From the very beginning: I need advice!

[Freelander Sporrano]

Congrat's on the up and comming wedding.

Matt is correct in every detail. You don't have to have a white rabbit Dress sporran Grey seal or some other type of fur is nice there are many to choose from (How I envy you) They are however expensive so start saving.
I wouls drop the belt if wearing a Prince Charlie.

You can use an evening belt I just think they don't look right .
As for underwear I use it under the kilt only if there are children around.

[Bob C]

You don't have to have a white rabbit Dress sporran

That is certainly true. That's just what mine happens to be. I thought it would offset my wife's dress nicely, and it did. Sporrans come in all sorts of wonderful varieties.

[Freelander Sporrano]

That is certainly true. That's just what mine happens to be. I thought it would offset my wife's dress nicely, and it did. Sporrans come in all sorts of wonderful varieties.

Sorry Bob you looked great in your's. I just didn't want a newbie to think he "Had" to have one.

[Bob C]

No offense taken, David. I was actually agreeing with you!

[Hosehead]

As a newbie and (until now) a lurker, I would like to thank all of you for the information. At the end of October, I will also be getting married in formal attire with kilt. This thread has been very helpful as a checklist (it has also be VERY funny). Thanks for everything...

KL

[Freelander Sporrano]

Murray . Many companpies offer what you want as a package . Hector Russell do for one.There are many others .

The ghilles that usually follow in this pakage are of fairly standard type. They look great for any occasion. So don't go crazy trying to decide . If you go to a reputable vendor they will be able to show you. and you will be able to try the differnt types.

Take the wife to be along too

[bubba]

The Kilt Store, one of this sites sponsors, offers several complete packages, plus going to their site through the ad on this site gets you an X Marks discount.

[Murray of New Brunswick]

Thanks for all your help, here's what we have so far (I keep updating this to try and summarize what I have learned):

- It terms out a number of these things are matters of taste. In my case, I would like if possible for my outfit to be completely "orthodox": the sort of outfit I would greet the Queen in should she drop by one day, or at least what's considered orthodox for a groom. In cases where I depart from that, I want to do so advisedly, and in cases where what I wear as groom wouldn't be apporpriate for another occasion, I'd like to understand that too.

The well-dressed groom comes to the ceremony loaded with:

1. Prince Charlie jacket - black in my case, although it could be another colour (There are other options for jackets, but this is the more standard one)
2. and black vest;
3. fly plaid
4. with a brooch over the left shoulder;
5. tux shirt (whether with winged collar or not may be a matter of taste )
6. with a black bowtie,
7. studs and cufflinks;
8. dress sporran (white rabbit fur might go well with a wedding dress, but another one would be OK as well, a dress sporran is one with a metal cantle as opposed to a fold-over flap);
9. kilt - 8 yards and handmade for good quality - as a general rule, the heavier weight the better
9B. kilt pin, which goes through the upper apron only
10. hose (whether white or not may be a matter of taste, an alternative would be diced hose or Argyle hose );
11. sgian dubh in the right sock (unless you're left-handed):
12. flashes in either matching tartan or a color that compliments your kilt;
13. ghillie brogues - I am leaning towards piper's because they have a heavier sole and will take more wear
14. kilt belt and buckle - it would seem that the vest of the Prince Charlie may cover this, so it would be better to leave this off; however, it might be good to have this for occasions when not wearing the vest
15. Buy your bride a matching sash and place it over her right shoulder as part of the ceremony.
16. Undergarment (or not) as desired or felt appropriate


OK, so now I have this much knowledge.

Q7: On the sporran, there seems to be a lot of range. I can buy something pretty spectacular for about $400 US, with pewter etc, or there's a guy in Pakistan who will sell me one on e-bay for $20. When I check into this, it appears the folks who sell sporrans are none too fond of their Pakistani competitors flodding the markets with cheap sporran. On the other hand, there's enough Scotch blood in me that I'll save a dollar where I can. How critical is this? One Scot friend of mine has suggested I should try not to buy too flashy a sporran - in his words, you want the focus to be the kilt, not the sporran. What do people think of that?

Q8: Sgian Dubh: I see places selling "officer's" dubhs, which seem almost like a swiss army knife, include a corkscrew, bottle opener, etc. Now without putting too fine a point on it, it may just be possible that from time to time when wearing the kilt, I'll be taking a wee dram for my health. Would it be considered bad form to have a bottle opener included dubh at my wedding? In other words, does a person need to have a "formal" dubh?

[Murray of New Brunswick]

Thanks for all your help, here's what we have so far:

- It terms out a number of these things are matters of taste. In my case, I would like if possible for my outfit to be completely "orthodox": the sort of outfit I would greet the Queen in should she drop by one day, or at least what's considered orthodox for a groom. In cases where I depart from that, I want to do so advisedly, and in cases where what I wear as groom wouldn't be apporpriate for another occasion, I'd like to understand that too.

The well-dressed groom comes to the ceremony loaded with:

1. Prince Charlie jacket - black in my case, although it could be another colour
2. and black vest;
3. fly plaid
4. with a brooch over the left shoulder;
5. tux shirt (whether with winged collar or not may be a matter of taste )
6. with a black bowtie,
7. studs and cufflinks;
8. dress sporran (white rabbit fur might go well with a wedding dress, but another one would be OK as well);
9. kilt - 8 yards and handmade for good quality
9B. kilt pin, which goes through the upper apron only
10. hose (whether white or not may be a matter of taste, an alternative would be diced hose or Argyle hose );
11. sgian dubh in the right sock (unless you're left-handed):
12. flashes in either matching tartan or a color that compliments your kilt;
13. ghillie brogues.
14. kilt belt and buckle - strictly speaking maybe not with a Prince Charlie but the outfit may not look complete without it
15. Buy your bride a matching sash and place it over her right shoulder as part of the ceremony.
16. Undergarment (or not) as desired or felt appropriate


OK, so now I have this much knowledge.

Q4: I take it the sporran can be made of any manner of thing as long as it's considered in the "formal" style?

Q5: Does it matter if the kilt is 13 oz or 16 oz?

Q6: ghillie brogues: the sites seem to list all sorts of types, from regimental and piper to appin and standard dress. Is one type to be preferred or avoided for this settign or is this just a matter of taste?

[Bob C]

Q4: I take it the sporran can be made of any manner of thing as long as it's considered in the "formal" style?

Q5: Does it matter if the kilt is 13 oz or 16 oz?

Q6: ghillie brogues: the sites seem to list all sorts of types, from regimental and piper to appin and standard dress. Is one type to be preferred or avoided for this settign or is this just a matter of taste?

Q4: Formal sporrans have a metal cantle on the top, instead of a flap that goes over the front. Yes, it can be made from whatever beast you choose.

Q5: Not really. 13 oz. cloth will make a perfectly good 8-yard kilt. Mine is 16, and I love the way it hangs and swings, but only an expert would be able to spot the difference.

Q6: Regimental brogues are really just wingtip shoes. They have a tongue, whereas ghillie brouges do not. The only real difference in piper brogues is the soles. They're sturdier and more weather resistant, because pipers have to march a lot.