What does one wear to a wedding rehearsal dinner?

[DonaBella]

My son is getting married on May 29th and the wedding rehearsal dinner is on the 27th and will be held at a nice mexican restaurant. Its not too dressy but its also not a jeans, t shirt and flip flop affair either...so...what is appropriate without being too much or not enough?

I am speaking for myself--the mom of the groom--cuz I know already what my husband is wearing. Also, so my younger sons just sort of mimic my husband in attire?

This is the first kid of mine to marry so i am a bit clueless...

Ideas or suggestions appreciated!!!

 

[mrssalvo]

DB, you''re the mom of the groom you get to where whatever you want

. I think a nice pair of pants and pretty top would be appropriate. what''s your style? I''m sure you''re younger than my mom but she loves Ann Taylor and would wear something she liked from there.

 

[DonaBella]

Thanks for responding...I am 46 years old as of March 23rd. I am 5''5" and there is about 158 lbs of curvaceous bod to work with--unfortunately. I am part Spanish, part Italian with a little Swedish and French thrown in. I have dark brown eyes, natural dark brown hair that has a weave of caramel and cappacuinno highlights in it and its a little longer than shoulder length. I have naturally wavy/curly hair and love v necks in most everything like shirts or dresses because of my really round face shape. I don''t look too bad for a gal who has birthed 9 kids, so I am told. Don''t have any facial wrinkles to speak of. Shortwaisted. My least favorite body part is my arms, which look like sausages to me unless I lose about 35-40 lbs. I admit I would love to weigh 20 lbs less, but I work out pretty regular--or used to except for the past 4 weeks--so my arms and upper body is a little defined and my abs are ok for a gal my age.

With wedding and open house stuff to do and running a flower shop, I have only made it to the gym like 2 times in 4 weeks! I usually go 3 times a week and boy, do I miss it!

I thought I would wear either a nice lightweight but dressy skirt, one of those prarie like ones but its nicer made out of a dressier fabric, with a nice suplice top that has a bit of lace to it. Option number two would be a dressy pair of slacks with a dressy cami and lacey shrug with some dressy but comfy slingbacks...does that sound ok or dorky?

My sons tell me that I do not dress dowdy or very much like a mom of 9 kids, which I guess is good. I mostly wear either jeans like my Levi 519''s from the junior department--just got lucky on those--or a pair of gauchos with t shirts or nice but casual tops on a daily basis for running around in. My hair is not quite as curly as the darkhaired actress who plays Stella on CSI NY and a little longer too...to give you an idea.

I mention all this so you can get a visual of me. I haven''t taken too many pics of me recently and I detest me in photos...

 

[Tybee]

Deanna,
You don''t sound dowdy in the least!
I just started looking for outfits for my rehearsal diinner-- ours is going to be quite casual too.
It sounds like you have a good sense of what you want, and what looks good on you.
I''m anxious to see what pricescopers come up with for you--- there''s a lot of great fashion sense out there.

Tybee

 

[lovelylulu]

okay, i have absolutely no computer skills, so my collage is going to look a little strange, but i hope you get the idea...

i read your post and thought that the nice pants/shit combo would look great. really smart.

since the weather is warm, i thought that a great pair of wide leg, white trousers (which look really slimming) paired with a tailored black shirt might look perfect. i found a shirt that has a short sleeve, which i thought you might like since you stated you don''t exactly love arms.

here''s the picture -

the shirt is from ann taylor loft and the pants from banana republic, but i think that these pieces could be found in so many different places.

 

[monarch64]

Hi Deanna, I like your idea of a surplice top and dressier peasant skirt. Have you checked out Boston Proper? Their website is www.bostonproper.com. They have a lot of nice things that would be perfect for a rehearsal dinner, aren''t too conservative but definitely not inappropriate, and their prices aren''t too bad.

I think you could even do a cotton prairie skirt if it had some beading/sequin detail on it...I have one in cotton with embelllishment as described and I can dress it up or down, tank top or dressy sweater, flip flops or heels. It''s very versatile.

 

[Dodger Gurl]

I agree, you can wear whatever you want granted it matches the formalness/casualness of the event. I think a pretty top and nice slacks is a great idea. Dress it up with some simple, elegant jewelry and I think it would look quite nice!

 

[MustangFan]

Ann Taylor suits are awesome. They never change the matierial and they go with everything. They''ll never go out of style, so you can upgrade the top and for half the cost. (Although they are kinda pricey initially) You can have the same slacks for 10 years!!! (As long as you don''t gain weight, that is...)
Hope this helps! Also buy some fake pearls earring and necklace if you don''t already have it, it''s classic, and time less, so just in case you have your picture taken and 20 years from now you say, "What was I thinking!" I saw a video of my sisters wedding from 1990 and it''s very scarey, what the people are wearing!!!! lol

 

[MustangFan]

BTW,

If you are a conscious person like I am, never wear white, unless you have a suit jacket that covers your bottom region. I had a pair of light colored dress pants and I never wore them because you can see the cellulite in your, you know what!! Sorry to be blunt, but I would feel uncomfortable so that''s why i never wore them, unless your super thin. Anyway sorry for my bluntness, atleast I''m honest.

 

[diamondfan]

I think a pretty skirt with a pattern, and a top of some type (maybe a tank if you put something over it or just a cute top) and then a jeweled sandal of some type, like a flip flop or one with a tiny heel...

