20 Stunning White Dresses for the Bride-to-Be for Your Engagement Party, Bridal Shower, and Rehearsal Dinner
Updated on May 25, 2024
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With so many pre-wedding events to celebrate, you’ll need a stunning white dress (or two).
When you think about wedding outfits for the bride, the first thing that comes to mind is a wedding gown. But what about all of the other outfits brides need leading up to the big day? Here I’ll break down all of the occasions brides need an outfit for, and share my top suggestions for white dresses you can wear to these events.
Bridal and Wedding Events Where You Can Wear a White Dress
Is it required that you wear a white dress to all of these events? Definitely not — you can wear anything you’d like! But many brides-to-be love to celebrate this special time in their life by wearing white.
- Engagement Party: Engagement party dresses for brides can be chosen based on the type of party and location. If it’s a backyard cookout you’ll want something a little more on the casual side that’s easy to move around in if you decide to play a few games of cornhole. If it’s an evening cocktail party you’ll want something more formal and sophisticated.
- Engagement Pictures: Dresses for engagement pictures don’t necessarily need to be white, but you’ll want to decide if you’re dressing casual or formal and choose your dress accordingly.
- Bridal Shower: When looking for bridal shower dresses for brides, you’ll most likely be looking for a daytime dress, and can choose if it’s more casual or more formal based on the location.
- Welcome Drinks: If you’re having a destination wedding or a lot of people are traveling for your wedding weekend, you may be hosting welcome drinks a day or two before your wedding. This can be another opportunity to wear a white dress if you so desire.
- Rehearsal Dinner: The ultimate time to wear a white cocktail dress is your rehearsal dinner. When looking for rehearsal dinner dresses for brides, you can go for a more formal dress since this is an extra-special occasion.
- Wedding After-Party: If you’re having a wedding after-party at another venue or at your hotel bar, you probably want to change into something that you can move around in easier than your wedding dress. If that’s the case, you can go as fancy or formal as you’d like, because you’re the bride!
- Farewell Breakfast: If you’re having a farewell breakfast for your guests on the morning after your wedding, you might choose to wear a white dress to this event.
Don’t miss these great little white dress options for brides: wedding rehearsal dinner dresses for brides, wedding engagement party dresses for brides, wedding bridal shower dresses for brides, wedding engagement pictures dresses for brides, wedding welcome drinks dresses for brides, wedding after-party dresses for brides, and farewell breakfast dresses for brides.
Table of Contents:
White Mini Dresses for the Bride
1. Pabla Mini Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: This will be a stunning engagement party dress, especially for a cocktail party; welcome drinks dress for a destination wedding; or rehearsal dinner dress.
Pair it with: Nude, metallic, or white heels, and a metallic clutch. Or for an urban sophisticated look, black heels and a black clutch.
2. Valli White and Metallic Shift Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: This dress will work for a bride for any pre-wedding event, whether it’s your engagement party, engagement pictures, bridal shower, welcome cocktails, rehearsal dinner, or after party dress.
Pair it with: Gold or silver heels or flat sandals, and gold or silver jewelry.
3. Ruffled Mini Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: Perfectly suited for a cocktail party, whether it’s your engagement party, welcome drinks, or rehearsal dinner, but can also work for your bridal shower or farewell breakfast the morning after your wedding.
Pair it with: High-heel strappy sandals, a fun bracelet, sparkly earrings.
4. Sweet Eyelet Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: This will make a great bridal shower dress, welcome drinks dress, will work well as a dress for engagement pictures, or you can wear it to your farewell breakfast.
Pair it with: Fun earrings, a bracelet, and sandals or heels.
5. V-Back Floral Lace Cocktail Party White Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: This dress’s versatility means it will work well for an an engagement cocktail party, rehearsal dinner, bridal shower, or after party.
Pair it with: Nude shoes, a statement bracelet, a clutch.
6. Ruffle Floral Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: A great daytime option for indoors or outdoors, this dress for the bride-to-be will be a good fit for a bridal shower, engagement pictures, welcome cocktails, and farewell breakfast, among others.
Pair it with: A dainty necklace, statement bracelet, or pearl earrings, and nude or raffia sandals or heels.
7. Ruffle Neck Swing Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: Will be great for a cocktail party event such as your engagement party, rehearsal dinner, wedding after party, or welcome drinks cocktail party. This can work year-round but is especially great for winter, fall, and spring.
Pair it with: Metallic heels and a statement bracelet and earrings.
