Soon-to-be married Tanya and Andrea wanted to "wow" their family and friends looking chic and put-together at their rehearsal dinner. We take on the challenge of dressing this (almost) husband and wife.

   Our Style Mission

Bride-and-groom-to-be Tanya and Andrea are looking to up their style quotient and make their rehearsal dinner just as memorable as the big day itself. They came to us to help them put together a glamorous rehearsal dinner look that will make them sparkle in the spotlight.

Our guest expert is highly-respected, Canadian fashion reporter Jeanne Beker, the face of Fashion Television. She had these tips for dressing our happy couple:

• Fashion is all about self-expression. A stylist really has to understand it’s not just like dressing a Christmas tree or a doll.

• If I was getting married (again), I would wear black to my rehearsal dinner.

• I want to be wowed by someone’s footwear. If you’re wearing a great pair of shoes, it doesn’t matter what else you’re wearing!

   Our Look Book

For a glamorous rehearsal dinner, we wanted to put Tanya and Andrea in complementary outfits that will contrast the wedding day.

We decided to divide and conquer. Anna took on Andrea’s look and tried to steer clear of putting him in a suit. Kristina took on Tanya’s look and went in search of the perfect little black dress.

Tanya’s Outfit details

• Black silk halter dress with beaded neckline: $246 at Wear Else
• Silver metallic, peep-toe heels with rhinestone detail: $158 at Brown’s Shoes
• Black satin clutch: $25 at Aldo Shoes
• Pearl and faux-diamond bracelets: $5 each at H&M

Andrea’s Outfit Details

• Grey wool checkered pants: $149 at Rick Rayburn
• Crisp white dress shirt: $50 at H&M
• Black tuxedo jacket with satin accents: $80 at H&M
• Black socks: $10 at H&M
• Black & silver paisley satin scarf: $15 at H&M
• Black dress shoes: $125 at Town Shoes
• Bride-Groom cufflinks: $65 at Rick Rayburn

Jeanne Beker’s opinion

• That’s glamorous. Very chic. They certainly look pleased! That is numero uno.

• Tanya looks fabulous. There’s a lot happening in the dress at the top. On someone else, it could make her look top-heavy, but the length is great.

• Tanya’s shoes, bracelet and clutch are very conservative. I’d like something a little bigger for the clutch. You could have gone a little edgier with her shoes and bracelet.

• For Andrea, I like the idea of the scarf. I don’t know if that scarf necessarily suits him; it looks a little contrived. 

• A white shirt is a very formal look. For something like this you could have gone more dramatic with a charcoal, or black is really cool, sexy.

• The cuff links are a very sweet detail. A little nerdy, but you can afford to be a little nerdy the night before your wedding!

   Did our style picks make the “Do List” or “Don’t List”?

Tanya and Andrea both loved what we chose for them. Andrea especially loved the trousers Anna picked out for him, and Tanya thought the dress was stunning. Can you believe we shopped separately? (We had a lot of help from our camera phones!)

“Nerdy”, “conservative”, and “a bit contrived” are some of the terms Jeanne Beker used to describe our efforts, but it all started with a big “WOW”. She agreed we achieved glamorous, though she felt we could have gone a bit edgier with both looks by choosing some more unique pieces.

   Tip Central

• For evening slacks, look for styles that are streamlined, and pockets that are cut on-seam, or on the diagonal.

• A wedding is your chance to shine. The rehearsal dinner is your chance to shine. Appear cohesive as a couple, but not matchy-matchy. Your look should set the tone for your upcoming wedding day. 

• If you’re not sure what to get, you can always go with the old friend: a little black dress. Black works great for guys too!

   Other Show Segments

• Beauty Tips: Red Lips
  
• Style Tips: Accessorize the Little Black Dress
• Tricks of the Trade: How to Walk in High Heels

Please note: opinions expressed about fashion and beauty in this article are just that: our opinions. Feeling beautiful on the inside is what matters most, but we like to do what we can on the outside too.