Affordable wedding outfit ideas for a casual event with modest coverage

[Weddingoutfithelp]

Hello,
I’m looking for an inexpensive wedding outfit. It’s a casual affair but still want to look nice. I’m a size 12-14, must cover my knees and tops of arms, am happy to wear a dress or jumpsuit.
I would prefer not to have anything from shein. I might look in the charity shops but I’m happy with any suggestions that people might have.
Thank you.

I am probably unusual but I choose my favourite dress out the wardrobe for a wedding, check it is clean, and am good to go. Buying a new dress is always so stressful!

Both this & the Roman one you liked are polyester. I would find them sweaty - plus it's not the most environmentally friendly option. You could get viscose/cotton/linen blends for that budget instead?

@samthepigeon I only have a few winter dresses and a few summer ones. I mostly live in trousers.
I do find it a chore buying an outfit because I don’t really like clothes shopping

@EleanorMc67 I agree with the environmentally friendly part. I like shopping second hand but I also find it difficult to shop for something like that from vinted because of the risk of it not fitting

Agree that it can be tricky. I shop almost entirely from eBay & Vinted. But I mostly stick to labels I like & know their fit on me - eg Toast or Jigsaw. If there are any labels that you know fit you well, & that carry the same cut of dress regularly, that might help if you look for secondhand options? For example, Ghost might be a good label to look for if you know you suit the cut of its dresses?

Is your budget absolutely capped at £50? If you could stretch to £100, or even £70, your choice of something new would be much wider.

Navy & brown are not the most weddingy colours either, especially if they're plain - most of the things that have cropped up for me are very day-dress in appearance. But on the plus side they're more wearable again afterwards, if that's what you'd prefer? And can be made dressier with jewellery, a belt etc. Would you wear rust or burgundy?

I see the wedding isn't until September. A dress in satin can make a dark shade look much dressier, & there are quite a lot of good viscose satins around?

@EleanorMc67 thank you, you have given a lot of good, honest advice.
To be honest, I mostly shop at M&S because I find most of the trousers fit well on me.
Yes my budget is absolutely that for this wedding.
I volunteer in a charity shop so will keep an eye out there too - we occasionally get some great things donated.
Agreed that my colour choices aren’t very wedding-like! It’s the colours that suit me the most (or that I feel comfortable in)
The reason I ordered the dress that I did is because I know the cut works well on me.

Keeping an eye out in the charity shop you work in sounds like a very good idea! And alert your colleagues to the sort of thing you're after too?!!

Slightly over budget I know - but this is an elegant, quite classic dress in dark burgundy satin (I think if you suit navy & brown you should suit this colour too?). Only in 12 or 16, but worth a try?

https://www.ghost.co.uk/meryl-dress10-d05g002-l57

Or this navy satin one in a 14, reduced down to £64 ...?

Ghost's viscose is all environmentally friendly & really good quality & drape - they were very innovative in creating new fabrics when they started out, & have been copied lots. Their viscose satin is what they're most famous for.

Viscose crepe in floral b&w - down to £45?? In size 12 but no 14.

https://www.ghost.co.uk/capri-floral-crepe-midi-dress-d09g056-z58

£53 & a 12 in taupe satin?

https://www.ghost.co.uk/kaia-satin-midi-dress-d07g047-k72

Another label with really good credentials is Omnes. Polyester yes - but recycled from plastic bottles & made in fully audited factories. And this is (almost) on budget!

https://www.omnes.com/products/francoise-dress-in-brown-starburst

Another Ghost one in a 12 in navy.

https://www.ghost.co.uk/jennifer-blue-satin-midi-dress-d06g089-k81?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23555057644&gclid=CjwKCAjw6f3RBhApEiwAMaCqWX_r3pq3LxuWj_bTy6SguqDx6LSZN2JTnM1ztylzYLkoUuJ_Q6ouQxoCuqkQAvD_BwE

Nobody's Child, which a PP mentioned, is also a good choice ethically.

Brown, in budget, wedding-appropriate.

https://www.nobodyschild.com/products/aida-midi-dress-2616232001

More day-dress/low-key to me, but could work since it's a casual wedding, with decent accessories/jewellery? Cotton/modal in navy, brown & cream.

https://www.marksandspencer.com/cotton-blend-printed-midi-waisted-dress/p/clp23068265?intid=mobile_app_pdp_share

This could also be dressed up - pearl & gold drop earrings, gold bracelets, your natural/cream bag & footwear? And it's cotton. The skirt makes it a bit dressier than plain cotton.

https://www.marksandspencer.com/cotton-rich-broderie-midi-t-shirt-dress/p/clp23026451?intid=mobile_app_pdp_share

Another recommendation for Vinted / secondhand. I'm attending a wedding in August and can't fit into my "pre-baby smart dresses". Really didn't want to spend a lot on am outfit I might only wear once or twice - Found a Ted Baker dress via Google that I loved, but didn't love the £280 price tag. I know my sizing in TB so went to Vinted and quickly found the same dress barely worn for £25. I think as long as you know your size and check the condition (including that it hasn't been tumble dried or washed on a high heat) you're winning x

This looks gorgeous. You will look wonderful. If it helps, remember that the average size in UK is 16 so you are objectively not 'big'. You may be taller and feel more visible but a taller 12-14 looks like a size 10 in someone who is shorter. My sister is very tall and was a size 14 and looked much more slender than me who was smaller in height and size.

I’m really liking some of this satiny ones. A style of dress I have never owned and a brand I have never worn. But I would be worried I’d get hot and sweaty, are these ok for this? If so I might have a browse as I really like these styles.

I think the same. Your height will make you appear slimmer to us shorter ladies.

Well, I was partly recommending them as the OP likes dark colours like navy & brown - & satin makes those colours a bit more dressy looking? But also the wedding isn't now, it's in September?

If you're looking for something like those for an event now, definitely go for the cap sleeves - or sleeveless if you're fine with that. I can't see them being hotter than lined polyester!

If you like the slight sheen, you can get dresses in satinised cotton - though not in a bias cut which most of the Ghost dresses are? Or there's silk, which will usually be cooler than viscose satin. It does depend on the weight of the fabric though, which you'll only gauge by feeling it?

I've got a Ted Baker dress and on the label it says "Ted says you look fabulous". I'm sure they all do but it made me chuckle!