The temperature would REALLY matter to me. Sweat isn’t attractive, nor are goosebumps. Layering is fine, but you need to have an idea of the temp range you’re aiming at.
That’s very pretty.
Or this for something more casual, especially near the beach:
http://m.shop.nordstrom.com/s/leah-dress/4232256?origin=category&BaseUrl=Special+Occasion
I won’t wear black or white to a wedding. I don’t care if it’s now okay. It doesn’t feel okay to me. 
Yes, I avoid black, white and cream at weddings, tho I will wear black slacks or jacket with colorful garb. It seems better to wear something that is less likely to possibly offend and there are so many other options.
I sometimes find things at Chicos. They have a both regular and petite in all sizes and this is a nice flowing dress. https://m.chicos.com/store/product/handkerchief-hem-mixedmedia-dress/570172400?color=959&catId=cat40004
I’m not a Chico’s person, but that Chico’s dress is very pretty and seems like it would fit the occasion well.
I agree! Much better than Tory!
I won’t wear all black, white, or red to a wedding. Or fur :D. Or spandex.
I don’t need to be the center of attention at someone else’s wedding, and there are plenty of other colors that are beautiful that I can choose for a wedding. I also don’t wear whatever color the bridesmaids are wearing (the latest case was a dark aubergine, one of my favorite colors, so I wore a long taupe evening gown with a black lace overlay). This was it: http://www.promnightstyles.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/99376-long-black-and-nude-lace-prom-dress-2015-jovani.jpg It was a formal evening wedding in downtown Atlanta.
However, in the case of the OP, she’s leaning towards a solid color (based on her picks), which is great as long as the fabric isn’t too casual and she sparkles it up with accessories.
Oh, hi again! OP here. This thread has become lots of fun and taken on a life of its own while I was working today! I’m really enjoying looking thru all the options. Working backward with my comments …
I DO like this Chico’s dress, and yay, it comes in petite (it would have to, with that hem); I don’t generally go sleeveless, but the shawl idea is great.
https://m.chicos.com/store/product/handkerchief-hem-mixedmedia-dress/570172400?color=959&catId=cat40004
And I love shawls, scarves of all kinds … have a bunch in my collection already … adding a shawl is part of my workplace repertoire.
I like the colors in this Tory Burch dress (I love blues/greens/purples), but I agree that the shape would not flatter me … anything that pulls in in the middle is going to emphasize that I don’t have a waist.
https://m.chicos.com/store/product/handkerchief-hem-mixedmedia-dress/570172400?color=959&catId=cat40004
As to where the wedding is! Redwood forest inland from Santa Cruz. I am imagining it’s warmer than San Francisco, cooler than Sacramento. Layers!
Back soon …
@MotherofDragons- stunning dress!
“Or spandex”
I cannot believe that lace dress did not have Lycra in the fabric. 
100% polyester?
This dress from Saks is lovely, but I don’t believe my figure is trim enough for it (it is maybe more structured than what I’m fantasizing now):
http://m.saks.com/pd.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374306439494&productCode=0400087246495&R=8031382145296&P_name=Marina+Rinaldi%2C+Plus+Size&N=4294903153+306439494&bmUID=ldgZBqL
This one from Nordstrom also lots of fun–afraid the big print pattern would hit me right in the belly, though! I’ll pass and look for something more flowy.
http://m.shop.nordstrom.com/s/leah-dress/4232256?origin=category&BaseUrl=Special+Occasion
Looking at your varied ideas is helping me get a better grip on what I like. I knew I was asking the right crowd. 
Santa Cruz Mountains – one of my favorite places in the world!
Sometimes if I want to get an idea of what people are wearing in a particular place I do a Google image search to see what guests are wearing. If you Google “Santa Cruz Mountains weddings” and zoom in on the photos of guests, you might get some ideas. And seeing the pictures will likely get you excited about the wedding -/ it is so gorgeous there.
Ah, there’s more going on at Talbots nowadays than I imagined. I used to shop there in my younger/trimmer days when I had to look very professional for work. They seem to have branched out beyond those stodgy things and will merit more looking. Thank you.
@Pizzagirl , post #76, yes, yes, this is the kind of advice I need. I like your honesty. @Massmomm , @abasket , I think you are also on my vibe here. Plainer and more versatile is probably going to make me happy, and I love shawls, scarves, beads, etc. that could dress it up.
(AW, but that dress from Chico’s is very cool. But to be honest, I only have like one thing in my closet that’s patterned, and that is a pair of funky summer pants. Know thyself, right?)
I could not wear this, but it gave me a grin!
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/polka-dot-mikado-t-lngth-drs/4193094?origin=category-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=5144
Here - just for fun! - is another polka dot offering. I am posting here an example of real life buyers photo gallery:
http://www.modcloth.com/shop/dresses/pretty-on-the-park-bench-dress-in-dots/style-gallery
ModCloth buyers are not camera shy!
This is the official image of the dress:
http://www.modcloth.com/shop/dresses/pretty-on-the-park-bench-dress-in-dots
I’m going shawl, not shrug … think the shrug would be more flattering on a smaller-busted person, and maybe younger. I also have heavy arms.
Last summer I wore something like the Chicos dress with an open lacey cardigan. Longer and closes more than a shrug and easier for me than a shawl.
Thinking about the setting, I’m going back to Eileen Fisher. Her clothes look good with mossy, foresty greens and browns in a redwood forest and I don’t think you’ll want a maxi if any part of the event is in the actual forest. I’d look for the styles that are little more body skimming than the extra flowy ones.