A bride usually wears white or ivory to the rehearsal dinner and the wedding itself, and often to the bridal shower too. She has more room for color at engagement photos, the engagement party, the shower, the bachelorette, and the honeymoon. Plan one dress per event, match each event's dress code, and use the table below to see all nine at a glance.
Shop our rehearsal dinner dresses, engagement photo dresses, bridal shower dresses, and bachelorette party dresses.
What does the bride wear to each wedding event?
| Event | When it happens | Dress code | Color guidance | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement photos | Soon after the proposal, often 6 to 12 months before the wedding | Your call; semi-formal photographs best | Solid colors, jewel tones, or cream; skip tiny busy prints | Engagement photo dresses |
| Engagement party | Within a few months of the engagement | Set by the host; usually cocktail or dressy casual | White lace, champagne, or a color you love | Engagement party dresses |
| Bridal shower | About 1 to 3 months before the wedding | Daytime dressy casual | White, ivory, cream, soft florals, or a warm floral in muted red and orange | Bridal shower dresses |
| Bachelorette | About 1 to 2 months before the wedding | Party or vacation; the bride stands out | White, or a bold color the group plans around | Bachelorette dresses |
| Rehearsal dinner | The night before the wedding | Semi-formal to cocktail | White or ivory that is lighter than the gown, or a soft color | Rehearsal dinner dresses |
| The gown | The ceremony | Formal | White, ivory, or the color you choose | Wedding dresses XXS to 6X |
| Reception | After the ceremony | Formal, built to dance in | White, or a second white dress that moves | Reception dresses |
| Getaway | The send-off at the end of the night | Dressy and easy to move in | White or a bright print that pops in photos | Getaway dresses |
| Honeymoon | The trip after the wedding | Vacation | Bright colors and prints, soft blues, white for dinners out | Honeymoon dresses |
Every dress below is in stock in a wide size range, most from 00 to 34 and some from XXS to 6X. You can also shop the full Bridal Event Dresses collection.
What should the bride wear for engagement photos?
Pick a dress that photographs well against your location. Solid colors and large prints read clearly on camera, and a longer skirt gives your photographer movement to work with. White is optional here.
Featured dress: Adrienne Dress in cream. A cream floral gown with blush undertones, flexible boning, a sleeveless cut, and a flowing floor-length A-line skirt. Sizes 00 to 34. The long skirt gives your photographer plenty of movement, and the soft cream glows against trees, fields, or city lights.
See all engagement photo dresses
What should the bride wear to her engagement party?
Follow the host's dress code, which is usually cocktail or dressy casual. Many brides start wearing white here, but a soft neutral or a favorite color works just as well.
Featured dress: Harlow Dress in white. Floral lace with a halter V neckline, built-in bust cups, a dropped waist with soft shirring, and vintage-inspired button details on a midi A-line skirt. Sizes 00 to 34. White lace at midi length reads bridal without looking like a wedding dress.
See all engagement party dresses
What should the bride wear to her bridal shower?
Most showers are daytime events, so choose a lighter dress. White, ivory, and soft florals are classic, and a warm floral is a pretty option if you want a little color. Pick something comfortable to sit in while you open gifts for two hours.
Featured dress: Bianca Dress in Flushed Floral. A floral in muted red and orange hues with sparkling sequins, a sweetheart neckline, a corset bodice, adjustable tulle ties at the sleeves, a fitted waistline, a back zipper, and a full lining. Sizes 00 to 34. It is a warm color option for the bride who wants to skip white at her shower, and the sequins add a little sparkle to the photos.
What should the bride wear to her bachelorette party?
This is the event to have fun with it. Go all white so the group can wear color around you, or pick something bold and sparkly for a night out.
Featured dress: Bria Dress in white. An A-line gown with a sweetheart neckline, adjustable spaghetti straps, bodice boning, a built-in bra, and pockets. Sizes 00 to 34. All white makes the bride easy to spot in every group photo, and the built-in support means you can dance all night.
What should the bride wear to the rehearsal dinner?
Wear something one step less formal than your gown. A white or cream dress with color or texture lets you look bridal while saving the big reveal for tomorrow.
Featured dress: Phiona Dress in Snowdrop. A graceful, feminine dress made for formal events and evening celebrations where understated elegance makes the most lasting impression. Sizes 00 to 34. Its understated style keeps you looking bridal the night before while saving the big reveal for the gown.
See all rehearsal dinner dresses
What should the bride wear for the wedding ceremony?
Choose the gown first, since every other event dress plays off it. Length, neckline, and how it moves matter more than anything else.
Featured dress: Victoria Wedding Dress in white. A strapless princess ball gown in subtle jacquard, with a sculpted corset bodice with cups, a voluminous pleated A-line skirt, and a train. Sizes 00 to 34 (final sale, so check the size chart before ordering). It is a true bridal gown offered in a full size range.
See all wedding dresses XXS to 6X
What should the bride wear to the reception?
Some brides keep the gown on, and some change into a second dress that is easier to dance in. If you change, stay in white so the photos still read as wedding day.
Featured dress: Pearl Dress in white. Sequins and pearl-like embellishments, soft tulle layers, a sleeveless strapless cut, and a corset back. Sizes 00 to 34. It sparkles under reception lighting and keeps you in white.
What should the bride wear for her getaway?
The send-off dress should be easy to walk in and photograph well at night. A shorter white dress is the classic choice, and a bright print on a white base pops in photos.
Featured dress: Floriette Dress in yellow, a white base with a bold yellow and green floral print. A strapless design with a plunge neckline, a sculpted drape, and a flared A-line skirt. Sizes 00 to 34. The knee length moves easily through a crowd and a sparkler exit.
What should the bride wear on her honeymoon?
Pack bright colors for daytime and a few dressier pieces for dinners. Easy fabrics that hold up in a suitcase help.
Featured dress: Aquamarine Dress in light blue. A halter neckline, a low back, a ruched stretchable bodice, a drop-waist silhouette, a thigh-high slit, and a floor-length skirt. Sizes XXS to 6X. It was designed for waterfront ceremonies and warm-weather celebrations, so it fits right in at resort dinners.
FAQ
Should the bride wear white to every event?
No. White is common at the shower, rehearsal dinner, and wedding, but color is fine at engagement photos, the engagement party, the shower, the bachelorette, and the honeymoon. Wear white where you want to be easy to spot.
How many outfits does a bride need?
Plan on one for each event you attend, which is often five to nine dresses. You can cut that number by rewearing a dress, for example wearing the same white midi to the shower and the getaway.
Can guests wear white to bridal events?
At the shower and rehearsal dinner, guests usually avoid white so the bride stands out. Some bachelorette groups ask everyone to wear one color while the bride wears white.
What sizes do these bridal event dresses come in?
Most of the featured styles run 00 to 34, and some run XXS to 6X. Each product page lists the full size range and fit notes, such as whether to size up or down.