You’re not the bride this time. Whew. Deep sigh of relief. You get to attend an amazing summer wedding, kick back with a fruity drink, and simply enjoy. Now onto the important stuff: what will you wear? Where will you find a gorgeous dress to fit one of three popular summer-themed weddings when you lack serious funds?

No worries. Reset your idea of “recession friendly” to include anything under $200 and let’s shop.

1. If you’re attending a beach wedding: remember, the ocean breeze isn’t kind to any dress that either has a flounce and is cut too high or extends too low to the ground–after all, do you really want to spend the evening brushing sand off your train? Stick to knee- or tea- and street-length skirts in thin, lightweight fabrics like silk, shantung, charmeuse, or chiffon.

Top row: Fancy Me Sheer Dress, $38; Zara Printed Caftan, $59.99; H&M Dress, $49.95; bottom row: Bubble Beach Crop Midi Dress, $120; Betsey Johnson Airbrush with Fate Dress, $158; River Island Chelsea Girl Spot Lace Dress, $29.70

2. If you’ll be attending a rustic farm wedding or quirky garden party: rule #1–don’t take yourself too seriously! Have fun with fashion by trying out a dress with an interesting print or unusual feature:

Top row: Lashes of London Smock Dress in Floral Print, $93.34; Dip Dye Embellished Shift Dress, $84.85; I’m All Cheers Dress in Cherries Jubilee, $155.99; Bottom Row: Floral Panel Dress, $140; Natural Escape Floral Dress by MM Couture, $83.99

An urban rooftop wedding calls for an elegant and sophisticated dress that is unfussy (in other words, keep frills to a minimum) but slightly dramatic:

Top row: Stripe Canvas Pini Dress by Boutique, $160; Ebay, $199.99; Twiggy Striped Shift Dress in Mint, $52.,99; LiZi Mint Condition Jazz Age Dress, $59.95; Bottom row: Shabby Apple Socialite, $48.50; Shabby Apple Summer Wind, $84; Stop Staring Olvia-03, $154