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Original poster

Did anyone have a 2nd wedding dress for the evening reception?

26 replies

MrsBBx · 10/04/2022 20:33

I have chosen a beautiful wedding dress for my wedding in November. I am really happy with it and can’t wait to wear it. However, at my 1st fitting, it was obvious that I wouldn’t be able to wear it all day as it is so heavy and restrictive.

I was just wondering if anyone had a second dress for the evening that was easier to move around dance in? I have two children ages 5 & 2 xx

OP posts:

Thehop · 10/04/2022 20:35

My friend did. A light pink ball gown style for the night do

Junibug · 10/04/2022 21:37

Yes I did - my wedding dress was gorgeous but had a tight bodice and a bit of a train, so I swapped to a floor length white sequin dress (think it was from Debenhams, so not an actual bridal dress). Much comfier for all the dancing and eating!

mynameisnotmichaelcaine · 10/04/2022 21:38

I changed into a pink, strapless 50s style dress at about 9pm. It was much easier to dance in!

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Burnamer · 10/04/2022 21:39

I did. It was a great decision. Also switched from a floor length veil to a short, shoulder length one. Oh and swapped the bridal shoes for coloured heels.

Bellyups · 10/04/2022 21:43

No. Mine was heavy and tight but fucking amazing. DH really had to convince me to take it off at the end of the night
I’ve never been to a wedding where there was a dress change

Allaboutyou222 · 10/04/2022 21:45

I think it’s quite common. I had a registry office wedding so had a suit for that and changed into a white silk dress for the evening. I also changed out of shoes into white converse!

Shiningpath · 10/04/2022 21:46

I changed into a bridal jumpsuit for the dancing. Such a good decision.

Then a white tracksuit for the very end of the night afters.

thisplaceisweird · 10/04/2022 21:46

A very simple satin slip dress as it was so hot! Was great to have a loose, light dress to dance in

nosyupnorth · 10/04/2022 21:47

No. Two dresses which you are only going to wear for a few hours each sounds so pointless and wasteful. Just get a wedding dress that you can actually wear for your whole wedding.

EvenLess07 · 10/04/2022 22:23

I did, by 8.30 I was starting to feel achy and tired and dancing in the dress was getting to be a pain! I bought a long midnight blue dress with a split up the leg with the intention of using it for another occasion if I didn't want to change out of my wedding dress. Glad I gave myself the option

Lineofconcepcion · 10/04/2022 22:28

Kate Middleton, and Duchess of Sussex, are two that come to mind. Guests invited to the ceremony, wedding breakfast and evening reception are expected to change into evening dress for the evening reception. It's very common.

Original poster

MrsBBx · 12/04/2022 17:47

Thanks for the comments everyone It seems like it’s a pretty common thing to do. I’ll have a look at some nice high-street dresses that i will be able to wear again.

As for it being ‘wasteful’ to wear more than one dress, I can’t think of anything more wasteful than not being able to enjoy the evening reception properly (because I’m wearing a heavy dress) after putting so much time, effort and money into organising it all.

OP posts:

Original poster

MrsBBx · 12/04/2022 17:49

I tried on several dresses but non of them had the wow factor. I would hate to compromise on such a special dress just to be a ‘Sensible Sally’ but that’s just me

OP posts:

SophieG121 · 12/04/2022 19:17

I did, I have severe hyperhidrosis and was worried about sweating too much in my main dress so wanted a back up. However I didn't actually end up changing into it!

herecomesthsun · 12/04/2022 19:21

It is fine to have 2 dresses if that's what you want.

Personally, I was laced into a fairly comfortable but snug corset bodice, and DH couldn't work out how to unlace me, so we would probably have had technical difficulties with a mid-proceedings dress change...

Step1234 · 12/04/2022 19:22

I couldn't bear to take my wedding dress off but mine was pretty lightweight so easy to wear all day and night. Mine did cost the best part of £1k so it wouldn't have felt right to not get my money's worth out of the night too. Plus, i love wedding dresses. If i was just invited to the evening id be gutted if the bride had changed out of her wedding gown into something from the high street.

HereIComeAgain · 12/04/2022 19:25

I bought a non-expensive dress to change into for the evening reception in case I felt restricted or got too hot. Even though it was mid 30s I felt so great in my dress I didn't want to get changed, so I never wore the evening dress.

Praxoulla007 · 12/04/2022 19:28

I bought a second dress but I didn't end up wearing it. I loved my wedding dress and didn't want to take it off. Danced all night with it.

WombatChocolate · 12/04/2022 19:40

So many who bought a second dress and didn’t wear it.

You ‘get into’ being a bride and wearing the dress as the day passes. Most people adore their dress and spend time and money on it, so want to get a full day out of it and be the bride in the full sense of the word.

I think it’s a new thing to have 2 dresses, although people often used to have a ‘going away’ outfit, but that was often a smart sort of suit or day dress tat would definitely get worn again. The 2 dress thing is part of weddings becoming more and more commercialised and about more and more stuff - more food, more meals, more and more entertainment, more decorations and extras of all sorts for the guests and for the bride and groom.

My dress had a train which was beautiful going up the aisle and then after the service was hooked up either on a button at the back of the skirt or by a loop hooked on my wrist. And I danced and danced. I think people are more capable of dancing the night away in a formal dress than they think….just think if the people of the past.

Obviously, have another dress if you want one, but do consider how many hours wear you’ll get out of your actual wedding dress and the price etc. I agree that if you have evening guests who haven’t been to the service, they might be a bit disappointed not to see you in the wedding dress.

Original poster

MrsBBx · 12/04/2022 20:27

I defo agree about the evening guests not seeing the main wedding dress. I would still want to wear it for the first dance/cake cutting and things.

The problem is, my train is so long and heavy even when its booked up it will still be huge and heavy. It’s not about wearing two dresses for the sake of having two dresses. I have two little boys aged 4 & 2 so i want to be able to chase after them comfortably when i picked my dress i loved it so much I didn’t take into consideration how hard it would be to wear for hours on end.

I think I’ll get one and play it by ear. If i don’t end up wearing it then at least i gave myself the option. I just can’t think of anything worse than feeling uncomfortable all night

OP posts:

Original poster

MrsBBx · 12/04/2022 20:45

Hooked up**

OP posts:

Step1234 · 12/04/2022 20:59

If your dress has lots of heavy layers underneath, a good seamstress might be able to remove some to take the weight out of it without affecting the look of the dress - it might not cost you that much to do and it'll be more comfortable to wear. Just another alternative idea!

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 12/04/2022 21:04

Can't the train be made removable? I've seen quite a lot of brides do this, or have a dress that lets them swap a restrictive skirt for a looser one for the dancing, while keeping the wedding dress bodice on. Best of both worlds - you get to wear your dress all day, but can still enjoy the party.

SilverHairedCat · 12/04/2022 21:09

Can you get the dress tweaked by a seamstress to make the train removable? If that's the only problem? Take off any underskirts etc when you've had enough.

Nowisthemonthofmaying · 12/04/2022 21:21

Why not? I had 4 different dresses at my wedding, because I felt like it (none of them cost anywhere near £1k though)

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