Wedding - morning dress for ceremony and black tie for evening??!

[Somerville]

Just seen all the bumpf about a wedding I'm attending in a few weeks. The dress code is morning dress for the ceremony & drinks, then black tie for the reception. (Two hour break between the two.) I have never encountered that before. What would you assume this means in terms of what female guests should wear?

I know men will need to change their suits, but I'm wondering if it'll be acceptable to buy a cocktail-ish dress that matches one of the jackets I already own, then take off the jacket for the evening and change my shoes.

I also had a sinking feeling that 'morning dress' being specified meant women will all be in hats for the ceremony, but I've just googled and apparently that's very much a matter of individual guest's preference?

I don't know any other female guests who will be there, though I'll be meeting one next week so can ask what her plan is then. But I'll be leaving it a bit late to find things if I hear then that they're all wearing hats and/or really glamming up for the evening.

Everyone I know who owns morning suits has inherited them! Some are getting pretty ancient though (think third generation). I generally think the hired jobs from Moss Bros look awful as they don't fit properly, a decent suit looks far smarter.

I'd say 'morning dress', I don't think I've ever used 'suit other than on this thread. Morning coat just refers to the jacket.

We have been to some pretty posh weddings over the years but my 56 year old husband wore a morning suit for the first time ever this year - for our son's wedding. (He did look rather smart in it). As for tux, he used to wear one regularly, now it maybe comes out twice a year...

Is it a 40s style tea dress?

If so, what about a 40s style hat like this? or a this?

Omg I love this it would be great for funerals... (sorry..)

Those hats are really nice. Hadn't occurred to me to look on etsy, thanks.

I've just tried on the mint dress and it's a bit meh. I was still in a daze last summer, not sure what I liked about it.

I've got a few other things that could work for the ceremony, but I've decided to get something new. I'll feel most confident that way. Reading some other threads on here, advice (might even have been yours, Twinkle?) is to start with the hat. I don't want something totally huge or out there (which the one best friend thinks I should borrow is... it also cost her an eye watering amount and I'd be worried about damaging it).

My DH has his own morning coat/dress/suit for reasons above: we had a run of morning dress weddings one year, and it cost the same to buy a decent second hand suit, and get it altered to fit, as it did to hire three times. Not particularly posh, just traditional.

My pet hate with two-phase weddings is hat hair, and that weird red band you get round your forehead. I usually find a nice big silk flower, get a proper updo at the hairdresser to include it, then remove for the evening dinner. When my hair was long enough, I put it into a big bun then pinned silk roses all around the outside so it looked like I was wearing a gravity-defying Jackie Kennedy number.