After-party...what would you wear?

megtownxx

After our reception, we'll most likely head to bars to keep the party going. Would you change or stay in your wedding dress? My dress is pretty standard in terms of size. A-line, bustle, etc. I like the idea of changing into a party dress, but I also want to really enjoy my wedding dress and being the bride for the small amount of time it is.

So what would you do?

kahluakoala

I have seen brides either wear their wedding dress still (i would only do this if it were realllllly comfortable, but that's me. I'm the kind of girl who instantly puts on comfy pants after work!) or change into something really casual and comfortable - like jeans and a tee shirt. I've never really seen a separate "party dress". I tend to not GAF about "attention whoreish" things that don't hurt anyone, but I would think a party dress would be a little weird.

charlotte989875

My sister and I both did after parties in bars in our venue (separate spaces from the reception) and stayed in our dresses. I loved mine and wanted to wear it as long as possible. 

Ive had a few friends who went out to bars after and changed into jeans/nice shirts and some that stayed in their dresses. I don't know that I've actually been to a wedding where the bride changed into a different 'party dress' but if that's your thing I don't see a problem with it. 

msuprincess04

I put the dress from my rehearsal back on. It was a fun white party dress. I lost a few hooks from my bustle so it was easier to change anyway.

ei34

This is the kind of decision that doesn't really effect others, so you should do whatever makes you happiest. If your dress is kind of uncomfortable (or will be if you wear it past 12 hours), I'd change.  If it's very comfortable and makes you happy to be in, stay in it. 

Jen4948

My brother and SIL changed out of their wedding outfits into casual clothes for their after-party. It really depends on what you want to do.

downtondiva

You can do whatever you want for this. It may be fun to wear your wedding dress to a bar, but you might also be more comfortable in something else. I'd at least have some other clothes on hand so you can just decide at the last minute if necessary.

WinstonsGirl

I stayed in my dress.  I didn't have anything else to wear, but I loved my dress and wanted to stay in it.  Totally up to you

MobKaz

I think a lot depends on how easily it is to change and where you can put your gown in the interim. 

AddieCake

I would wear the dress. I wish I could have worn my dress to ours, but that would have been ridiculous since it was so many hours after the wedding and we'd gone home and napped first.

banana468

I went out to a bar with friends and family after and I wore the dress.   It's not like I could wear it again! 

climbingsingle

I kept my dress on as long as possible. You only get to wear it one day! So, I put it on around 10am and didn't take it off until 11pm (yes, I went to bed early). 

kimmiinthemitten

I wore my dress and added a cardigan since I was chilly. It wasn't a great fashion statement, but I wasn't ready to take it off either. 

MandyMost

I think what makes the most sense largely depends on the timing. When does this after-party start? If it's late, I think you should either stay in your dress or put on something REALLY comfy (like jeans and a t-shirt). I've seen brides change, but keep the vail on, which was cute. 

If it's early, and you don't want to wear your dress, changing into a party dress makes sense to me. However, when I've seen brides change, it usually comes across like the bride was "forced into" having a traditional wedding, and would have preferred have a more casual even all along.

peachy13

Keep it on! It's really the last time you'll wear it. I kept mine on but threw on my husband's work hoodie which made for some funny pics.

LD1970

No way was I taking that dress off before going to bed the night of my wedding.  Loved it too much, even if it was about 400 lbs and a ballgown!

KnotYetTied

MandyMost said:

I think what makes the most sense largely depends on the timing. When does this after-party start? If it's late, I think you should either stay in your dress or put on something REALLY comfy (like jeans and a t-shirt). I've seen brides change, but keep the vail on, which was cute. 

If it's early, and you don't want to wear your dress, changing into a party dress makes sense to me. However, when I've seen brides change, it usually comes across like the bride was "forced into" having a traditional wedding, and would have preferred have a more casual even all along.

I love this idea!

 I guess my only concern with keeping the dress on would be the chance that something would happen to it - spills, tears, and such.

charlotte989875

Knotyettied said:

MandyMost said:

I think what makes the most sense largely depends on the timing. When does this after-party start? If it's late, I think you should either stay in your dress or put on something REALLY comfy (like jeans and a t-shirt). I've seen brides change, but keep the vail on, which was cute. 

If it's early, and you don't want to wear your dress, changing into a party dress makes sense to me. However, when I've seen brides change, it usually comes across like the bride was "forced into" having a traditional wedding, and would have preferred have a more casual even all along.

I love this idea!

 I guess my only concern with keeping the dress on would be the chance that something would happen to it - spills, tears, and such.

You're going to run that risk wearing it all day; in and out of the ceremony, dancing at the reception, people coming up to you giving you hugs (with drinks in their hands), etc. 

Subwayloves

charlotte989875 said:

Knotyettied said:

MandyMost said:

I think what makes the most sense largely depends on the timing. When does this after-party start? If it's late, I think you should either stay in your dress or put on something REALLY comfy (like jeans and a t-shirt). I've seen brides change, but keep the vail on, which was cute. 

