What to wear to a rehearsal dinner

One notch below whatever the wedding is. The rehearsal dinner is the warm-up, and dressing it at the same level as the ceremony is the most common error.

What it means

It is usually a seated dinner for a smaller group, which changes two things. You will be photographed close up rather than across a lawn, so the fabric and the neckline matter more than the silhouette. And you will be sitting for two hours, so the dress has to be comfortable seated, not just standing.

What works

• A midi in a fabric with texture — it reads well at close range
• A neckline you like in photographs taken from across a table
• A lower heel, or an elevated flat. The venue is often a restaurant
• Something you have worn before and know sits well seated

What to avoid

• Out-dressing the couple. This is their rehearsal, not the wedding
• White or ivory, for the same reason as the wedding
• A strapless dress you have to adjust every time you sit down
• Anything you are saving for the wedding itself

One more thing

If the wedding is black-tie optional, the rehearsal dinner is cocktail. If the wedding is cocktail, the rehearsal dinner is smart daytime.