Reception Dresses

Everything you need to know!

Being the dress divas that we are, there is one wedding trend that we can totally get on board with: reception dresses! Not one but two stunning styles for your big day? Sounds like a no brainer to us! If you’re considering it, we’ve got the 411 on the double dress trend:

Common Reasons a Bride Buys a Reception Dress –

1) Her dream wedding dress is an over the top ballgown that while stunning, is not ideal for dancing.

2) She’s wearing a family heirloom dress for the ceremony, but also wants something new and unique to her for the reception.

3) Religious requirements dictated the look of the ceremony gown, so she wants another dress for the reception that is more flexible and allows her to show off her aesthetic and sense of style.

4) She wants to wear a traditional, long gown however, the weather will be warm on her big day so she also wants something lighter to change into after the “I do’s.”

5) She’s a fashionista who simply can’t pick just one dress 😉

Tons of Flair designers have reception dress options! Top Left - Jackie Lady Stardust by Amy Kuschel; Top Right - Style TK2406 by Tara Keely; Bottom Left - Theia style 890121; Bottom Right - Bella by Jenny Yoo

Tons of Flair designers have reception dress options! Top Left – Jackie Lady Stardust by Amy Kuschel; Top Right – Style TK2406 by Tara Keely; Bottom Left – Theia style 890121; Bottom Right – Bella by Jenny Yoo

Do you fall into one of these categories? Or, is there another reason you’re considering a duo of dresses? If so, here are some logistics that every reception dress wearer should consider:

1) Decide ahead of time when you will change into your second look. You don’t want to miss too much of your big day, so try and change during a transition time. Some suggestions include: after the ceremony as guests transition to cocktail hour (just make sure you get some formal photos in your first dress before changing), right after cocktail hour as guests transition to dinner, or right after dinner as guests transition to the dance floor. If your second dress will be more appropriate for your first dance, try and change earlier in the night to accommodate that.

2) Ensure that you have an adequate place to change. You don’t want to leave your guests for too long, so close by convenience is key. Ask your ceremony and reception sites if they have an area you can use separate from the restrooms that guests will be coming in and out of. After all, you want the new dress to be a fun surprise!

3) Assign someone to bring the reception dress to your changing location and also attend to the wedding gown after you’ve changed. This should be someone responsible that you can trust. Have that one friend who you love but is a little flighty? This is not the job for her! Do a quick change and leave this person with the job of zipping/buttoning/hanging/carefully packing the wedding gown so you can get back to your party! In advance, ask the coordinator at your reception site if there is a safe, secure place your helper can leave the gown until the end of the night.

4) Consider your accessories and undergarments. Will you need to change any of these to better suit the second dress? If so, make sure to have them with the second dress so that your helper can easily bring you everything you need.

Last but not least, there is one big reason NOT to go for the two dress trend: your budget! Ensure that you have the wiggle room for not only two dresses, but two tailoring processes, and potentially two shoes, accessories, undergarments and more! Will it be a struggle for you and your wallet? Then this trend may be one to skip!

Be sure to reach out to Flair if you have any questions on wearing multiple styles or anything else dress related 🙂 Also, let us know if you wore two dresses on your big day! How did it go? Any advice for other brides considering this trend? We can’t wait to hear from you!