I'll be wearing a kilt for the first time at my wedding.

[PauLrus]

Hi, everyone!

I'm getting married in August and decided to wear a kilt. I have Scottish heritage on my mother's side. Anyway. We are having a semi-formal wedding and being that it will be in the summer I don't really want to wear a jacket. (It's also outside.) I'm also not wearing a jacket to help save a little bit of money as kilts an be surprisingly expensive. I'm wondering what some good nonjacket options might be with the kilt that are semi-formal. A waist coat seems to be a decent option but I'm looking for others. I'm also a bigger guy if that helps. I'll also be wearing the modern Davidson clan tartan.

[Jock Scot]

Congratulations on your forthcoming marriage. Just so you know, in kilt terms we have formal, smart and casual and there is really no such thing as semi formal. So, you are not going to wear a jacket, thats absolutely fine, but that takes you away from any form of formal. Wearing no jacket actually puts you in the casual bracket, but that does not mean that you have to look like something the cat has just dragged in! Far from it by the sounds of it and your idea of wearing a waistcoat with your kilt sounds a good idea. Good luck.

[unixken]

To help get you into the ball park, you might start by reviewing Glen and Jamie's awesome "1 Kilt 10 Looks : A Visual Guide to Formality in Highland Attire" thread. This will help you narrow down a level of formality you are looking for, and will point you down the right path. If you can then tell us which level you've chosen, from those demonstrated in that thread, others can then chime in with other suggestions or refinements. Hope that helps!

[ratspike]

Speaking as someone who is more of a "kilts are awesome" guy rather than a traditional kilt wearer, but who has been to nearly 300 weddings, I think a vest with a nice shirt and tie is an outstanding choice. It's a look that jives really nicely with an outdoor wedding, which in my experience do tend to lean a little more towards the informal. Plus I think it just looks snappy.

[McMurdo]

First off I have to agree with Jock. I would also like to thank unixken for pointing out the 10 looks thread that Jamie and I did so long ago. I went through the thread again just now and notice that neither of us wore a waistcoat without a jacket. I think that comes down to personal preference rather than a waistcoat on its own being wrong. I would say if you were against the jacket completely then wearing the waistcoat alone would be the next best option. I also think being a bigger guy does not matter at all.

[Highlander31]

Congratulation on your upcoming nuptials.

Jock and McMurdo have given sound advice, and pretty much covered everything I might say.

Btw, welcome to the forum.

[TheOfficialBren]

First off, from California. Secondly, congratulations, mate, on your forthcoming marriage.

Congratulation on your upcoming nuptials.

Jock and McMurdo have given sound advice, and pretty much covered everything I might say.

Btw, welcome to the forum.

Lastly, plus one to this ^. McMurdo and Jock regularly deliver excellent advice here.

Welcome aboard!

[Spartan Tartan]

Congratulations on the upcoming wedding.

Another point to keep in mind, is that you have several months to figure out what exactly you are planning to wear. Can we assume that you already own your kilt? If so, you can also (if you wish) post a variety of options and get additional input on specific outfits--bear in mind, your primary person to please is the one that will be standing there with you in August ;-)

If you do not already own your kilt, is it your intent to purchase a kilt or rent?

[Kiltedjohn]

Welcome from the English West Midlands. Congratulations on your forthcoming marriage, and enjoy being kilted.

[HarveyH]

Congratulations!

Just to add a voice. There are a number of writers on here who want to make a Formal/Informal divide. There are certainly looks which are more formal than others but, certainly in the UK, there would no longer be any such sharp divide except on very rare and particular occasions. I have known kilt wearers with the kilt and a waistcoat worn without jacket at a 'black tie' dinner and get away with it because the kilt itself was formal enough.

I am a huge fan of the kilt and waistcoat look. Particularly because I am of a larger build and the waistcoat can be very flattering.

But if you are planning this for a wedding I would try and find a waistcoat which looked good from the back as well as the front. Not just the usual satin back that you get with many waistcoats.

it is worth looking at some of the 'steam punk' clothing suppliers who make period clothing relatively cheaply. Waistcoats often made with the same fabric back and front and cut square, these can work well.