If you’re unsure about what to wear to a wedding after party, consider these three tips to help you build the perfect attire. Remember that the rules will be slightly more lenient since you’ll wear something different from your wedding ceremony attire.
We will also discuss what is a wedding after-party and the expectations around it. And for older female guests who are out of ideas for their wedding guest attire, you can also refer to what should a woman over 50 wear to a wedding.
What Do You Wear To The Wedding After Party: Guest
Something nice for parties
The wedding after-party is the celebration that happens after the reception. Therefore, you want to wear something that you’ll party with, and it doesn’t have to match the level of formality of what you wore to the wedding ceremony earlier in the day.
Male and females guests can opt for dark-colored cocktail attire, and sparkles and shimmers are welcomed. However, you still want to look dressed-up, so avoid casual wear.
Women can consider a black cocktail dress, and men can lose the suit with a more stylish leather jacket and dark-colored jeans. Don’t forget also to wear the right shoes, accessories, and makeup, so your overall look is cohesive.
Something comfortable for the reception
Expect a lot of dancing, standing, and walking at the wedding after-party as from the name itself; it is a party. That being said, anticipate potential discomfort and awkward moments that may happen while partying.
For example, you don’t want to wear something super short or revealing that you’ll constantly have to readjust it to ensure that you’re not flashing anyone. It can also get hot on the dancefloor, so wear comfortable and breathable fabrics.
And, of course, your after-party shoes shouldn’t leave you with bruises and cuts. Consider lower heels or flats for women, and men can opt for boots or sneakers.
Something practical for the wedding
When deciding what to wear to a wedding after-party, the final consideration is practicality. Besides comfort, you want to be realistic with what you’ll wear.
Chances are you’ll be tired from the activities throughout the day, so you shouldn’t need to change into something complicated to put on for the after-party. Perhaps you can switch to a flashier jacket quickly from a formal wedding reception to a fun wedding after-party.
The after-party also typically happens at the reception itself, so make sure you can have your change of shoes or clothes in your bag, and you don’t need to leave. Consider a good-sized bag that can carry everything but is not too big that it looks like you’re going to the gym when at the reception.
What Should The Bride And Groom Wear To The Wedding After Party?
The bride and groom can choose to wear anything they want to the wedding after-party. They can also change shoes for something more comfortable for dancing.
The groom can also lose his suit, and the bride can get her wedding dress bustled. But ultimately, you still want to look stylish as the wedding photographer may also include after-party photos.
Here are some outfit suggestions you can try, but you can always modify them accordingly:
Bride
- White cocktail dress
- White pantsuit or jumper
- Kitten heels, sandals, or flats
Groom
- Jacket or sportscoat and shirt
- Jeans
- Sneakers or boots
For brides who wore a mermaid silhouette wedding dress, read how to bustle a mermaid wedding dress.
Do The Bride And Groom Pay For The After-Party?
There are no rules that oblige the bride and groom to host or pay for the wedding after-party. However, this fun event is usually already included in the package they get with the reception and wedding DJ.
But if the wedding after-party is separate from the wedding venue, anyone can sponsor it. Sometimes, it can even be a gift from the wedding party to the couple.
How Long Is A Wedding After-Party?
Wedding parties can last as long as the couple wants or depending on the rules of the wedding venue. It can last under three hours or even night long to the guests’ hearts’ content.
Just be mindful of the place charges by the hour so you wouldn’t be surprised by the bill. If you also have other events to attend the next day, you want to have enough rest, so don’t party too hard.
What Do You Wear The Day After A Wedding?
Weddings differ in their timeline, and some couples even have celebrations after the wedding day. Perhaps they have a small ceremony or elopement; then they’ll have a reception-only wedding for their friends and family to attend the next day.
Therefore, the formality of your event will dictate what to wear on the day after the wedding. But of course, if it’s a simple party at your house or you’ll have dinner at a restaurant, you can dress less formally.
Conclusion
And that’s it! To recap what to wear to a wedding after party, it should be stylish enough for partying but still comfortable and practical since the after-party happens right after the wedding reception.
Some specific outfits include a cocktail dress, jacket, jeans, boots, sneakers, and flats. And for the bride and groom, they can bustle the dress or remove the suit for comfortable dancing.