What to Wear to a Bridal Shower, a Bachelorette or a Courthouse Wedding

October 17, 2026

A woman wearing the Luna Rebeka Short Dress In Ivory

A guest at a bridal shower wears a daytime dress in a color or a print, and leaves white and ivory to the bride. A bachelorette dinner calls for a cocktail dress. At a courthouse wedding, the bride usually wears a short white or ivory dress or an ivory suit, and the guests dress as they would for a dressy lunch. Luna has 3 ivory pieces for a bride. The most adaptable is the Rebeka Short Dress in Ivory ($595), a knee length sheath with sheer cape sleeves that come off at the shoulder.

What is the dress code for a bridal shower?

A bridal shower is usually a daytime party at a home, a restaurant or a garden. The code is dressy daytime, which means a dress at the knee or a midi, a dressy jumpsuit, or tailored separates. Prints and color are welcome. The invitation sometimes names a theme or a palette, and the host will tell you if you ask.

The Amanda Elegant Midi Dress in Floral Print ($695) is sleeveless, with a draped neckline, a belted waist and a skirt in an artistic floral print on a light ground. It is fully lined, cut from a breathable botanical fiber, and measures 46 inches from the back of the neck on a size 2. It suits a spring or summer shower at any age, and our guide to wedding guest dresses for women over 50 covers the same rules for the wedding itself.

What should the bride wear to her shower?

Many brides wear white or ivory to the shower. The Jody Lace Cocktail Dress in Ivory ($550) is fitted to the knee, with an ivory lace bodice, a sheer illusion yoke and short lace sleeves. It measures 37 inches from the back of the neck on a size 2. The Rebeka works here too, and its cape sleeves can come off once the gifts are open. For the engagement party before it, read what to wear to your own engagement party.

What should I wear to a bachelorette dinner?

A bachelorette dinner is cocktail dressing, often with a walk between a restaurant and a bar. The Iris Off-Shoulder Cocktail Dress in Black ($550) is fitted to the knee in a black metallic finish. Its pleated neckline sits off the shoulder, and small dark crystals are set into a sheer band at the waist. When the bride sets a theme, follow it with an accessory or a color, and choose a dress you will wear again.

What should I wear to a courthouse or civil wedding?

A courthouse or city hall wedding is short and held during the day, and it often ends at a lunch with a small group. The bride can wear a dress or a suit. The Agatha Pearl Detail Blazer in Ivory ($680) closes with 3 pearl buttons and has pearl trim on the pocket flaps. The Agatha High Waisted Wide Leg Pants in Ivory ($595) have a high waist, a pressed crease and an ivory belt with a rectangular metal buckle. Together they make an ivory suit for $1,275. The Rebeka in ivory, with its cape sleeves, suits a bride who prefers a dress.

Guests at a courthouse wedding dress as they would for a dressy daytime event. The Olga Wrap Dress in Navy ($695) wraps across the front under a belt with a gold tone buckle, and its notched lapels form the V neck. It is knee length with short sleeves, and it measures 39 inches from the back of the neck on a size 2. For a vow renewal, the same rules apply, and our guide to what to wear to a vow renewal covers it.

What to avoid

Guests avoid white, ivory and cream at all 3 events, unless the bride asks for a white party. Avoid a floor length gown at a daytime shower and at the courthouse. At a bachelorette, avoid shoes you cannot walk a few blocks in.

Shoes and layers

A garden shower needs a block heel or a wedge that stays on top of the grass. Courthouses have steps and security lines, and a low heel handles both. An evening bachelorette in fall or winter needs a coat that covers the hem of a knee length dress, or a short jacket over it.

A short checklist

Ask the host about the theme or the palette before you buy.
Leave white and ivory to the bride.
Choose a knee or midi length for the daytime events.
Check the walking distance on a bachelorette night.

More pieces for these celebrations are in engagement, shower and celebration outfits and in rehearsal dinner and bridal shower outfits.

Questions before the shower, the bachelorette and the courthouse

What should I wear to a bridal shower as a guest?

Wear a daytime dress or a dressy jumpsuit in a color or a print, at the knee or a midi length. Leave white and ivory to the bride.

Can I wear white to my own bridal shower?

Many brides wear white or ivory to the shower and to the engagement party. Guests leave those colors to the bride.

What should I wear to a bachelorette dinner if I am over 40?

Wear a cocktail dress at the knee in a dark or metallic fabric, with shoes you can walk in between venues. A sleeve or a midi hem gives more coverage for a long night out. Follow any theme the bride sets, within reason.