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Wedding gowns get a lot of hype in the bridal fashion sphere. We dedicate our focus to the big day—the dress we’ll wear and remember for years to come. But in doing so, we overlook the myriad other white dresses we need for the myriad other wedding events on our calendars. Engagement parties. Bridal showers. Bachelorette parties. Rehearsal dinners. Bridal brunches. Weddings aren’t a simple one-and-done affair—and neither are wedding wardrobes. You need not one wedding gown, but a handful of wedding event white dresses. And since most of us don’t sport white on the regular, odds are, you’ll need to stock up on some fresh LWDs.
Let’s run through the sartorial requirements of your year as a bride-to-be, shall we? First comes the engagement party—the celebration of your recent proposal. You can really wear whatever you want to this, but it’s certainly an opportunity to sport a white dress if you feel like kicking things off with a nod to your wedding-to-be. The level of formality will vary, depending on what, exactly, your engagement party entails (just know there will likely be photos). Somewhere in the middle of the road, you’ll have a bachelorette party—and a bridal shower. Bachelorette parties are chiefly fun affairs, but it’s common for the bride to step out in an all-white-everything (bar-worthy) ensemble while her bridesmaids sport all black, all pink or some other color of their choosing. Bridal showers are decidedly more formal, and while a white dress isn’t required, it’s a pretty customary choice. Your rehearsal dinner and next-day bridal brunch will follow—both of which tend to be somewhat formal, white dress events. Then of course, there’s your actual wedding—and your actual wedding gown (or suit, or whatever you’ve decided to wear on your big day).
The kind of curation required to master such a diverse-yet-consistent wedding wardrobe may sound absolutely chaotic, but retailers are lightening the load. There’s a vast array of white dresses (fit for wedding events!) on offer, shifting the challenge from “Where, oh where, will I find all these white wedding event dresses?” to “Which of these white dresses should I actually buy?” As die-hard shoppers, we at StyleCaster envy the person considering the latter concern; the more opportunities to shop, the better. And if weddings are really just excuses to buy six different dresses, they get an emphatic yes from us.
A sleek dress fit for any rehearsal dinner. The plus: You could definitely rewear it to any semi-formal event on your calendar.
We know we said “dresses,” but in 2019, “jumpsuits” are certainly on the menu, too. Fit for everything from your bridal brunch to your rehearsal dinner (or even your wedding reception), this jumpsuit is a sartorial jill of all trades.
A perfect choice for bridal events that are slightly dressed-down—or taking place anywhere outdoors. (And it’s definitely a fit for future beach getaways and any other idyllic trips you might be taking.)
A fashion-forward choice that’s more statement-making than anything, this LWD is sure to delight at showers and brunches, alike.
Not only is this slip silhouette incredibly trendy, it’s also veritably versatile. Wear it out on the town—and then sport it at your rehearsal dinner. The options aren’t quite endless, but they’re pretty close.
A sophisticated choice that skews as sleek as it does sexy—meaning it’s fit for family-centric occasions (like your bridal shower) and evening-oriented ones (like your rehearsal dinner).
A dressier kind of sexy, this jumpsuit will stun at your rehearsal dinner and/or wedding reception.
An out-of-the-box choice that meets the customary mark without feeling, at all, too traditional.
The perfect choice for the person who loves floor-length white gowns so much they can’t pick just one.
A high-neck midi feels at once classy, chic and totally hot—making it a fit for basically every bridal event on your calendar. (It would even look great on your actual wedding day, if you’re not a sucker for tradition.)
The double-breasted blazer dress is so perfect for every wedding event we can’t help but shop every iteration.
Oceanfront rehearsal dinner? No problem.
For the bride-to-be who wants to look like she walked straight off a runway, and into any wedding-related event she’s attending.
A slinkier slip dress is more of a fit for evening events than anything else. But you’ll surely look back on your photos knowing you were on-trend AF.
