Wedding advice

[MJB]

So I'm attending a wedding in Canada. I'm considering wearing my kilt. I will almost positively be the only one in a kilt if I do. I already spoke to the couple getting married as to not draw attention away from them because obviously I would stand out and they were perfectly fine with it. The groom said "it's not really a black tie event". Which I kinda figured, it's on his step parents property, about an hour out of the city in the country and we will be camping! Hahah, never thought I'd be camping at a wedding before.

Now to the point, I have never attended a wedding wearing a kilt before. I'm haven't decided if I'm going to or not. I do have a suit to wear, although I have a different shirt and tie, the suit is the same one I've worn to the past three weddings I've been to over the years. I'm a little bored of it. If it's to strange to be the only one in a kilt I won't wear it though. Although a lot of people are late twenties, early thirties and I went to high school with a few of them, I would think we would have good laughs about it all. I don't know the brides side of the family though.

So I'm basically looking for advice, to wear or not to wear; and if so, I'm looking for more advice on what to wear. I have a Black Watch kilt, an option of both black and green hose. I have a formal sporran that is grey. I could wear either a white, black, or grey dress shirt. I DO NOT have a vest or a jacket. I could get away with wearing just a vest, or both. If I do decide to wear the kilt, I've had a hard time trying to decide the different possibilities. Just a vest, both vest and jacket, colour, style, and matched with which other options I have. Prince Charlie is out of the question. I do have a black tie with silver diagonal stripes, my other two ties are out of the question and I also have a pre-tied bow-tie somewhere that I doubt I would wear.

If you read all that, Thanks! If you read all that AND gave me advice, Thank you very much in advance!

[Father Bill]

First of all congratulations to your friends!

Sure you can wear it and it will be appropriate. Less formal wedding? I'd tone it down a bit. White shirt and a conservative complementary tie perhaps.

If you want a jacket you can probably hire a tweed crail / argyl / whatever-the-heck-they-call-it-at-the-hire-place.

In Toronto where you are, try Cairngorm at 1825 Avenue Rd.N., N. York, 1-866-235-8149 or the Scottish Company at 1989 Leslie St. Markham 416-223-1314.

If neither of them has one and you want to run up to Barrie, click the link on this page for Burnett's & Struth or to run down to Hamilton, call Marlene at Scottish Imports of Hamilton, 275 Queenston Rd., 905-545-4587 or else there's MacLeod's in Stratford at 80 Ontario St. 1-519-273-5850.

You're lucky to be in the middle of a whole lot of options! Wherever you go, I'd call first. I've dealt with all of these merchants and have deep respect for them. You might even get a couple of possibilities and be able to compare prices!

Good luck, and kiss the bride for me!

[MacRobert's Reply]

What Father Bill said ... and wear the green hose ... and don't forget to polish the shoes.

... and enjoy the wedding!

[Theyoungkiltman]

If you have some time before the wedding, look at a thriftstore for a harris or "common" tweed jacket and bring it to a tailor and have them make it into a braemar for you. Just make sure you give them a LARGE picture of one to make sure they do it right. Probably will cost about 50 dollars total investment.

[cck]

I'd certainly wear the kilt. If people are going to be camping, it should not be too dressy. A vest might be all you need to get out of a too casual look. The kilt alone, worn properly, will make a well dressed statement.

[MJB]

Alright, kilt it is! Thanks for the suggestions. Going by that and how I'm feeling. I think, green hose, black polished shoes (as per MacRoberts' suggestions), Black Watch kilt, grey dress sporran, black vest, white shirt and grey tie matching sporran. Does it sound like that would come together nicely?

Oh and then barathea or tweed vest, barathea isn't kind of shiny is it?

Thanks again!

[mookien]

That sounds fine. My barathea vest and coats don't look shiny (to me). Be sure to wear the Scottish hose. You will likely have a smashing time.

[GrainReaper]

Sounds like you are going to be well dressed good sir! I second the green kilt hose, I have bottle green hose that I often wear with my black watch.

Though I do like lovat blue hose with black watch too.
Is there a kilt hire shop near you?

[ratspike]

I think your plan sounds solid, if a little on the safe side. My $0.02 USD is if it's a country wedding with camping and it's also a young crowd, don't feel like you need to play it conservative if that's not really you. Granted, I'm in a laid back and reasonably cool market in the US, but I've had clients and families from Canada, England, Australia, Jamaica, Mexico, Serbia, India, Africa, Lebanon, Thailand, Vietnam, Egypt, and probably a few more I'm forgetting, and I have found this to be universally true.

My wife and I photograph weddings so I go to a lot of them every year, always in a kilt. I do either solid black or one of several tartans. I generally wear a black vest, but always go for a shirt in a rich color rather than white, as well as a fun tie. I have several plaids, some stripes, paisley, and a funky pink and white and black swirly design. I usually do lovat green or blue hose, scrunched with Doc Martens, but I have some stripey socks that are cool too.

[Tarheel]

Follow the color scheme of the Japanese, Black for weddings, white for funerals. Good choice and good luck to your friends.