Wearing a kilt to an American Daytime Wedding

[McMurdo]

Actually Glen, here in the South it is quite common, and considered good manners, for male guests to wear dinner jackets (black tie) to evening weddings.

I had no idea, thanks Sandford, up here it would not be done unless you are part of the wedding party, I suppose the next time I go South for a wedding I'll pack appropriately.

[fluter]

Actually Glen, here in the South it is quite common, and considered good manners, for male guests to wear dinner jackets (black tie) to evening weddings.

I was going to say the same thing---for an evening event; of course, it depends on the folks involved.

Most families I know, it'd be a matter of "it's an evening event, dress on up to honor the happy couple." But then I hang out with musicians, and we have to start kitting up at age 15! In some congregations, few people would have their own evening wear, so it would pay to ask ahead of time in order to blend in.


Back the the instant case, I would not go black tie for a daytime wedding... unless I were quite sure the festivities were going to last well past 6 P.M!!! and I'd still have my jacket on at that point.

[piperdbh]

Originally Posted by JSFMACLJR
Actually Glen, here in the South it is quite common, and considered good manners, for male guests to wear dinner jackets (black tie) to evening weddings.

I had no idea, thanks Sandford, up here it would not be done unless you are part of the wedding party, I suppose the next time I go South for a wedding I'll pack appropriately.

In my experience with Southern weddings, I haven't seen anyone in black tie unless they were in the wedding party, and then they rip those blasted bow ties off as soon as possible. Maybe in "society" (of which I am not a part and never will be) weddings gentlemen attend in black tie, but not the weddings of the rest of us, including my own, which was at 6:30.

[JSFMACLJR]

In my experience with Southern weddings, I haven't seen anyone in black tie unless they were in the wedding party, and then they rip those blasted bow ties off as soon as possible. Maybe in "society" (of which I am not a part and never will be) weddings gentlemen attend in black tie, but not the weddings of the rest of us, including my own, which was at 6:30.

Over the years I've been to a great number of North Carolina weddings ( "great deal" meaning about eight ). They all were evening weddings. The groom usually wore white tie; sometimes all the groomsmen did too. I would guess that 60 to 70% of the male guests wore dinner jackets. My experience in Atlanta is that an even greater number of men dressed.

I guess my "circle" is different than yours.

[piperdbh]

I guess my "circle" is different than yours.

Sandy,
I believe you're right. And you and I are not arguing here; we just have different experiences, both of which might be helpful to someone else. Several years ago, it was expected that men would wear at least a tie, if not the coat to go with it. At the last several weddings I've attended, many of the men wore neither coat nor tie, and went with open collars, including some Hawaiian shirts.
I'm next-to-the-youngest of 29 grandchildren, and have attended or been involved with many weddings, and have seen all sorts of dress, some of them quite inappropriate, others very well put together and in impeccable taste.

Different horses, I suppose.

[Kerr the Walker]

Is there anything on the invitation regarding attire? If it were me, I'd wear the PC if the invte stated black tie or black tie optional. Otherwise I'd go with the Argyle.

Good call on asking the couple their preference though. Definitely your best bet.

[attworth]

Food for thought -

I was a groomsman at my wife's brother's wedding this past weekend. The Groom and us groomsmen all wore PC's, black bow-ties and ghillies. They had a piper there as well. I think he had the right idea in mind. He wore his kilt, with a black argyle, a dark colored shirt, a black long tie, ghillies and black hose.

He looked really nice, but did not detract from the wedding party in this least - I'm sure this was his intent.

The thing to ask yourself is whether or not the wedding party wants you to stand out, whether they care, or whether they want you to be kilted, but not make the rest of them look bad.

Proper Southern manners from these parts dictate that those properly at the center of attention, stay at the center.