Wedding advice

**JoeTrooper** · 10th September 10, 10:51 PM

Okay, so my fiance wants me to wear a kilt for our wedding... problem is I want to do something military-ish... Do I A: just go with a Prince Charlie jacket and waist coat or B: say frak the regs and wear my mess dress jacket? I want to be IAW with USAF regulations....... Any help/advice/slaps to the head would be welcome...

**JoeTrooper** · 11th September 10, 01:46 AM

Alright, so after reading some posts on this and other sites I have found some possible answers to my question... Get permission from my CO to wear a kilt with my mess dress for the wedding.... or get some mini medals and wear them with my PC....

**Jock Scot** · 11th September 10, 02:20 AM

Hello Joe. I don't know what part of the world you come from, but I suspect that you are in a different Army to the one that I belonged too. So I am not sure that I can advise you on what you can and can't wear. What I can do, is wish you all the very best for your futures.

**Bog Trotter** · 11th September 10, 03:23 AM

Good Morning Joe, I wish I could be of more help to you, but let me relate to to you my own thoughts. I was married after I was off active duty, but my wife also wanted a military style wedding.Since this was an evening affair, I chose to wear my Prince Charlie with mini medals and dirk. I found that wearing a mess white blouse, dress blue blouse, or Class A blouse was too long to wear with my kilt. It just didn't look right. I'm not familiar with USAF regulations, so I understand your confusion. Please remember that I am not making a recommendation, just relating my own personal experience. Good luck to the both of you, a long happy life, and thank you for your service. Welcome home brother!

**artificer** · 11th September 10, 05:38 AM

For starters, Hello and welcome aboard!

You'll probably find that your standard blouse/jacket will be far too long to wear with a kilt. Also, most Nations' armed forces don't like mixing uniforms with non-uniform items.

You might also wish to investigate the Regulation Doublet over the PC. It's more of a British Mess Dress jacket. This could be worn with the mini medals. If you're planning on renting you're probably going to be stuck with the PC though.

**MacMillan of Rathdown** · 11th September 10, 11:02 AM

I can appreciate your dilemma, but social custom (at least in the USA) dictates that it is the bride's family who set the level of formality (and costume) of the wedding. Insofar as it is possible, it is incumbent upon the groom to acquiesce to the wishes of the bride's family. So, if yours is a "Scottish" wedding, then you and your groomsmen (and this includes the best man) need to be kilted. If it isn't a "Scottish" wedding, then you and your groomsmen should dress in accordance with the dress stipulated on the invitation which is being sent out to the guests. If you are still in the United States Air Force then you (and any groomsmen in the military) may wear the uniform appropriate to the time of day the wedding is taking place.

So much for the socially correct rules. Most weddings fall somewhere in the middle ground, and both you and your bride-to-be will in all likelihood come up with some sort of compromise about what you are going to wear. There are, however, two conventions (one being an actual rule) that you should observe.

(1) Unless you are in a military uniform, medals are not worn at a wedding. This is a convention, not a rule.

(2) Military uniforms are not worn together with items of civilian attire. This is a rule laid down in the regulations of the various branches of service in the United States (and elsewhere). See AR160-1 for an example. This is a rule, not a convention, and it should be adhered to if (a) you are active duty or active reserve personnel, or (b) if you have any respect for that branch of the military in which you served, or respect for those still serving who do follow the regulations.

**Riverkilt** · 11th September 10, 12:42 PM

Have you considered wearing a USAF tartan kilt for the "Military-ish" touch?

**Nighthawk** · 11th September 10, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

Have you considered wearing a USAF tartan kilt for the "Military-ish" touch?

You beat me to it by one post!! USA Kilts is a great vendor!

**PEEDYC** · 12th September 10, 03:01 AM

MacMillan of Rathdown stated "Military uniforms are not worn together with items of civilian attire. This is a rule laid down in the regulations of the various branches of service in the United States (and elsewhere). See AR160-1 for an example. This is a rule, not a convention, and it should be adhered to if (a) you are active duty or active reserve personnel, or (b) if you have any respect for that branch of the military in which you served, or respect for those still serving who do follow the regulations."

Permission can be granted to wear what us (former) Bootnecks call Split Rig. 42 Commando Royal Marines had many Scots in its ranks and they formed a volunteer pipe band. It took many years for them to be recognised by the Royal Marines School of Music but then from what I understand they were given permission to wear the kilt. To quote from the Trustees of the Royal Marines Museum "The Band wore their own berets and white shirts with kilts reputedly converted from blankets." This is an example of the Military giving due respect to the serving members.

I suggest that if your uniform jacket looks good with the kilt, ask for permssion to wear it.

**Geoff Withnell** · 14th September 10, 07:02 PM

I don't know about the USAF, but USMC regs allow the wearing of miniature medals on civilian jackets on "appropriate occasions". I would guess a military(ish) wedding could be considered an appropriate occasion. They are worn on the civilian jacket at about where they would be on the uniform jacket. This is intended I believe to apply to retired or honorably discharged Marines.

Geoff Withnell