I think you aim at slightly nicer than you would have otherwise but not actually formal because maybe people just don't understand that "formal" is an actual dress code and they are just trying to say "please get dressed up and don't come in jeans"??

I think this sounds right. With an earlier wedding there is the risk of people coming very casual and they may want to eliminate that more than a desire to have full on formal.

Next Saturday (not tomorrow) is Tim's nephew's wedding. It's at a really pretty venue that's part of the "barn wedding" trend. But, you know, a fancy, beautifully decorated, non-livestock barn that's only used for events.

Nephew and fiance are super casual people, as are all of their friends. I expect the female guests might wear maxi dresses or something, but I wouldn't be surprised to see shorts on the guys. And that's all fine! But nephew's dad keeps asking nephew what he should wear -- after all, this is his son's wedding -- and all nephew says is "If you wear a suit, you'll be overdressed," but doesn't offer any other advice.

I told nephew's dad to wear his suit but maybe leave the jacket off, and if the guests are super casual, maybe take off his tie. I feel like the parents of the bride and groom can be more formal than the guests if they want. Or not! It would really help if nephew gave a little guidance, but that's not going to happen. (Their invitation didn't have anything about the dress code; they just know their people and know they'll be dressed casually.)

I'm officiating the wedding, and I'm wearing my default floral dress, which I would have worn if I were just a guest. If that's dressier than most of the guests there, well, (1) I'm the officiant, (2) I'm his 47-year-old aunt (and therefore twice as old as most of their friends who will be there, which makes me An Old), and (3) it doesn't really bother me to be in a dress when other people are more casual.

The bride is wearing a traditional white wedding gown, with cowboy boots. Her bridesmaids are wearing traditional bridesmaid dresses and flats. I think the groom is wearing dress pants, dress shirt, a vest, and bow tie (and possibly his clompy work boots). And I think the groomsmen are wearing dress pants, dress shirt, suspenders, and bow ties. So the wedding party isn't as formal as some weddings, but they aren't in shorts and sundresses, either.

I often see dads wearing something similar if not matching the groomsmen. It should work if dad wore suspenders and a bow tie.

DH had to text pictures of his potential shirts to the bride for approval for Bobby's wedding. She wanted tropical. He ended up getting an expensive one from Lord & Taylor that she loved.

There's a video around of a wedding in New Zealand where a group of men start doing a haka ... and the bride starts crying, the groom joins in, a bridesmaid joins in and then the bride joins in. I kind of love it.

t collapses

Catching up on 18 months of posts was EXHAUSTING.

Hi, there!

Hello!!

Mops Aims' weary brow and fans her with palm fronds.

Many thanks. I love a good fronding.

My poor mom. We're on vacation in Rehoboth for the week, and she's been in a lot of pain and got a weird rash, and she just went to the doctor, and she has shingles.