My June wedding date is sneaking closer and closer—and while I picked out my ceremony dress months ago, I’m still missing my pièce de résistance: A wedding after-party dress to change into when the DJ starts to bump up the BPMs. I’ll be saying “I do” in a field in the Hudson Valley, so my personal goal was to find a dress that, while playful, still fit the vibe of our celebration and venue. A bodycon style that might be ideal in Miami wouldn’t feel quite right against a backdrop of tall grasses and wild roses. Something too structured was also off the table for me; a bit too formal for our “bucolic cocktail” dress code.
So, I did what any fashion-loving girl does best: I got busy shopping. I spent a day bopping around SoHo, popping in to various boutiques, and also ordered a few additional styles online to round out my options. I wanted to cast a wide net, not committing to any one silhouette (or even to wearing white) before I’d given myself the chance to get an idea of what different versions of me would look like on my wedding night.
My Wedding After-Party Dress Wishlist
I’m still in the final deliberation stages of which dress to pick, but after trying on nearly a dozen options, I think I have it. Keep reading to see all the styles I road-tested on my journey—and the reception dress I plan to claim as “the one.”
Prada
Courtesy of Aemilia Madden
Courtesy of Aemilia Madden
