What would you wear to a wedding with a cookout as the reception?

[zoebartlett]

We''re going to a wedding next week and I''m at a loss as to what to wear. I''m inclined to wear what I would normally wear to a wedding, but this wedding is going to be pretty casual. The ceremony will be held at the bride and groom''s home, and there will be a cookout (and dancing) afterwards. I have no idea if the bride is wearing a traditional wedding dress or if the groom will wear a tux. If I had to bet though, I''d say no.

What would you wear to an event like this?

 

[Lorelei]

Pretty dress, pumps/ kitten heels/slingbacks.

 

[ficklefaye]

janinegirly has a poll going on and i think her choices would be very appropriate for the type of function you are describing as well, it''s dressing up but still casual, especially if you wear a stylish sandal

 

[zoebartlett]

Okay, thanks! That''s kind of what I was thinking too. I was hoping to be able to wear a knee length khaki skirt and a short sleeve sweater but I think it''s too informal. I''ll look through my closet again and see what else I can find.

 

[fleur-de-lis]

Assuming it''s daytime, if I were in your shoes I''d go with a crisp cotton dress with flats or wedge heel. (Outdoor reception in a backyard will likely involve a lawn. Grass + pointed heel = not fun.) I''d select for my fiance a lightweight casual summer suit (likely a tan cotton, but possibly linen or VERY lightweight summer wool gabardine) with a lightweight button down shirt, and expect the jacket to be removed fairly quickly once the reception starts.

DO you have a picture of what you are currently thinking of wearing?

 

[zoebartlett]

I tried finding pictures of what I''m thinking but I didn''t have any luck. One skirt is a knee length khaki skirt and the other skirt is from Talbots and it has a pattern on it. I think the pattern is of tulips, and while I love it, I''m afraid it''s not the most flattering. I''m a shortie and I''m afraid the pattern swallows me up. That''s my take on it but I could be wrong. I''ll keep searching for pictures. I do have two skirts that are very lightweight denim and they both have white flower stitching on them. Yes they''re denim but they don''t resemble jean skirts AT ALL. I wear them to work often. I was also thinking of capri khakis and a nice shirt but I have a feeling that''s too informal (although again, I''d wear it to work). I normally wouldn''t consider wearing these outfits to this wedding but again, it''s a cookout, you know? One of the grooms'' nephews (in his 20s) is wearing khaki shorts and a short sleeve button down shirt I think. His wife might wear a sundress.

I''m trying not to go shopping because I''m on a budget and I know I can find something in my closet.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

LOL so funny, Next weekend I have a wedding where the reception is a pig roast!! Oh, and there are multiple flower girls and a dog in the ceremony as well. We country folk have our own ideas about "classy".

I''m planning on wearing a sun dress and cute sandals and DH is going to wear khaki''s a button down and a tie. He''ll remove the tie and I will replace the sandals with flip flops for the reception.

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 7/29/2009 4:16:03 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
LOL so funny, Next weekend I have a wedding where the reception is a pig roast!! Oh, and there are multiple flower girls and a dog in the ceremony as well. We country folk have our own ideas about ''classy''.


I''m planning on wearing a sun dress and cute sandals and DH is going to wear khaki''s a button down and a tie. He''ll remove the tie and I will replace the sandals with flip flops for the reception.

That''s funny! Have a good time at the pig roast. Okay, HH, you''ve seen me, so you know how short I am and what my body type is. I KNOW I posted a picture of the tulip skirt here before but I can''t find it. It''s probably two years old by now so I couldn''t find it online. BUT, knowing what I look like, would you say that a skirt with a busy pattern on it would suit me or not?

 

[HollyS]

Sundress with light cardigan or jacket for ceremony, without for the reception.

 

[luv2sparkle]

ditto. Sundress, cute sandals and a light sweater for evening. I wouldn''t wear a straight skirt, but something with a little fulness for comfort. Something a little
more festive than a khaki skirt, I think (IMHO)

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Zoe-I''m not a fan of patterned skirts, so I''m going to vote against it. I''m also not a fan of women wearing khaki to weddings....Do you have a nice a-line skirt you could wear?

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks HH! I''m going to stick with what I''d usually wear to a summer wedding, but I''ll choose a non-khaki skirt and a pretty top/blouse and nice sandals. I was *hoping* to get away with going a bit more casual but I''ll go with what I''d typically wear to be on the safe side.

 

[Kismet]

My cousin''s wedding was a cookout and I wore brown linen pants and a pale green tank top (it had a long sleeved sweater to go with it but I didn''t wear that as it was too hot.) Of course there were a number of guys there wearing shorts, no shoes and no shirt too.

 

[gemgirl]

They might be calling it a cookout, but I would dress for a garden party reception (it''s still a wedding) and wear a pretty floral dress with a coordinating something - a wrap, a sweater, something to toss over your shoulders when it gets chilly later on. If you wear a sandal with a heel, watch the height. You''ll just lose them when they sink into the lawn anyway! A cute shoe with a low heel.

 

[katamari]

Date: 7/30/2009 9:26:49 AM
Author: ZoeBartlett
Thanks HH! I''m going to stick with what I''d usually wear to a summer wedding, but I''ll choose a non-khaki skirt and a pretty top/blouse and nice sandals. I was *hoping* to get away with going a bit more casual but I''ll go with what I''d typically wear to be on the safe side.

I am not trying to talk you down from a decision, but I would try to find out any way you can what the bride is wearing. I am also going to a backyard wedding this weekend and after finding out that the bride is wearing a sundress, there is NO WAY I should wear what I typically wear to a wedding. At least for me, I would feel like the biggest a** in the world if I had on a nicer outfit than the bride. I honestly think that the khaki skirt IS the safe bet in this situation.

 

[tlh]

a nice sundress with pretty flats.