8. Brooklyn Ruffle Mini Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: This will make such a cute cocktail dress for the bride-to-be. An excellent choice for a little white dress for your engagement party or rehearsal dinner. The 3/4 sleeves on this dress mean it will work well for spring, summer, fall, or winter, and the stretch in the fabric will keep you comfortable all night.
Pair it with: Heels and statement earrings, a delicate bracelet.
9. Off-the-Shoulder Mini Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: This dress will be lovely for an engagement cocktail party, welcome drinks cocktail hour, or your rehearsal dinner.
Pair it with: Fancy black strappy high heel sandals, a chic black pump, or silver open-toe heels, and a delicate necklace, or statement earrings.
10. Scalloped Mini Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: Its versatility means brides can wear it to any wedding events, including engagement pictures, bridal shower, welcome drinks, your rehearsal dinner, or to farewell breakfast.
Pair it with: Nude or metallic heels, strappy high heel sandals, or flat sandals, and a pretty bracelet and earrings.
For bridesmaid gift ideas, check out: 25 Best Beach Bridesmaid Gifts for Your Destination Wedding
White Midi and Maxi Dresses for Brides
11. Sweetheart Bow-Strap Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: Will be great for spring and summer wedding events, and would be super cute for engagement pictures, your bridal shower, engagement party, wedding rehearsal dinner, or farewell brunch.
Pair it with: Sandals with heels, flat sandals, a pretty bracelet, and pearl drop earrings.
12. White Lace Maxi Slip Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: This will be a great engagement party dress for a bride, rehearsal dinner dress for a bride, or wedding after-party dress for a bride.
Pair it with: A delicate necklace and earrings to really dress it up, metallic dressy sandals.
13. Catalina Fit and Flare Cocktail Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: This off-white simple-yet-elegant cocktail dress will be the perfect dress for a bride to wear to a cocktail party engagement party, welcome drinks at a destination wedding, for your rehearsal dinner, or your wedding after-party. This dress is also a nice option if you’re taking more formal engagement pictures.
Pair it with: Strappy heels, pumps, or dressy flats; a silver, gold, or pearl necklace; a diamond bracelet; or a beaded clutch.
14. Floral Appliqué Sequin Fit & Flare Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: This shimmery and stunning dress will make a statement at your rehearsal dinner or your wedding after-party.
Pair it with: Nude or metallic sandals with a heel, or pumps, a sparkly bracelet, fun earrings.
15. White Sleeveless Tie-Waist Wrap Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: This midi dress is simple and chic for a beach destination wedding, and will work for your farewell breakfast, engagement pictures, an outdoor engagement party, or welcome cocktails.
Pair it with: Metallic sandals, statement earrings or a statement necklace, and gold or silver bracelets can dress it up, if desired.
16. Lace Midi Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: This versatile dress can be used for any of your bridal events, whether it’s engagement pictures, an engagement party, wedding welcome drinks, your rehearsal dinner, wedding after-party, or your farewell breakfast.
Pair it with: White, neutral, or metallic high heel sandals, a short silver or gold necklace, pearl earrings, or a fun bracelet.
17. White Maxi Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: This dress will work for any pre-wedding event, such as engagement pictures, a casual engagement party, wedding weekend welcome drinks, and would also be nice for your farewell breakfast the morning after your wedding.
Pair it with: Flat sandals, a fun bracelet, and a necklace.
Related: The Best Stores to Shop for Women’s Petite Clothing
18. Elegant Ruffle Cap Sleeves Midi Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: Another great option for a daytime event, whether it’s engagement pictures, an indoor or outdoor bridal shower, or your outdoor garden engagement party. Will be great in spring, summer, and fall.
Pair it with: A pretty bracelet, a nude pair of open-toe flat or heeled sandals, or nude dressy flats.
19. White Midi Sheath Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: Perfect for your cocktail engagement party or rehearsal dinner. Would also be great as a wedding after-party dress.
Pair it with: Nude or metallic shoes, statement earrings, or a statement bracelet.
20. Smocked Flutter-Sleeve Dress
Wedding occasion suggestions: Perfectly pretty for any daytime pre-wedding event, such as a bridal shower, engagement pictures, or daytime engagement party, as well as your farewell breakfast.
Pair it with: Flat sandals, a fun bracelet.
Save This List of White Dresses
Pin one of these dresses or the below graphic on Pinterest so you can continue to refer back to this list of white dresses. And don’t forget to follow Stars & Anchor on Pinterest for more beach and coastal lifestyle inspiration.
There are many stunning white dresses that brides can wear to all of their wedding events. Whether your events are formal or casual, and whether you prefer mini dresses, midi dresses, or maxi dresses, there are tons of great options to choose from.
Which of these white dresses is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.
