapless – neither of those will exclusively determine formal or casual; but both can contribute. Long sleeves, or traditional short sleeves may be a bit more casual, by and large.
Can you wear a casual wedding dress for a winter wedding?
You can wear whatever you want on your wedding day, it’s your day. If you’re looking for a winter dress, it may be easier to find a casual winter dress than it is a formal one. Most formal gowns have cap sleeves, or no sleeves and those aren’t especially warm. Even when formal dresses do have sleeves, they’re usually sheer or light weight so they still won’t be offering you too much in the way of protection from the cold. You may be spending the bulk of your time inside for your wedding, but you have to get from the dressing room to the church, and then to the reception hall, or even just getting to the car to get home. You’ll find yourself outside plenty – which will be entirely unpleasant if you’re in a cold wedding dress. A casual dress can use the thicker, less formal fabrics to keep you warm, like cotton. And due to the casual dress of the day, you’re going to have an easier time finding a jacket or coat to match when you’re going in between buildings.
Are casual wedding dresses less expensive than formal wedding dresses?
Generally, yes, casual wedding dresses are much less expensive than formal ones. There are three pieces of that reasoning. First, casual dresses require less work. Fewer man hours and fewer details means the manufacturer doesn’t need to charge as much to recuperate their investment in the materials and working hours. The second reason is a simple supply and demand issue; fewer people get married with casual dresses, and as such they don’t have the demand to allow them to charge the more expensive prices.
The final reason casual wedding dresses cost less is because most of the time you won’t be able to find a casual “wedding” dress. For a casual wedding dress you’ll probably end up with a dress that doesn’t have that “wedding” label at all and if you’re just buying a normal dress that happens to be white, you’re going to pay normal dress prices.
Can a long wedding dress be casual?
A casual wedding dress can absolutely be long! If you can wear the style in a color other than white and keep it casual, clearly wearing it in white doesn’t add formality. The same claim can be made with dress length. You can wear a formal short dress, a casual long dress is just as possible. When you’re looking for a standard, it may help to think of this: If you can wear the dress with flip flops, then it probably counts as casual. And the beauty of the long dress, you actually can wear flip flops and get away it without anyone really noticing them. It may not be as easy to sneak them as it is in a big, puffy formal gown, but you absolutely can do it if you want. (You may want to make sure you get that pedicure beforehand, thouth, just in case.)
Other Casual Wedding Dresses We Reviewed
We looked at 20 other casual wedding dresses. Even though they didn’t make our 5 best casual wedding dresses list, they’re the best of the rest and each is still a great option for your wedding. The information you’ll need to compare each one is included with the listing.
Long Casual Wedding Dresses
ANTS Women’s Beach Bridal Wedding Dress
This maxi dress is wonderful for a beach wedding or one that takes you down the aisle in the woods.
Key Features:
- Made with chiffon
- White or Ivory
- Sizes 2-26 available
Cost: $130
KOH KOH Womens Sleeve Vintage V-Neck Gown
If you know you’re going to be married on a cold winter’s day, it’s worth considering a long sleeved dress like this one.
Key Features:
- 9 color choices
- Jersey fabric (5% spandex)
- 7 sizes available
Cost: $50
Ellenhouse Women’s Lace Beach Bohemian Bridal Gowns
This dress is boho chic and will be a classic for any casual wedding.
Key Features:
- Sizes 2-26 available
- White or ivory
- Made with high quality lace
Cost: $120
Irenwedding Women’s Beach Wedding Dress
With a deep-V neck and a flowing chiffon construction, this dress is made for the casual beach wedding.
Key Features:
- Lace and button closures
- Custom sizing available
- Dry clean is recommended
Cost: $140
LastBridal Women’s Mermaid Wedding Dresses Bridal Gowns
This casual wedding dress is perfect for the bride who loves a crown of flowers in her hair.
Key Features:
- Made with lace and tulle
- White or ivory
- Sizes 2-26 available
Cost: $80
LILBETTER Women’s Beach Backless Bohemian Long Dress
The see-through crochet and halter top means you won’t be wearing this wedding dress to any formal affair, but for your casual wedding, it may just be perfect.
Key Features:
- 5 color choices
- 5 sizes available
- Cotton top; polyester lined
Cost: $30
LILBETTER Womens Off The Shoulder Ruffle Beach Maxi Dress
This dress has pockets and is machine washable (on a gentle cycle) – making it a favorite for casual weddings.
Key Features:
- 5 sizes available
- 95% Rayon,5% Spandex
- 10 color and pattern choices
Cost: $25
SVALIY Women Floral Off The Shoulder Beach Dress
If you’re already shedding the traditional wedding dress, why not incorporate some patterns into your boho beach wedding?
Key Features:
- Made with chiffon and polyester lining
- 5 sizes available
- 3 color choices
Cost: $25
Unbranded Women’s Sheer Chiffon Folds Hi Low Loose Dress Delicate Gold Belt
If you want to look more like a goddess and less like a marshmallow on your big day this could be your ideal dress!
