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rehearsal dinner dress

 

 

When the vast majority of my friends were getting married (also my sister) I enjoyed helping them pick out a dress to wear for their rehearsal dinner. Most girls will wear white to the dinner but there is no written rule that one can’t wear color or pattern. If I were getting married I am not sure which route I would take, probably would end up wearing white as I personally love little white dresses, but I am not oppose to a little color. Wearing a cocktail dress that does not look like it was made for a bride means you can rewear the dress again.

Growing up I was never the little girl who dreamed of her wedding day. I didn’t gather my stuff animals together to watch me get married to my teddy bear or Ken doll. Instead I was too busy crafting things, and if my stuff animals were gathered it was probably to watch me dance and sing a Broadway song out of key. I did often think about who I was going to marry which was obviously going to be Leonardo DiCaprio or whatever boy I had a school girl crush on. When and if I did think about my wedding day I thought I would be engaged by 24 and married by 25. But honestly it never occurred to me I would actually grow up to be an adult, I thought being in my 20’s and 30’s was going to be a million years from then. I was sadly wrong.

Day-dreaming about my wedding really didn’t start to happen until I was right out of college. I thought more of being married than my wedding, but seeing others tying the knot started to spark some interest in my own. I would look at pictures of couples older than me on Facebook and start to think about what I like and didn’t like, but mostly I was interested in the reception part.

In my mid to late 20’s I was working for a bridal company and that is when I became obsessed with looking at wedding dresses. I’d dream about what I would wear and every detail of the wedding and the reception, even down to who would be in attendance. I was surrounded by talks of wedding being in that world. I quickly figured out what I liked and didn’t like, what fabrics I loathe and what I find elegant, how dislike bridesmaid dresses, and so-on. My co-workers and I always talked about what we would do, all of us having strong opinions about the big day.  Pinterest added to my wedding day planning obsession like it did to many others. I was around it so much, knowing the stress it can cause, witnessing the fights between bridesmaids, dealing with angry moms, that I ended up not wanting a wedding at all but to elope to Paris.

Now I do not think about my wedding day at all or that often. Sometimes for fun I will look at wedding dresses to see what is in style as it once was my profession. I do love attending weddings and hearing about my friend’s planning theirs, and every once in a while will find a beautiful wedding photo on Pinterest. My day-dreaming is hardly ever about my wedding day, it’s usually about my career, travel, clothes, and whatever guy I have a crush on. Not thinking about my own wedding does not stop me from getting excited about looking for the perfect rehearsal dinner dress for a friend. Whether the dinner is a little formal or informal, I still believe the bride should dress up.

As wedding season is around the corner I know many of you who are getting married are planning ahead and finalizing every detail. I’ve gathered a few cocktail dresses, affordable to splurge-worthy,  that would suite any bride-to-be on the eve of her big day!

 

1. Alice + Olivia margy floral lace sleeveless dress

2. Lover solitude sheath dress

3. BHLDN cason dress

4. Self-Portrait one-shoulder tiered lace midi dress

5. Halston Heritage tiered satin midi dress

6. Needle and Thread layered lace dress

7. Lela Rose seamed lace fit and flare dress

8. Victoria, Victoria Beckham asymmetric bow-embellished satin mini dress