Best maternity wedding guest dresses that you can wear post-pregnancy too

If you’re expecting and already have a calendar full of wedding invites from now until September, shopping to fit a growing bump can be a challenge.

But rather than staying confined to the maternity sections, try searching further afield: there are many non-maternity styles that will suit a formal dress code, avoiding you having to splash out on a dress designed only to fit a pregnant figure that will have little use once you’ve had your baby.

Investing in a dress that will see you through changing body shapes will spare your bank balance and wardrobe space, without having to compromise on style or comfort. Not to mention, it’s a step in the right direction towards reducing your fast fashion consumption; as the saying goes, quality over quantity.

We’ve handpicked and reviewed the floaty, fitted and fashionable pieces that are not only occasion appropriate, but you’ll be able to wear long after the festivities have finished.

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Zara pleated patchwork dress

If vibrant prints don’t interest you, colour-blocking is an easy way to still wear a mixed palette. A great throw-on-and-go outfit, we love this for its simplicity, which gives the illusion of a shirt worn over a pleated skirt; just a handbag and barely-there heel will tie it together. The viscose material it’s made of is very thin, so you will need a jacket for when the sunsets and the fireworks start.

This suits the early days of pregnancy, when you may be trying to conceal an unannounced bump thanks to its oversized shape, but equally will look just as good in the third trimester as it has a straight up and down fit that offers a lot of give. Wear throughout your post-pregnancy period too and dress it down with a pair of white trainers and a denim jacket for walks with the buggy.

Buy now £89.99, Zara

Arket satin balloon sleeve dress

A satin offering without the cheap shine, this A-line dress is suited to someone who wants a little more coverage. The rounded V-shaped neckline lends itself well to a bigger bust, and we found when paired with a belt worn around the waist, the material didn’t crease or look messily out of place.

The balloon sleeves leave your wrists free to accessorise with gold jewellery and when winter comes back around, you can hang up your fascinator and team with a pair of knee-high boots to still keep a formal finish. It’s a refreshing take on the much-overdone satin slip dress.

Buy now £45, Arket

Needle and Thread ruby bloom long sleeve dress

While florals for spring aren’t groundbreaking, this floaty design fits the bill if you’re in the market for a shorter style. We found the chiffon fabric extremely lightweight, making it ideal for weddings in the summer months, but it does have a cream inner lining, so you don’t need to worry about revealing more than you mean to.

The sleeves are voluminous, contrasted with a ruffled cuff, which prevents this looking overwhelmingly baggy, especially on a petite frame, and the relaxed fit of the dress means it will skim over a growing bump with ease. The tie waist can also be removed or loosened as your waistline changes.

Buy now £325, Needle & Thread

Asos cotton poplin trapeze mini dress

The relaxed tie-wrap waistline combined with a tiered A-line skirt makes this mini dress fun and playful to wear, especially with an ever-changing bump, but is also easy and functional to wear post-pregnancy. We love the forest green colour that will complement all skin tones, plus this will pair well with an embellished flat shoe if you’re looking to give swollen ankles a rest from heels without looking too casual.

It provides full coverage with a two tie bow concealed on the inner panelling, but if you have a bigger bust, we’d suggest wearing a crop top or vest underneath so you won’t have to worry about showing too much cleavage. One thing we would be wary of is, given the darker colour, we found sweat patches are more visible, so perhaps steer clear of this one if you’re heading to a sunny destination wedding.

Buy now £30, Asos

Cos square patch dress

We found that this suits a taller frame, and as Cos tends to design with leaner body shapes in mind, we’d recommend going a size up from your usual if you want a little more give around an expanding belly.

It is lightweight, but still structured, thanks to its cotton and polyester layers that stop it looking like an outdated smock style, often the default maternity style dresses out there. We’ll be wearing this with a pair of navy pointed-toe leather mules and a longline blazer for the ceremony.

Buy now £135, Cos

Mango leopard print midi dress

Leopard print is timeless and always comes round again as a fashion trend so this will last you multiple weddings (and pregnancies). This midi-length dress is form-fitting, and the ribbed panelling on the top half stretched easily over a bump, in contrast to a floaty skirt – the same goes for the billowing sleeves with elastic cuffs.

Our only gripe with this style is the lack of lining under the entire dress which we could foresee making you feel a bit exposed, especially if there are lots of pictures taken with flash. Bright pink lipstick and nude strappy heels would tie this outfit together nicely.

Buy now £69.99, Mango

Kitri Aurora red polka dot maxi dress

The empire waistline, wrap-around style, and flattering length of this dress make it an all-round crowd-pleaser. It gives the illusion of an hourglass waist, but the waistline that clinches in just underneath your bust makes room for a growing bump, with an adjustable tie at the back to accommodate too.

This is best suited to your first trimester and post-pregnancy, as we found the 100 per cent polyester fabric doesn’t have room for much stretching around a more developed bump. The button loopholes, however, will make breastfeeding much easier, as you won’t need to remove the dress in order to do so, just pop a couple of buttons undone.

Buy now £165, Kitri

Marysia ruffle long-sleeve midi dress

While a swimwear label might not strike you as the first port of call for a wedding guest outfit, don’t discount Marysia, as we discovered on our hunt for the best dresses money can buy. Made from 100 per cent cotton, this dress is nicely structured with a full lining and ruffled design, it will also keep you cool in hotter temperatures.

However, due to the fabric, there’s little give so we’d recommend this for the first trimester when your bump isn’t as prominent. It’s more suited to a smaller bust too. This is certainly an investment piece though, coming in at the priciest offering on our list.

Buy now £553, Farfetch

Toast cotton linen wrap front dress

Linen is a tried and tested fabric that we know excels in hotter climates, so when those summer weddings roll around, whether in the UK or abroad, this navy style ticks all our boxes. Leave the colour to the accessories, we’d suggest a coral clutch and gold drop earrings.

A wrap-style suits a bigger bust and it can be adjusted as your body changes shape, while the A-line style skirt adds a bit of drama to a muted colour. It’s also available in a tobacco green if you’re after a brighter shade.

Buy now £195, Toast

Damson Madder gingham maxi dress

Damson Madder has recently launched on Asos with a small but impressive line up of colourful co-ords, mini, midi and maxi dresses, using natural dyes, organic cotton and recycled polyester.

Nothing says summer like a bold gingham print and this maxi dress is ideal if you like oversized, dramatic styles, whether pregnant or not. It’s substantially weighty because of the volume but doesn’t swamp your figure, although we would recommend getting it one size smaller than normal as it can be tightened with the tie at the back of the neck for a tailored finish.

Buy now £130, Asos

The verdict: Maternity wedding guest dresses

We loved the Zara pleated patchwork dress for its simplicity; a shirt dress never goes out of style and can easily be dressed up with a pair of heels or down with box-fresh trainers.

If you’re looking to splurge, then the Toast cotton linen wrap front dress is a strong contender thanks to its lightweight, breathable linen fabric that will be a reliable go-to when the summer weather kicks in.

IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing.

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Tags: dresses, guest, maternity, postpregnancy, Wear, wedding

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