 

[DonaBella]

Date: 5/12/2006 10:43:21 AM
Author: lovelylulu
okay, i have absolutely no computer skills, so my collage is going to look a little strange, but i hope you get the idea...

i read your post and thought that the nice pants/shit combo would look great. really smart.

since the weather is warm, i thought that a great pair of wide leg, white trousers (which look really slimming) paired with a tailored black shirt might look perfect. i found a shirt that has a short sleeve, which i thought you might like since you stated you don''t exactly love arms.

here''s the picture -

the shirt is from ann taylor loft and the pants from banana republic, but i think that these pieces could be found in so many different places.

oooh...I really like this combo! Nice, not too casual and the pants idea is really good. I used to be quite big---at least I thought so---and lost 35-40 lbs about a year ago and have diligently worked on my hips, thighs and butt so wearing pants, especially white, off white or khaki, is a joy now...

There is an Ann Taylor loft by me in the Galleria at Tyler Mall in Riverside. I wonder, with my 38D chest, do you think I would be able to wear something like that? I don''t want to look hoochy like in something too sheer...yanno?

 

[DonaBella]

Date: 5/12/2006 11:20:42 AM
Author: monarch64
Hi Deanna, I like your idea of a surplice top and dressier peasant skirt. Have you checked out Boston Proper? Their website is www.bostonproper.com. They have a lot of nice things that would be perfect for a rehearsal dinner, aren''t too conservative but definitely not inappropriate, and their prices aren''t too bad.

I think you could even do a cotton prairie skirt if it had some beading/sequin detail on it...I have one in cotton with embelllishment as described and I can dress it up or down, tank top or dressy sweater, flip flops or heels. It''s very versatile.

Great idea...yes, I think checking out Boston Proper is a super idea. A friend showed me their catalog so I definitely want to look at their stuff. I have a chocolate brown peasant skirt that I got at Nordstrom in their BP section(I know, its the jr section, but one sort of like it in Point of view was more expensive so I bought it in BP) and it has some scattered embellishment on the last 3 inches of the skirt.

I do like the idea of a slighter longer one though with a little beading detail or something. A nice cami and a shrug with some dress kitten heels and maybe that might work...

Thanks...I am definitely starting to see some options!

 

[DonaBella]

Date: 5/12/2006 11:40:36 AM
Author: DodgerGurl
I agree, you can wear whatever you want granted it matches the formalness/casualness of the event. I think a pretty top and nice slacks is a great idea. Dress it up with some simple, elegant jewelry and I think it would look quite nice!

Thanks, DodgerGurl...

If I go with this option, I would play up the top with some lace or some light embellishment on it and keep the slacks nice and simple. I have a diamond pendant my hubby gave me that I might wear that is simple but elegant with some similar--but not diamond earrings. Is that tacky to wear earrings that mimic diamonds---but aren''t---with a diamond necklace? If so, I have some nice jewelry that I can wear instead. Just wondering...

Thanks for your suggestion!

 

[DonaBella]

Date: 5/12/2006 11:44:06 AM
Author: MustangFan
Ann Taylor suits are awesome. They never change the matierial and they go with everything. They''ll never go out of style, so you can upgrade the top and for half the cost. (Although they are kinda pricey initially) You can have the same slacks for 10 years!!! (As long as you don''t gain weight, that is...)
Hope this helps! Also buy some fake pearls earring and necklace if you don''t already have it, it''s classic, and time less, so just in case you have your picture taken and 20 years from now you say, ''What was I thinking!'' I saw a video of my sisters wedding from 1990 and it''s very scarey, what the people are wearing!!!! lol

oooh, good point about thinking classic...I already wish that since the wedding is around the corner, and I didn''t lose the 10 or 15 lbs. I had hoped I would how awful I will look in those wedding photos. I absolutely am dreading picture taking!!!

And I have a to-die-for-Sue Wong dress I am wearing for the wedding....I promise to post pics after the wedding. I love how I feel when I wear that dress!!!

 

[DonaBella]

Date: 5/12/2006 11:50:07 AM
Author: MustangFan
BTW,

If you are a conscious person like I am, never wear white, unless you have a suit jacket that covers your bottom region. I had a pair of light colored dress pants and I never wore them because you can see the cellulite in your, you know what!! Sorry to be blunt, but I would feel uncomfortable so that''s why i never wore them, unless your super thin. Anyway sorry for my bluntness, atleast I''m honest.

No, no...you are SO right, mustangfan! And thank you for your candor and words of warning...After 9 babies, I am working on my derrierre so much, it aint even funny! There is a machine at the gym that I seriously work on till I am sweating bullets to lift and firm that part of me. But cellulite is not easily solved even with working out...

You are so right and so considerate to mention something like this....thank you...

 

[DonaBella]

Date: 5/12/2006 11:59:29 AM
Author: diamondfan
I think a pretty skirt with a pattern, and a top of some type (maybe a tank if you put something over it or just a cute top) and then a jeweled sandal of some type, like a flip flop or one with a tiny heel...

Thanks, diamondfan...

I like the idea of a nice slightly dressy but not stuffy flowy skirt. I also like the idea of a tank, maybe with a little embellishment on the neck area--not too much--maybe skip the necklace if it has embellishment. Definitely a light shrug if I do a cami or tank though. I want to stay away from a flip flop since even though its a mexican restaurant, its still a nice event, just dressed down a tad.

The restaurant we are going to has a back room we will have to ourselves. It doesn''t have doors to block it off, but the manager says it is ours for the time we are there. The tables will set up in a "U" shape to accommodate the amount of people we expect--around 40. When we first walk in, there will be a smaller table set up with napkins, a fruit tray and a seperate veggie tray so people can munch while we wait for others to arrive. On the main tables, the top of the tables will be covered with a antique gold vinyl I found at a party supply store to unify and create a nice look to the tabletop. I thought about having some simple long, skinny floral centerpieces of the wedding colors, 3 of them--one for each table. The restaurant is printing up personalized menu sheets and placed at each setting. I thought that was nice.

Can you tell I am excited and nervous??? Sorry for rambling...