51 Little White Bridal Dresses for Every Type of Wedding Outfit

A curated edit of looks for every modern bride-to-be, from classic courthouse attire to after-party sequins.

a Bernadette Antwerp bride taking a mirror selfie while wearing a white satin dress
(Image credit: Bernadette Antwerp)

Newly engaged brides quickly learn that weddings aren’t always a one-day, one-dress affair. Getting engaged is just the first of many excuses to start curating a closet full of white dresses So when the wedding planning begins, so does the search for all-white outfits tailored to each occasion—from the shower to the after-party.

No bride is required to have several outfit changes over the course of an engagement, let alone in one night, but multiple looks can be a fun way to marry fashion and convention and offer brides-to-be a chance to play into the many different styles on the market.

If your ceremony dress is traditional but you love a ton of bling, opt for a little white dress adorned with sequins and crystal embellishments for the reception and after-party. For practical brides who prefer a laid-back look that they can wear again, spend the bridal shower and rehearsal dinner in a summery linen dress.

As a summer 2024 bride, I’m wrapping up planning my wedding wardrobe and have scrolled through every little white dress for every potential event on a bride’s calendar (including my own). Ahead, shop 51 dresses that run the gamut, from classic wedding styles to cult-favorite bridal designers to new styles that hone in on the latest bridal trends.

For the Bridal Shower

Bridal showers are the first of many wedding-adjacent events where the bride might want to opt for white. These parties tend to feel more casual, and it's appropriate to mix in relaxed fabrics like cotton or linen—but no one will stop you from going all-out in a sweet satin mini.

For the Rehearsal Dinner

If you're not having a welcome party, the rehearsal dinner is the first time your guests get a taste of your wedding aesthetic. I'm considering longer semi-formal options for my rehearsal dinner, but you can also play with sheer fabrics and relaxed, shorter silhouettes.

For the Wedding Reception

The formal part of the wedding is over—now it's time to change into something fun and lightweight for dancing the night away. Go all out with fringe, sparkles, and decals.

For the Courthouse Wedding

Lean into the formality of the courthouse setting by choosing classic silhouettes. You can incorporate florals and pastels to shake up the look.

After-Party Dresses

If you don't want the party to stop, there's nothing better than an after-party to really show off your bridal style. This is the time of night when your friends are (most likely) the only ones left on the dance floor, or maybe you've changed locations entirely. Either way, it's an appropriate moment for a dialed-up outfit change.

Bachelorette Weekend

The Bachelorette weekend is the time to play with textures, sparkles, and colors. Whether you're going away for a day or two or just having a celebratory night out with your girlfriends, it's the ideal time to have fun with your looks.

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Julia Marzovilla
Fashion E-Commerce Editor

Julia Marzovilla is the Fashion E-Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she reviews the latest launches from fashion and beauty brands, finds the best on-sale items around the internet, and interviews experts to find the best products in any category to share with her readers. She also creates shopping guides that span every vertical on the site as an expert in everything from the best laptop bags to the best laser hair removal devices.

In her near decade of experience, Julia has both written for several top outlets in the E-Commerce space and worked at major fashion labels. Prior to joining the Marie Claire team, she contributed similar shopping stories to sites such as Bustle, InStyle, The Zoe Report, Who What Wear, and worked as the Trending Fashion and News Writer STYLECASTER. You can find her across the internet at @JuliaMarzovilla. In real life, you can find her creating shopping guides for her friends, cooking or baking in her too-small kitchen, or buying tickets for the next time Harry Styles is in town.

Julia has a Bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Journalism from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. She lives in New York City, her hometown.