Are you having a welcome party? A wedding welcome party takes place at a restaurant the night before the wedding, setting the tone for the weekend of festivities. This is most commonly held when you have many guests traveling or if it is a destination wedding. The purpose of a welcome party is to greet guests and provide them with a nice meal as a thank you for traveling. Now, you may be wondering as the bride – what should you wear? In this blog post, I’ll show you what to wear to the welcome party as the bride along with affordable and stylish options that are easy to pack. :)
Let’s get started!
Understanding the Dress Code
For this type of event, you want to look nice – but don’t be overly formal unless the venue calls for it. If it’s an elegant sit-down dinner, opt for a more formal bridal dress. Otherwise, go fun and casual, but still play the role of The Bride. Wear a white dress, if you’d like, or another appropriate outfit that you feel confident in.
Considering the Venue
The best way to decide what to wear is to consider the location of the welcome party and how it will influence your outfit choices. Some outfits work better for different venues, like a mini white dress at a beach welcome party versus a maxi white gown for an indoor fancy restaurant. The type of shoes you wear will matter, too, since you may not be so comfortable wearing stiletto heels in a garden or woodsy setting. :)
Here are some outfit examples for the bride to wear to a welcome dinner, based on the overall theme.
► Beachy: If it’s a beachy wedding weekend, opt for a short or midi length white dress. Try this White Ruffled Eyelet Cotton Mini Dress, $69, from Lulu’s.
This flutter-sleeve eyelet mini is a cute option, $69, by Lulu’s.
Or opt for a linen off-the-shoulder linen blend midi, $68, also from Lulu’s.
Prefer a little more length? Wear an eyelet midi length dress with embroidery and lovely tiers, $75, by Lulu’s.
► Nautical: Heading into a nautical wedding weekend? Wear this long-length ribbed navy and white midi, $48, by Lulu’s.
► Formal: For a fancy dinner, wear this maxi high-neckline white dress that is classy and elegant. $79, by Lulu’s.
This backless cowl neck is a gorgeous reception dress and can work nicely for a wedding welcome dinner dress for the bride. $118, by Lulus.
And I adore this floral pattern strappy tie-back dress with a midi length and ruffles, $98, by Lulu’s.
This floral-strap midi dress features an elegant skirt and midi length, with the perfect shade of Something Blue to show you’re the bride. Love this one. $79, by Lulu’s.
► Semi-Formal: For an elegant welcome reception that isn’t too dressy, look your best in this light blue floral maxi with wide straps and a beautiful floral print, $118, by Lulu’s.
Look the part of the bride with a little Something Blue in this long-sleeve organza mini dress, $65, by Lulu’s.
Try on this jacquard mini dress for a unique tropical-inspired look. $79, by Lulu’s.
Here’s a white tie-shoulder dress in a perfect midi length, $79 by Lulu’s.
Love this midi-length lace embroidered dress for the bride! By Lulu’s, $88.
Heading to a swanky downtown hot spot? Wear this mini bodycon cut-out dress with your fave heels, $69, by Lulu’s.
For a vintage-inspired vibe, opt for this halter style swing dress with pockets. By Lulu’s, $49.
► Casual: Suitable for any occasion, these little white dresses are perfect for casual wedding welcome dinner attires. This strappy midi length dress is breezy and beautiful – and yep, it has pockets! $69, by Lulu’s.
Wear this cute ruffled one-shoulder mini to welcome guests to the fun wedding weekend! By Lulu’s, $64.
Choosing the Right Silhouette
Put the importance of choosing a flattering silhouette for your body type when determining what to wear. A midi length tends to work best for this type of wedding event, as it’s not too short and not too long. It’s that “just right” fit. :) Perfect for all types of events!
Pair your look with suitable footwear to match the tone, like a pair of sandals or heels for a more formal event or pull out the wedges or flat sandals for a beach wedding welcome party and be comfy and casual.
Incorporating Personal Style
It’s YOUR wedding weekend! Make your outfit stand out by including your own personal style while still adhering to the dress code. You can add meaningful accessories, like something blue earrings or a meaningful necklace to your look.
COMPLETE THE LOOK
Here’s an example of how to complete a picture-perfect welcome dinner look.
As you’ve seen here, understanding the dress code and choosing a flattering fit and silhouette for your body are the most important takeaways of this blog post! Consider the venue and overall tone of the event when deciding on the perfect dress to wear.
Did this help you to find the perfect wedding welcome outfit? I hope so! Tell me about it in the comment box below.
Chat soon,
xo
Emma
