Edwardian Wedding Part Two

Clothes

Female guests:

To a morning or afternoon wedding, a woman should wear an elaborate reception toilet, with a high neck. Hats are not removed during a reception or breakfast; gloves are not removed at a reception, and are turned back while eating.

At an evening wedding, décolleté gowns, jewels etc are worn.

Hats for a wedding are necessary.

Male guests:

To an afternoon or morning wedding the male guests should wear a black frock coat, grey trousers, a waistcoat of white pique or one that matches his coat, patent leather shoes, gray gloves, white linen, an ascot tie and a silk hat.

At an evening wedding he wears full dress, the best man dresses as identical to the groom as possible.

Ushers usually agree to dress alike. For morning or afternoon, the proper attire is a black frock coat, grey trousers, white pique waistcoat, grey gloves, folded neckties, the boutonnieres sent by the bride and the gift of the groom. Ushers do not discard their gloves during the ceremony. They give their hats and canes to some responsible person in the church vestibule.

Groom’s clothes:

For a day time wedding, the correct dress is a frock coat and grey trousers, with grey gloves and white puff tie. Some men do not like how frock coats look, and so a cutaway or sack suit is better for them.

In the evening, the correct dress is a full dress suit, swallowtail, white vest, tie and gloves.