If it's early, and you don't want to wear your dress, changing into a party dress makes sense to me. However, when I've seen brides change, it usually comes across like the bride was "forced into" having a traditional wedding, and would have preferred have a more casual even all along.

I love this idea!

 I guess my only concern with keeping the dress on would be the chance that something would happen to it - spills, tears, and such.

You're going to run that risk wearing it all day; in and out of the ceremony, dancing at the reception, people coming up to you giving you hugs (with drinks in their hands), etc. 

Not sure if it's common for everyone, or if people I know are just clumsy, but pretty much everyone I know has had some sort of spill or gotten some sort of stain on their dress. By the end of the night, my dress had grass stains on the bottom, make up stains on the neckline, and a pink stain on the front from wine being spilled on it (..by me.. oops). In my opinion, you can't really worry about keeping your dress "perfect" all day.

ETA: And I only wore my dress during the ceremony and reception, changing into a tshirt and leggings for the "after party" in our hotel lobby 

MandyMost

KnotYetTied said:

MandyMost said:

I think what makes the most sense largely depends on the timing. When does this after-party start? If it's late, I think you should either stay in your dress or put on something REALLY comfy (like jeans and a t-shirt). I've seen brides change, but keep the vail on, which was cute. 

If it's early, and you don't want to wear your dress, changing into a party dress makes sense to me. However, when I've seen brides change, it usually comes across like the bride was "forced into" having a traditional wedding, and would have preferred have a more casual even all along.

I love this idea!

 I guess my only concern with keeping the dress on would be the chance that something would happen to it - spills, tears, and such.

Unless you're banking on selling it after the wedding, who cares if it gets stained or gets a rip? It's not like you're going to wear it again! You can still store it and give it to future children/grand children even if it has a stain or a rip--it's unlikely they'd plan to wear it "as is" anyway. 

climbingsingle

The only way your dress will remain clean is if you put yourself in a bubble for the day with no food or liquid. 

cowgirl8238

Subwayloves said:

charlotte989875 said:

Knotyettied said:

MandyMost said:

I think what makes the most sense largely depends on the timing. When does this after-party start? If it's late, I think you should either stay in your dress or put on something REALLY comfy (like jeans and a t-shirt). I've seen brides change, but keep the vail on, which was cute. 

If it's early, and you don't want to wear your dress, changing into a party dress makes sense to me. However, when I've seen brides change, it usually comes across like the bride was "forced into" having a traditional wedding, and would have preferred have a more casual even all along.

I love this idea!

 I guess my only concern with keeping the dress on would be the chance that something would happen to it - spills, tears, and such.

You're going to run that risk wearing it all day; in and out of the ceremony, dancing at the reception, people coming up to you giving you hugs (with drinks in their hands), etc. 

Not sure if it's common for everyone, or if people I know are just clumsy, but pretty much everyone I know has had some sort of spill or gotten some sort of stain on their dress. By the end of the night, my dress had grass stains on the bottom, make up stains on the neckline, and a pink stain on the front from wine being spilled on it (..by me.. oops). In my opinion, you can't really worry about keeping your dress "perfect" all day.

ETA: And I only wore my dress during the ceremony and reception, changing into a tshirt and leggings for the "after party" in our hotel lobby 

I didn't spill any drinks, but I had grass stains on the bottom, dirty "foot prints" and a tear from people stepping on it, and at the end of the night my friend got all that filling from a glow stick on it so I had a random green spot that only shows up under blacklight.  All that to say it didn't stop my DH from using it again as a Halloween Costume where we dressed as the Groom and Bride!

ETA Photo: (Sorry its huge!)

KnotYetTied

climbingwife said:

The only way your dress will remain clean is if you put yourself in a bubble for the day with no food or liquid. 

This makes total and complete sense. I guess I never thought about it. I've never noticed any stains on the bride's dress at any weddings I've attended. Of course, that doesn't mean the stains weren't there...

OurWildKingdom

I really like that picture, @cowgirl8238!

cowgirl8238

OurWildKingdom said:

I really like that picture, @cowgirl8238!

Thanks!  We won best costume for it too!

Casadena

I did the same thing and went to the bar in my dress.  It was a full ball gown  I had an awesome time and was definitely happy i stayed in my dress.  It was filthy at the end, but whatever - i can't imagine anyone ever wearing it again, BUT if they did i had it dry cleaned and it looks fine now.

SP29

KnotYetTied said:

climbingwife said:

The only way your dress will remain clean is if you put yourself in a bubble for the day with no food or liquid. 

This makes total and complete sense. I guess I never thought about it. I've never noticed any stains on the bride's dress at any weddings I've attended. Of course, that doesn't mean the stains weren't there...

I did not get anything spilled on my dress, but after I looked at it the next day I noticed make up along the top, and DIRT stains all along the bottom hem and train. My dress was also stepped on a time or two.