A dress that’s ready to tackle brunches, showers, parties and other daytime affairs.
Because you deserve to look drop-dead sexy at your rehearsal dinner.
A dress that could work during basically any bridal event (except maybe the bachelorette party).
Jumpsuits offer the perfect hybrid of sophisticated class and edgy-chic appeal. In other words, they’re a perfect choice for basically every event on your radar.
A bridal shower dress you could re-wear to your 9-to-5? Yes, please.
A sundress fit for any daytime event.
This 2-piece has rehearsal dinner written all over it.
Nothing says “bridal shower” (or “brunch”) like an off-the-shoulder, lace-covered midi.
A decidedly adorable choice for some of the lower-key events on your calendar.
It’s your wedding. Wear a cape whenever you damn well please.
Easily dressed up and down, this dress could handily carry you to a few bridal events without anyone noticing.
Sexy without feeling like too much, this dress could do the work of four or five dresses. (We’re saying: You could wear it to every event on your calendar.)
An LWD, crafted with the fan of color in mind. (Sport it to any event—you can easily render it rehearsal dinner-appropriate with a little clever styling.)
At the point, need we really justify the inclusion of the endlessly chic blazer dress?
Because you deserve to look like a fairy if you want to.
An understatedly bold choice, fit for any brunch or shower.
For the HB(ride)IC.
A low-key—but romantically sexy—choice for any rehearsal dinner (or other bridal event).
A brunch/shower dress, crafted with the fan of comfort in mind.
A low-key mini you could definitely re-wear long after you say “I do.”
A floor-length dress that feels fit for daytime? We’re in love.
Great for beachside dinners and daytime events.
Bold. Sexy. Out-of-the-box. And sure to render you the sleekest in the room at any event.
It’s your wedding (event)—you can wear pom-poms if you want to.
No matter the season, sequins are definitely on the menu.
As cozy as it is stunning—and it’s incredibly stunning.
For the bride who values sex appeal and put-togetherness in equal measure.
Again, high-neck midis are sure to carry you through any and every event you encounter.
Delightfully low-key—and all kinds of fun.
A blank canvas for all your favorite statement jewelry (and really, any event you need to attend).
OK, so probably only a fit for your rehearsal dinner. But hey, don’t pass up the opportunity to adorn yourself with sequins.
Sure to skew as fancy as the footwear you pair it with.
Your bachelorette party calls. (And depending on how much you like glitter, some of your other bridal events might be calling, too.)
Because white doesn’t have to mean entirely colorless.
Puff sleeves, tie front—can’t lose. (Hello, new daytime event favorite.)
Fit for the bride-to-be who loves a mini (but doesn’t want to veer too far from the dress code).
Sleek, sexy and definitely more fit for evening than anything else.
Those offended by the black details will surely be appeased by the all-over eyelet lace.
More sequins, because why not, right?
This has showers and brunches written all over it.
Again, hard to go wrong with the high-neck midi.
A veritably adorable option for any shower or daytime event.
Subtle enough for every event on your calendar (just mind your rehearsal dinner styling).
Sequins feel decidedly evening-only, but this puff-sleeve mini could easily be sported to a shower or brunch (depending on where it’s set).
A daytime go-to you could surely wear again.
We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again: Long live the high-neck midi.
A fairytale dress fit for the more casual events on your calendar.
An edgier option—and one that’ll surely stay hanging in your closet for years to come.
A delightful cut sure to skew as nighttime or daytime as you want.
A no-fail silhouette sure to carry you through any event you need it to.
One-shoulder dresses are oddly rare in the bridal space—and this sleek midi wants to rectify that.
As casual or dressy as you want it to be.
A white dress the fan of all-black-everything can surely get behind.
A lower-key choice that could easily be rendered high-key, depending on how you accessorized it.
Dripping with romantic, beachside appeal—and fit for basically every event on your list.
Veritably fun—and easily dressed up or down, too.
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