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Father of the bride - outdoor wedding.

Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
Yes, the daughter will have final say.

But mainly I’m interested in the etiquette of walking her down the aisle while wearing a hat. Is that poor etiquette? I would not think so but wanted to make sure.

Same question in regards to sitting during the outside ceremony. Is it poor etiquette to wear a hat during the ceremony.

I think that when outdoors you are within all the rules of etiquette to wear a hat. If you aren’t in formal attire a Panama would be fine. Alan recently posted a photo of him wearing a boater at his daughter’s wedding.


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Lean'n'mean

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,087
Location
Cloud-cuckoo-land
Wearing a hat at a wedding & wearing a hat during the ceremony are two different things. Personally I wouldn't wear a hat walking my daughter down the aisle nor would I wear one whilst seated during the nuptials, however, wearing one before & after the ceremony, including for the obligatory pics, wouldn't pose a problem. I'm presuming that this will be some kind of religious event, so even if it is outside, just do what you would do if it was held in a church.
Also if the groom is going to be hatless, you wouldn't want to outdo him & steal his thunder on the greatest day of his life. ;)
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
Wearing a hat at a wedding & wearing a hat during the ceremony are two different things. Personally I wouldn't wear a hat walking my daughter down the aisle nor would I wear one whilst seated during the nuptials, however, wearing one before & after the ceremony, including for the obligatory pics, wouldn't pose a problem. I'm presuming that this will be some kind of religious event, so even if it is outside, just do what you would do if it was held in a church.
Also if the groom is going to be hatless, you wouldn't want to outdo him & steal his thunder on the greatest day of his life. ;)


I think that an outdoor wedding is by its nature a less formal event. As I don’t think you’re going to be wearing morning dress, etc., and with the blessing of the couple getting married, I think you can wear a nice hat if you so desire. A beach wedding in linen and bare feet is not the same as a lawn wedding in worsted wool and black cap toes which is not the same as morning dress and patent leather in a chapel.

I personally don’t think I’d be comfortable wearing a hat for the actual ceremony either, but since they are already outside the “rules” who’s to say?


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Messages
18,214
Wearing a hat at a wedding & wearing a hat during the ceremony are two different things. Personally I wouldn't wear a hat walking my daughter down the aisle nor would I wear one whilst seated during the nuptials, however, wearing one before & after the ceremony, including for the obligatory pics, wouldn't pose a problem. I'm presuming that this will be some kind of religious event, so even if it is outside, just do what you would do if it was held in a church.
Also if the groom is going to be hatless, you wouldn't want to outdo him & steal his thunder on the greatest day of his life. ;)
^^^Having been thru 2 weddings with 2 daughters this is sound advice. Unless this is to be a Texas BBQ remember this is a religious occasion, whether inside or out. So it might be okay to wear a hat to & from the ceremony, & perhaps in a picture with wife & daughter, unless a hat has some significance to the religious service I would not wear it during the "walk" or while sitting front & center. Second thoughts & regrets will long outlive your current interest in hats. Don't make the mistake of making the day & all the talk about you. You will be nervous enough, believe me.
 

Nobert

Practically Family
Messages
832
Location
In the Maine Woods
Though I can hardly cite Emily Post, my instinct would be to say no. As Lean'n'mean said: sure, wear it to the wedding if you want, but I can't remember any wedding I've attended or seen any pictures of--vintage or otherwise--in which anyone wore a hat during the ceremony. And I've been to two goth weddings. To me, that would be like wearing an overcoat at the dinner table, or putting your feet on the desk during a meeting to show off your spectators.
 
Messages
10,584
Location
Boston area
I attended a “Hoity-toity” outdoor wedding ceremony last year. It was a beautiful sunny June day, and a few people (men & women both) were wearing straws. Many MORE people WISHED out loud that they had a hat!

With all due respect, Bill, even with your best hat, you WON’T upstage the bride or groom.
 
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RBH

Bartender
I wore my hat at my daughters wedding.
Major Moore made the hat, Art Fawcett furnished the ribbon.
My daughter insisted I wear one as no one would know me without it.
I removed it at the appropriate time.

13442152_10207719229551973_8938380660855258561_n.jpg
 
Messages
10,584
Location
Boston area
I wore my hat at my daughters wedding.
Major Moore made the hat, Art Fawcett furnished the ribbon.
My daughter insisted I wear one as no one would know me without it.
I removed it at the appropriate time.

13442152_10207719229551973_8938380660855258561_n.jpg

I feel like FAMILY, Rusty, not only remembering this beautiful event but also your "father-of-the-bride" advice to me; "Just DO AS YOU'RE TOLD."
SamMomDad.jpg
 

Bill Hughes

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,165
Location
North Texas
My daughter is getting married April 24, 2020. It will be an outdoor ceremony. Do I wear a hat while walking her down the aisle? How about while seated? The groom will be hatless. The father of the groom will be hatless. I’ll be in a suit.
The wedding was postponed from April 24th to July 25th. If we had it in April we could only have 10 people present. As it stands we only had 92 which was about half those who originally RSVP'd. All do to COVID-19. :(

I didn't wear a hat while walking my daughter down the aisle.

DSC_3090.jpg


I did have my hat waiting at my seat. It went on when I sat down. ;):D

My wife and I at the end of the ceremony. The son is following us. My son-in-law's sister and parents in the back.

The hat is a grade 8 semi-calado from Northwest Hats.

DSC_3153.jpg

FBE40AD5-6BC6-433E-84C9-4E1A5FFFC6E6.jpeg
 
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Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,081
Location
London, UK
Fabulous all round. Daughter looks stunning (she reminds me of a famosu actress, but I can't quite place the name). I love the shade of blue of your suit, and your straw is fantastic.

Per the ongoing questionin the thread, I believe traditional rules of etiquette were that at an outdoor event for any religious tradition, the same rules would normally follow as per indoors. For a ceremony in the Christian tradition, this would generally mean no hats for men during, though I should have thought that in hot, Sunny weather nowadays those of us in the follically challenged community could be reasonably excused wearing a hat rather than risking a nasty burn or worse.
 

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,793
Location
New Forest
Fabulous all round. Daughter looks stunning (she reminds me of a famosu actress, but I can't quite place the name). I love the shade of blue of your suit, and your straw is fantastic.
Well said, absolutely fabulous. What a delightful photo.
Camera 1 198.JPG

This lady is the mother of the bride, a life long friend. A couple of years later her son got married, after the formal photos were taken, close friends posed with the bride and groom. When I asked, with or without the hat? The groom's lovely bride immediately said: "With the hat." My Stetson Sovereign it was then!
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