Can you hear the bells? Wedding season is in the air! I’m 100% biased, but fall is my favorite time to get married. 😉 Any other September anniversaries in the house? We’ve got a wedding on the calendar this month, and already one on the calendar for October 2020, so I’m V STOKED about fall wedding guest dresses. It can be tricky because while everything LOOKS like fall, it doesn’t always FEEL like fall (yet) – and this year is proof of that for sure. I mean, it was 85 degrees in Philadelphia yesterday. EIGHTY FREAKING FIVE. And now it’s 60. So maybe I’ll wear a nice dress, or maybe I’ll wear a swimsuit. Anything goes, folks. Anything goes. 😉

In narrowing down options for fall wedding guest dresses, though, it’s a safe thing to bet on two things in particular:

1.) COLOR

Think darker, richer jewel tones. Hunter green seems like it’s THE color this season, but navy and burgundy are coming in close second. Other “in” options right now are mustards and rusts, plums, or even a fun fuschia as a pinker pop. Nix any pastels or too-light options (especially for wedding season – if it’s even anywhere on the same block as white, it’s a no go).

2.) PRINT

If you’re going floral, go fall floral – a smaller, tighter print that steers clear of any tropical vibes. Really with prints and weddings (or ANYTHING and weddings), the key is to never ever ever upstage the bride. So if your print at all yells…it’s too loud. 😉

3.) TEXTURE

A good lace is always classic, and while all-over sequins may scream a bit loud for a wedding (the bride gets the spotlight!), some sequin detailing can add a fun touch! Pleats or light ruching is hot this season, as are feathers.

4.) SLEEVES

While the weather can still be a bit unpredictable until maybe November, it’s a semi-safe bet to say that come mid-October, the temperatures are cooling down across the board (thankfully). A full sleeve or longer dress may be more winter wedding wear, but a 3/4-length sleeve or SOMETHING non-sleeveless can feel more fall.

I wanted to wear + share two options for you to see ON besides sharing a handful of fall wedding guest dresses below that I found and am swooning over online. So…

First up is . I lovelovelove Eliza J pieces for pretty much everything under the sun, from weddings to workwear. (I shared quite a few of their pieces in this post with a week’s worth of workwear looks for the office – SO GOOD). They’re always SO well made + high quality, so you can really get YEARS worth of wear out of each piece if you want/need. Plus, everything just has a classic, timeless feel to it. I did a little happy dance when I found since it was exactly what I had been looking for fall wedding guest dresses this season!

It obviously hits quite a few points from above – it’s green, it’s textured, and it’s got some sleeve action happening. I lovelovelove the little peplum ruffled hemline, too – it makes it feel FUN all over, and not at all matronly or too formal. I’ve got a hunch I’ll be wearing this one for the wedding one our books this month, so stay tuned…

(c/o) // Shoes (Amazon lookalikes for Valentino’s!)

A second favorite is also from Eliza J (no, they’re not paying me to say any of this – I just HIGHLY recommend their pieces anytime I’m asked, so it’s of course worth sharing with you!). is the same fall feel while being a totally different vibe + style, which I lovelovelove! It’s more of a smooth satin sheen with a V-neckline, and fun pleated sleeves. Again, we’ve got *some* degree of sleeve action happening, textured at that, along with a rich, deep color palette. I’m wearing it in one size bigger than I’d normally wear, FYI – it still fits for sure, but it runs TTS (so it’s a tad bit big on me, but nothing too noticeable!).

ALSO IT’S ON SALE!!!! Currently 40% off (say what!) AND also comes in fuschia, which I lovelovelove, too do you like better???

(c/o) // Shoes (oldies but goodies from Steve Madden) // (shade: “Make it Happen”)

I’ve already stumbled upon enough fall wedding guest dresses to last three seasons, so if anyone is getting married anytime soon and wants some party people to liven up the festivities, I’m your gal. 😉 Beyond the two above, here are a few other options at varying price points for whatever fall festivity is next up on your social schedule. They range from clutch TJMaxx finds (bless up) to dreamy Nordstrom dresses, so hopefully there’s a favorite for everyone in the mix. 🙂