Key Features:
- 4 sizes available
- Includes gold belt
- 95% Polyester, 5% Spandex
Short Casual Wedding Dresses
BELONGSCI Women’s Shift Mini Dress
This dress is a perfect opportunity to accessorize and chose your level of casual – add a lot and make it a dressy casual or add some low sneakers and wear it to the movies after!
Key Features:
- 97% Polyester 3% Spandex
- 15 colors available
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
Cost: $30
KILIG Women’s Casual Sundress with Pockets
This simple sundress is what you make of it; and it has pockets!
Key Features:
- 4 sizes available
- Pull tie, halter style closure
- 16 color and pattern choices
Cost: $25
KILIG Women’s V Neck Sleeveless Summer Casual Elegant Midi Dress
The ruched design of this dress’s waist will complement your hour glass figure beautifully.
Key Features:
- 95% cotton and 5% spandex
- 5 sizes available
- 25 color and pattern choices
Cost: $15
FANCYINN Women Spaghetti Strap Casual Dress
This dress has spaghetti straps, a low cut back and a discreet zipper closure.
Key Features:
- 4 sizes available
- Made with polyester
- 15 color and pattern choices
Cost: $25
MAKEMECHIC Women’s Casual Summer Chiffon Tunic Dress
Proving that not all boho dresses are long, this flowered sleeve dress is a wonderful addition to your casual Spring wedding.
Key Features:
- 5 sizes available
- 11 color options
- 65% Cotton and 35% Polyester
Cost: $30
MIHOLL Women’s Off Shoulder Lace Shift Loose Mini Dress
This lace, off shoulder dress is a classic shift that is positively all casual.
Key Features:
- 5 sizes available
- 3/4 sleeves
- 6 color choices
Cost: $25
Sarin Mathews Womens Off The Shoulder Short Sleeve High Low Dress
This wedding dress will give you a chance to experience a bit of a train while still showing off those legs.
Key Features:
- 5 sizes available
- 60% Cotton, 36% Polyamide, 4% Spandex
- 9 color options
Cost: $25
VEIISAR Womens Fashion Sleeveless Lace Fit Flare Dress
This dress has a discreet zipper closure and is covered with a delicate lace.
Key Features:
- 6 sizes available
- 100% polyester
- 7 color choices
Casual Vintage Wedding Dresses
GownTown Womens 1950s Vintage Swing Stretchy Dress
This dress has an overlapping bodice with pleating and a swing style that will look quite impressive while dancing.
Key Features:
- 6 sizes available
- 37 color options
- 92% Polyester with 8% Spandex
Cost: $35
MUXXN Women’s 1950s Retro Vintage Cap Sleeve Party Swing Dress
This dress may be retro, but even with the flared skirt, it’s still a casual feel in it’s simplicity.
Key Features:
- 5 sizes available
- 95% Cotton and 5% Spandex
- 12 color choices
Cost: $40
OUGES Womens 1950s Scalloped Neck Vintage Dress
This dress includes a scalloped neckline that will be modest and vintage while the hidden zipper closure will keep them guessing how you pulled this flattering dress on.
Key Features:
- 63% Rayon, 34% Cotton, 3% Spandex
- 4 colors available
- 5 size options
Cost: $40
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a wedding dress “casual”?
A casual wedding dress is typically less formal and more relaxed than a traditional wedding dress. It may feature simpler designs, lighter fabrics, and fewer embellishments. Casual wedding dresses are often more comfortable and easier to move in than traditional wedding dresses.
What styles of wedding dress are best for a casual wedding?
There are many styles of wedding dress that can work well for a casual wedding, depending on your personal style and the theme of your wedding. Some popular options include A-line, sheath, and tea-length dresses. Dresses with lace or chiffon fabric can also give a casual, romantic feel.
Can I wear a non-white dress for a casual wedding?
Absolutely! While white is the traditional color for wedding dresses, more and more brides are opting for non-traditional colors like blush, champagne, and even black for their casual wedding dress. Ultimately, the most important thing is that you feel comfortable and confident in your dress.
Where can I find the best casual wedding dresses?
There are many bridal boutiques and online retailers that offer casual wedding dresses. Some popular options include BHLDN, David’s Bridal, and Azazie. You may also want to check out department stores and online retailers like Nordstrom and ASOS for more affordable options. Additionally, explore beach wedding dresses, modest wedding dresses, and simple wedding dresses for casual options.
How do I choose the right casual wedding dress for me?
When choosing a casual wedding dress, it’s important to consider your personal style, the theme of your wedding, and your body type. You may also want to think about the season and location of your wedding, as certain fabrics and styles may be more comfortable in different weather conditions. Explore different styles, such as mermaid, short, and lace dresses, to find the perfect fit. Ultimately, the most important thing is that you feel comfortable and confident in your dress.
