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Is it OK to wear slacks to a wedding ceremony?

The morning ceremony (indoors in a church) is a few hours before the reception. I have a formal purple dress to wear to the reception, but for the ceremony I was thinking black slacks with an emerald-green silky top and heels.  Yes? No? I have never worn anything but a dress or skirt to a wedding ceremony, so I thought I'd get a more fashionable person's take! TIA!

Re: Is it OK to wear slacks to a wedding ceremony?

  • imageGo_Dawgs:
    I wouldn't.

    Same here.

  • OK, thanks.  Guess I'll have to go shopping!
  • Why not just wear the same thing to the reception and the ceremony?  I don't think there is anything wrong with wearing slacks and a nice blouse but I don't understand changing outfits unless your dress is not appropriate for a church/place of worship.
  • imageMrs Acorn Blue:
    Why not just wear the same thing to the reception and the ceremony?  I don't think there is anything wrong with wearing slacks and a nice blouse but I don't understand changing outfits unless your dress is not appropriate for a church/place of worship.

     

    This is what I was thinking.

  • imageMrs Acorn Blue:
    Why not just wear the same thing to the reception and the ceremony?  I don't think there is anything wrong with wearing slacks and a nice blouse but I don't understand changing outfits unless your dress is not appropriate for a church/place of worship.

    I think the dress is definitely too formal for a ceremony. Plus the ceremony is in the morning and then there is maybe a three-hour gap between the end of the ceremony and the beginning of the reception. I don't know. Maybe that is a ridiculous reason. Maybe you are right.

  • I don't think it's strange to change when there's a long gap.

    I think what you planned on wearing to the ceremony is fine.  I'm more of a dress girl, but the outfit you described is perfectly acceptable. 

  • imageDancer6978:

    imageMrs Acorn Blue:
    Why not just wear the same thing to the reception and the ceremony?  I don't think there is anything wrong with wearing slacks and a nice blouse but I don't understand changing outfits unless your dress is not appropriate for a church/place of worship.

    I think the dress is definitely too formal for a ceremony. Plus the ceremony is in the morning and then there is maybe a three-hour gap between the end of the ceremony and the beginning of the reception. I don't know. Maybe that is a ridiculous reason. Maybe you are right.

    I can see your point on the morning thing, but the ceremony is the important part of the whole thing. I would dress for the ceremony and wear whatever you wear to the ceremony to the reception. I never really heard of people getting more dressed up for the reception than they were for the ceremony.

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  • imageDancer6978:

    imageMrs Acorn Blue:
    Why not just wear the same thing to the reception and the ceremony?  I don't think there is anything wrong with wearing slacks and a nice blouse but I don't understand changing outfits unless your dress is not appropriate for a church/place of worship.

    I think the dress is definitely too formal for a ceremony. Plus the ceremony is in the morning and then there is maybe a three-hour gap between the end of the ceremony and the beginning of the reception. I don't know. Maybe that is a ridiculous reason. Maybe you are right.

    I can see your point on the morning thing, but the ceremony is the important part of the whole thing. I would dress for the ceremony and wear whatever you wear to the ceremony to the reception. I never really heard of people getting more dressed up for the reception than they were for the ceremony.

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  • Absolutely okay.

    This issue comes up a lot among my husband's friends -- they're all Catholic, and have Catholic ceremonies, and the ceremonies tend to be hours before the reception because of limitations in the church and reception hall schedules.  I wear along the lines of what I would wear to a bridal shower to the ceremony, and then change into party clothes for the reception.  

    At the weddings we've been to with gaps like this, in many cases lots of people wear jeans (or I've even seen sweatsuits) to the ceremony.  I think both are inappropriate, but at any rate, you would be perfectly appropriate in slacks at any of the wedding ceremonies like this I've been to -- even when the receptions were black tie.  And a lot of people change in between.

    I'm sorry -- if your ceremony is at 3 pm and the reception is black tie and doesn't start until 7, I am not dressing for black tie at 3 pm. 

  • image+v+:


    I'm sorry -- if your ceremony is at 3 pm and the reception is black tie and doesn't start until 7, I am not dressing for black tie at 3 pm. 

     

    This one is even longer: 10 a.m. ceremony and 5 p.m. reception. 

  • imageDancer6978:
    image+v+:


    I'm sorry -- if your ceremony is at 3 pm and the reception is black tie and doesn't start until 7, I am not dressing for black tie at 3 pm. 

     

    This one is even longer: 10 a.m. ceremony and 5 p.m. reception. 

    If the gap is this long, definitely don't wear your reception dress.  I think you'll be over dressed.  The nice top and slacks is fine.

  • imageDancer6978:
    image+v+:


    I'm sorry -- if your ceremony is at 3 pm and the reception is black tie and doesn't start until 7, I am not dressing for black tie at 3 pm. 

     

    This one is even longer: 10 a.m. ceremony and 5 p.m. reception. 

    Wow.  I'm Catholic and even I think that's insane!  

    You'll definitely be fine in what you suggested wearing.   

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  • imageShell24:
    imageDancer6978:
    image+v+:


    I'm sorry -- if your ceremony is at 3 pm and the reception is black tie and doesn't start until 7, I am not dressing for black tie at 3 pm. 

     

    This one is even longer: 10 a.m. ceremony and 5 p.m. reception. 

    Wow.  I'm Catholic and even I think that's insane!  

    You'll definitely be fine in what you suggested wearing.   

     

    Im Catholic as well and I think that's totally crazy.

     

    I see no problem in slacks for the ceremony then changing. I'm sure many others will be changing as well.  

  • Considering my mother is 99% certain she's wearing pants to my sister's wedding (with her blessing) I think it's fine to wear dress pants & heels.  (In her defense, my mom's outfit is a chiffon pant suit, and the pants are very dressy & flowy)

    We all know most of the people there won't even notice what you're wearing... so I say wear those pants!

  • imageSA7206:

    I don't think it's strange to change when there's a long gap.

    I think what you planned on wearing to the ceremony is fine.  I'm more of a dress girl, but the outfit you described is perfectly acceptable. 

    This. Almost every wedding I've been to has had a large gap in time between the ceremony and the reception. I always wear something a little less formal/more place of worship appropriate then change. I think you're fine.

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  • Yes you can def wear what you said to the church. If there is a gap and you are going home to change Its perfectly fine.

    For my wedding there was a 3 hour gap most of the people went home to change.

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  • wait, are people really saying it is not ok to wear pants to a wedding?  (ignoring the time-gap issue and whether or not she should change)

    Huh? 

  • imageamandasw:

    wait, are people really saying it is not ok to wear pants to a wedding?  (ignoring the time-gap issue and whether or not she should change)

    Huh? 

    Oh my word, OP, with a gap that big, def wear pants and then change. I take back what I said in my pp.

    Amanda - I see nothing wrong with wearing slacks to a wedding.  I just thought it was odd that someone would dress less formal for a ceremony than they would for the reception.

    I can't believe people would wear jeans or sweats to a church wedding. I grew up Catholic and I know that people tend to dress casual for Sunday morning, but not for weddings. One of my H's cousins wore jeans to our wedding (outside civil ceremony) and I got a lot of comments on it after the wedding.  I will admit that it bothered me, but what can you do, right?

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  • I think this must be a regional thing. In our area, it's very common for people to wear something more casual (not talking jeans) and then change for the evening reception when there's a gap in between.

    I think the outfit OP described would be absolutely fine. 

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