Your wedding day is so much more than just the one day—it’s a whole season of celebrating, from your engagement party to the final toasts at your rehearsal dinner. If that overwhelms you, don’t worry! This pre-wedding events guide breaks down every must-know detail, from traditions and venues to outfit ideas to keep you looking effortlessly bridal every step of the way.

The Engagement Party

Serving double duty as a chance to show off your new bling and introduce your overall wedding aesthetic, your engagement party is the first major celebration of your pre-wedding journey. It’s a chance for you and your partner to toast your newly minted fiancé status with all your closest family and friends, as well as giving your future wedding guests a chance to get to know each other a little better before the big event!

• Venue & Decor: Whether you host an intimate backyard gathering, a chic restaurant dinner, or a go all-out with a formal event hall affair, your engagement party should reflect you as a soonly-wed couple. Your decor can hint at your wedding theme—set the tone with thoughtful details like cutesy centerpieces, fresh floral arrangements, or modern accent pieces from a trusted event rental company.
• Food & Drinks: Keep the menu fun and friendly with passed apps, food stations, or a casual buffet. Elevate the celebration with signature couple cocktails or a bubbly champagne toast!
• What to Wear: An engagement party is the perfect excuse to wear your very first LWD (that is, Little White Dress). You can dress for the venue and vibe, from casual cute to formal and flirty—whatever makes your feel the most bridal. Now is when you’ll start experimenting with your style, so have fun!

The Bridal Shower

A bridal shower is more than just a pre-wedding tradition! Whether an intimate brunch or an elegant afternoon tea, this event is all about friends and family showering the bride with love, laughter, and of course… a few thoughtful gifts.

• History & Hosts: Bridal showers actually date back to 16th-century Europe, but today it’s one of the fun pre-wedding events meant to celebrate the bride and gift the couple items needed to create their shared household. This responsibility usually falls to the maid or matron of honor and the mother of the bride (or C, all of the above!).
• Ideas & Decor: Typically, the bride doesn’t plan her own bridal shower, but you can always share a few bridal shower ideas with those closest to you to set expectations—like, no surprise parties, please! From elegant garden brunches with lush floral arrangements to modern gatherings featuring personalized bridal shower invitations, there are endless ways for your friends and fam to create a stunning soiree.
• What to Wear: Usually a touch more formal than your engagement or bachelorette party wear, bridal shower dresses pack a pretty punch with bows, lace, and feminine flair. (Or, whatever you want to wear!)

The Bachelorette Party

Your bachelorette party is, traditionally, a girls-only event celebrating your “last night as a free woman” (but come on, we know you’ll still see your friends like, every other weekend). Dating back to the 1960s, this final fling before the ring has evolved from one wild night out to full-scale mini vacations, with destination and long-weekend bachelorettes becoming more and more popular among brides-to-be. Whether you choose a single night on the town or a full weekend of shenanigans, anything goes for your last spin as a single lady. 

• Destination vs. Local: While your bridesmaids typically handle the planning, the first decision is whether to keep it close to home or fare TSA security checks. Some brides prefer a lively night out with a fancy dinner, barhopping, or a private party at a trendy venue. Others go all out with a weekend in Las Vegas, Nashville, or a relaxing beach retreat.
• Themes & Activities: Anything goes when it comes to bachelorette parties. Whether you’re sporting matching robes for an at-home spa night, spending a sunny weekend at the beach, or rocking granny wigs (no really, it’s a thing), the right vibe is one that reflects your unique personality.
• What to Wear: Now’s the time to really have some fun. Again, totally tailor to your specific event(s), but let your bridal style go wild with a fun micro-mini, sequins, and unexpected twists.

The Rehearsal Dinner

The last of your pre-wedding events, the rehearsal dinner is usually held the night before the wedding, after the wedding rehearsal. It got its humble beginnings as a way to show your hospitality and gratitude to your out-of-town guests and allow time for the two families to meet and mingle. It can sway from casual to formal, with the attire varying as such.

• Traditions & Etiquette: Historically, the groom’s parents hosted (and paid for) the rehearsal dinner, but many modern couples now share the responsibility or even take the lead. Toasts are a key tradition, beginning with the groom’s fam, followed by the couple and their wedding party. You can even take this time to present your bridal party gifts as a heartfelt thanks to the ones by your side through every wedding planning meltdown.
• Venues & Decor: The rehearsal dinner should really include food in some capacity, so popular venues include restaurants, breweries, or wineries with anything from seated meals to hand-passed hors d’oeuvres. Typically, décor isn’t a main focus of the evening, but feel free to express yourself with personalized signage, floral centerpieces, or elegant tablescapes (if allowed by your venue!).
• What to Wear: Depending on the evening’s vibe, your rehearsal dinner look can lean toward casual or elegant. Take location into consideration, then add a touch of bridal flair.

Bonus Event: The Welcome Party

Welcome parties are a more modern tradition, particularly for couples hosting a destination wedding or one where most guests will have to travel in. It gives the couple a chance to spend some actual time with their out-of-town guests before the hustle, bustle, mingling mayhem of the wedding day.

• Common Settings: Wedding welcome parties can be a more casual event, with couples opting to host them at a local brewery, the hotel bar where their guests are staying, or even a backyard BBQ.
• What to Wear: Anything you want! Go for another LWD, find a cozy bride-themed ‘fit, or just show up in your casual daytime clothes. 

That’s a Wrap: Your Pre-Wedding Party Playbook

Your pre-wedding events set the stage for your big day, giving you and your guests special moments to celebrate, connect, and create lasting memories. From the brand-new excitement of your engagement party to the sappy toasts at your rehearsal dinner, every event reflects a different part of your journey as a couple. There’s no right or wrong way to celebrate—just what feels right for you!

Looking for more outfit inspo? Check out our 8 Dress Edit!