Wearing a Kilt to a wedding

[MacMillans son]

Hey guys, long time no see! My sister is getting married and I want to wear a Kilt, but my mom says I'll be showing up the bride and groom and that it would be bad manners. What do y'all think?

I agree that you would not actually show up the bride and groom, but I think it is quite possible that people would wonder why you wore, what will likely viewed as, a "Scottish costume" to a wedding in Florida, other than to draw attention to yourself. Unless you are known by those in attendance to regularly wear the kilt, it will likely be interpreted as "Look at me, look at me!" regardless of your motive for wearing it.

Actually, I don't agree with the feedback to ask the bride, as brides usually want people to be happy at their weddings, and so may not give you honest feedback. I would ask yourself why it is so important to wear the kilt vs. something more traditionally worn to a wedding in America. If what you wear is consistent with the formality of the event, why would you have to ask the bride if you can wear it? Would you do that with the suit you may wear in it's place? I am of the belief that if you have to ask someones permission to wear the kilt, then you probably shouldn't wear it.

The primary reason I wear the kilt is to honor, and draw attention to, my ancestral heritage, something I am quite comfortable doing. But for me, drawing attention at someone else's big day is not that important, there are 364 other days I can do that if I want to.

That's just my honest opinion, and why I would consider other options if you have them.

Enjoy the day regardless of what you choose.

[Braveheart88]

I agree that you would not actually show up the bride and groom, but I think it is quite possible that people would wonder why you wore, what will likely viewed as, a "Scottish costume" to a wedding in Florida, other than to draw attention to yourself. Unless you are known by those in attendance to regularly wear the kilt, it will likely be interpreted as "Look at me, look at me!" regardless of your motive for wearing it.

Actually, I don't agree with the feedback to ask the bride, as brides usually want people to be happy at their weddings, and so may not give you honest feedback. I would ask yourself why it is so important to wear the kilt vs. something more traditionally worn to a wedding in America. If what you wear is consistent with the formality of the event, why would you have to ask the bride if you can wear it? Would you do that with the suit you may wear in it's place? I am of the belief that if you have to ask someones permission to wear the kilt, then you probably shouldn't wear it.

The primary reason I wear the kilt is to honor, and draw attention to, my ancestral heritage, something I am quite comfortable doing. But for me, drawing attention at someone else's big day is not that important, there are 364 other days I can do that if I want to.

That's just my honest opinion, and why I would consider other options if you have them.

Enjoy the day regardless of what you choose.

My family knows I wear kilts sometimes (I didn't give up pants, but I was wearing a kilt about as often as anything else) but the groom's family doesn't. It's been awhile since I've worn a kilt because the velcro me and my mom used to fasten the one we made when I was sixteen broke a couple of years ago and I've never got around to repairing it, and the one I got from SportKilt hasn't fit for awhile. I thought I would use the wedding as an excuse to finally buy a nice kilt and an argyle jacket. I've always wanted a serious kilt, but always talked myself out of spending the money.

[Zardoz]

Zardoz' standard response to the 'wedding question' version 2.0

Why worry about wearing your best to a friend or relative's wedding? As a guest I will dress appropriately for the time and venue of the event, wedding or otherwise. My 'appropriate' dress will currently include a kilt.

I've been to plenty of weddings kilted, and since I rarely attend the weddings of strangers, I have never felt the need to ask the bride, (who has enough to worry about) or the bride's family, (technically the hosts) or anyone else to get permission to dress in my usual manner. Do you think the wildly inapproprately dressed folks who always seem to show up at these events asked if it was OK to wear their tube-tops, shorts and crocs?

Look at my friend Barbara here;

See how happy and pretty she is on her wedding day? How in the hell is the bald fat boy in the kilt going to "upstage" her?

[MacBean]

The primary reason I wear the kilt is to honor, and draw attention to, my ancestral heritage, something I am quite comfortable doing. But for me, drawing attention at someone else's big day is not that important, there are 364 other days I can do that if I want to.

We could look at it that way, or we could simply say we are doing our part to make the day festive and joyful by wearing a kilt.