Rehearsal Dinner Dresses
The rehearsal dinner is the one night of the weekend where you get to have more fun with what you wear. It is smaller than the wedding, usually at a restaurant or someone's garden, and the dress code is almost always a step down in formality — which means a mini or a midi works, a print is welcome, and you are not competing with a ceremony. This is the night to wear the dress you actually wanted.
One rule that catches people out
Do not wear white. This matters more at the rehearsal dinner than at the wedding, because the bride very often wears white on this specific night — it is a common choice for the rehearsal dinner and the welcome party. Ivory and cream count too. Beyond that, almost anything goes, and colour is a better bet than a safe black dress in a small room where everyone can see everyone.
Short and sparkly
The Alice Black Sparkle Off-Shoulder Mini at $298 is the one customers come back for — black from across the room, gold and green and cobalt once someone is standing near you. The Pia Pink Mini at $298 is the party version of a garden print. The Marie Pink Mini Dress with Floral Embroidery is $278, and the Coral Floral Organza Mini $229.
Shirt dresses and minis that go to dinner
A printed shirt dress is the most useful thing you can own for a wedding weekend, because it works at the rehearsal dinner with heels and then at the farewell brunch with flat sandals. The Versailles Pink Printed Mini Shirt Dress is $258 and the Bagh Orange Print Mini Shirt Dress $228. The Kamal Light Pink Jacquard Mini at $228 has a bow detail, and the Marrakech Mini is $298.
Midi, if the dinner is dressier
Some rehearsal dinners are close to the wedding in formality. The Louis Halter Printed Midi at $238 is bare-shouldered and easy. The Casablanca Hot Pink Pinstripe Wrap Midi and the Tangier Ombre Midi are both $298. The Noor Pink and Yellow Colour Block Midi at $278 has a scalloped detail, and the Orchid Lace Dress is $219.
Wraps, for a dinner you will sit through
A wrap ties to your own waist, which is the practical answer to a long seated meal. The Azalea Wrap Dress is $235, the Tulip Wrap Dress $228, and the Mosaic Swing Dress $258 in a light cotton with an evil eye and a love bug hidden in the print.
Sizing and shipping
Sizes run XS to 3XL depending on style, and every piece can be made to your measurements for $50 to $100 above retail. Wrap shapes are the forgiving ones if you fall between two sizes. Check the size chart before ordering, and note that our models are 5 foot 8 to 5 foot 9 — a dress that sits mid-calf in the photograph will be longer on a shorter frame. Every print is drawn in-house by Sandhya Garg, Project Runway Season 13, in limited runs that are not repeated.
Related: wedding guest dresses · cocktail wedding guest · bridal shower guest dresses · wedding guest dresses with sleeves · mini dresses · midi dresses · party dresses · plus size XS to 3XL
Read more: 10 rehearsal dinner dresses for guests, wedding guest dress codes explained, and cocktail attire versus party attire.
Free US shipping on orders over $250. Afterpay available. Ships from Scottsdale, AZ within 1 to 3 business days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you wear to a rehearsal dinner?
Something a step less formal than the wedding itself. A mini or midi dress, a printed shirt dress, or a wrap — cocktail rather than black tie, unless the couple says otherwise. The venue is the best clue: a restaurant or a family garden calls for a cocktail dress, while a hotel ballroom rehearsal dinner sits closer to the wedding in formality. Avoid white, ivory and cream.
Can you wear black to a rehearsal dinner?
Yes, but it is the night where colour serves you better. The rehearsal dinner is a small room where you will be photographed with the same twenty people all evening, and a print or a strong colour is more memorable than a black dress. If you want black, choose one with a print or a texture in it rather than a flat solid.
Is a mini dress appropriate for a rehearsal dinner?
Usually yes. The rehearsal dinner is the most relaxed of the wedding events, and a mini works at almost all of them — a printed mini shirt dress or an off-shoulder sparkle mini both suit the occasion. Save the floor-length dress for the wedding. If the dinner is formal or held somewhere with a dress code, a midi is the safer choice.
What should the mother of the bride or groom wear to the rehearsal dinner?
A midi or a wrap dress in a print, a step down in formality from the wedding outfit but still clearly dressed up. Traditionally the groom's family hosts the rehearsal dinner, so the mother of the groom is in effect the host and tends to dress slightly more formally than the guests. A wrap works well because you will be standing, greeting and seated across a long evening.
Can I wear the same dress to the rehearsal dinner and the wedding?
Not the same dress, since you will be photographed at both. But one printed shirt dress genuinely covers the rehearsal dinner with heels and the farewell brunch with flat sandals, which is the most useful double duty in a wedding weekend wardrobe. Pack two dresses and one of them should be a shirt dress.
Testimonials
★★★★★Gorgeous and Flattering
I recently wore this to a friends outdoor wedding and it was absolutely stunning! The fit was perfect the colour divine and I love the asymmetry. There are many accent colours to pair with these piece which makes accessorizing creative. I received many compliments thank you Sandhya! <3
Nina![]()
Austin, Texas
★★★★★Over the Moon
When I opened my package; I could not believe the huge smile that came on
my face. Not only was it beautiful, the quality was outstanding. I will be wearing many more designs by Sandhya Garg.Reba Aylward![Summer top for woman]()
New Bern, NC
