Hot wedding advice

[David Dubh]

Hi all
My youngest daughter has recently gotten engaged and has planned a destination wedding to Cancun Mexico at the end of March into early April. I have worn the kilt at my other daughters wedding and will do so again with her blessing. My kilt is a tank and I have a prince Charlie and a tweed braemar with waistcoat. I’m looking for opinions especially from those in warm climates what should I wear? Could I wear just a waistcoat with tie? Should I purchase a new waistcoat in a lighter material to wear? Or should I just for go any type of jacket at all. The groom is wearing a suit and tie.
What are your opinions???
Thanks David

[Liam]

David....you live in a climate where the heat can be extreme in the summer. The issue I suspect in Cancun may also be the humidity. I attended a niece’s wedding a number of years ago in Southern Ontario in August when the temp was 35 deg C with humidity of 85 %. I proudly wore my family tartan kilt, diced hose ...... I thought I’d die. First advice is to follow the thread about sock dreams kilt hose. Next look for a light weight jacket, skip the waist coat and asap after pictures ditch the jacket.
Also consider a 4-5 yd PV kilt or at least a 5 yd 13 oz wool kilt. You can bet the groom will be ditching his jacket as soon as he can.

[Manu]

David,

I think I can help you here. I live in sunny South Florida, world capital of hot and muggy much like Cancun. Last year I attended my wife's graduation in late April wearing a 5 yard 16 oz kilt, House of Cheviot Hose, and a tweed jacket, no waistcoat. I can tell you that I could have done without the jacket, I was sweating profusely. In retrospect, I should have worn just the waistcoat and rolled up my sleeves and would have been much more comfortable. I plan on acquiring a matching tartan wasitcoat for more formal occasions to avoid wearing a kilt jacket, which I think would be a good option for you as well!

[LKM]

March and April should not be as bad as other times of year. It looks like 84 F (28 C) and 87 F (30 C) as an average high temperature with the low around 70 F (21 C) so a lightweight kilt would be recommended. As long as the jacket and waistcoat are not that heavy you might go with both or just the jacket and no waistcoat. The biggest issue you might have is the humidity, so I would recommend a material that can breathe or a wicking material that takes the moisture further from your skin. Wool, PV, and polyester are good/decent wicking materials while cotton is one of the worst materials for this. Perhaps the biggest advice I have might also be the most controversial, if you have a lightweight kilt, 13 oz wool or PV made with 4 or 5 yards, wear that kilt. If you feel the need to wear a 16 oz wool 8 yard tank, wear something wicking under it and hope for a breeze.

[Taskr]

The groom's suit is probably going to be linen, or at the very least "light".

Wool isn't going to be completely horrid. Wool socks have been my choice while deployed to hot climates, though I did use a cotton blend "liner" that is pat of the sock system (everything is a system in the army). As a natural fibers, wool wicks nicely.

The issue with the tank will be your waist. I'd not wear a belt but would wear 100% cotton or linen shirt for that reason. Hopefully your accommodation is air conditioned; you'll want to lay out the kilt after so that the HVAC pulls away that moisture.

I think the advice to wear the jacket for the required parts of the ceremony and doff it for the rest is a good idea. Or, if you can, acquire a light-weight jacket. A waistcoat on its own might look "unfinished" against a jacket&tie groom.

[Tobinn]

I'd ask the bride and groom as to the dress code.

I've attended weddings and such here in FLA (including on out in Hollywood) that ranged from appropriately casual (think linen pants and silk short sleeves) to formal (black tie - that was the one in Hollywood and that wedding from start to finish was held indoors in the A/C). I've also, in a past life, bartended at numerous weddings and like events and I can say that it's not uncommon for the bride and groom to be decked out to the nines and the guests dressed more appropriate to the weather. In those cases, I think the bride and groom may have rued their choice of clothing rather than think poorly of their comfortable guests.

Jackets, ties and such are over-rated in the tropics and subtropics - my humble opinion. While I only own two kilts at this point - a 5 yd PV and a 5 yd Acrylic/Wool blend and already I can tell the difference between the two in our springtime heat. The PV is nice and lightweight - I can't imagine wearing a tank down here except for a handful of days in the winter.

Mazel Tov!

[Jock Scot]

I well remember attending a rather smart wedding in the Scottish boarders on Scotlands hottest day, just over 91F. Not hot by some of your standards , I know, but we all were trying to do the right thing by not removing ties, waistcoats and morning coats and wilting in the process! A fine example of common sense prevailed though, when the brides father, an eminent Doctor of tropical medicine, after escorting his daughter down the isle asked the vicar to hold up proceedings for five minutes and then announced to the family and guests that due to the heat the gentlemen could remove their morning coats, waistcoats and ties. We did in double quick time!

Whilst correct form with ones attire is a desirable thing in normal circumstances, but when nature throws a googly(a cricketing term for a deceptive ball being bowled ) in weather terms, common sense must prevail.

[David Dubh]

I well remember attending a rather smart wedding in the Scottish boarders on Scotlands hottest day, just over 91F. Not hot by some of your standards , I know, but we all were trying to do the right thing by not removing ties, waistcoats and morning coats and wilting in the process! A fine example of common sense prevailed though, when the brides father, an eminent Doctor of tropical medicine, after escorting his daughter down the isle asked the vicar to hold up proceedings for five minutes and then announced to the family and guests that due to the heat the gentlemen could remove their morning coats, waistcoats and ties. We did in double quick time!

Whilst correct form with ones attire is a desirable thing in normal circumstances, but when nature throws a googly(a cricketing term for a deceptive ball being bowled ) in weather terms, common sense must prevail.

Cheers Jock
I appreciate your comments. I will consult with my daughter the bride and decide what will be most appropriate. As father of the bride I may need to be slightly more formal than the other guests. I realize that a lighter weight wool or a lower yardage kilt would be preferred. My kilt is an 8 yard 16oz so that is what I’m wearing. It’s just figuring out what the rest of the outfit will look like