How do I cover my shoulders for church wedding?

[RedheadInARush]

Guest at smart wedding next month.

Sold a kidney and invested in this beauty.
https://rixolondon.com/products/sandrine-blue-leaf-jacquard

What cover-up would best suit it for the (very conservative, I'm warned) church part?

Maximum budget £40. Size 12.

Some other wrap options:

https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-happy-bloom-scarf-multi/p6406284

https://www.johnlewis.com/unmade-copenhagen-ekka-wool-scarf/p110030987

https://www.johnlewis.com/chesca-spot-print-scarf-navy-yellow/p110029673

https://www.hush-uk.com/karas-scarf-blue/005162-1563.html

Scarf/shawl will look nice. No ping spending a fortune on something you’ll only wear for an hour or so.

Aside from the fact that it is respectful to the church and the dress code, most churches are very cold indeed. I always wear one layer more than I would anywhere else.

As it's only for the church, you might be over-thinking this. People barely notice what guests are wearing in the church, because everyone's stuck in their pew and also focused on the bride.

I definitely wouldn't bother buying a blazer or bolero, just to have covered shoulders for half an hour - save the cash for something you actually want. Just stick a shawl/wrap on at the church door, and whip it off as you come out.

PS also agree with PPs saying churches are frigging freezing. One of my friends was an hour late for her wedding because the zip on her dress got stuck. My feet got so cold that I had to stick them up the bottom of DH's trouser legs, otherwise I'd have lost several toes to frostbite 😉

Wow! You are all amazing. Thank you so much for everyone's suggestions.

I shall browse through properly when I get some undisturbed peace this afternoon, and update you then.

To answer a few quick points...

(London) Greek Orthodox ceremony, so its religion and etiquette totally unfamiliar to me.
But both families are devout, so I'm respectful of that.

No mention of head coverings. Bit concerned now. Will double check.

The dress was a big investment on my current budget, but I know it will definitely get a lot of wear for years to come. Hence remaining £40 has to be the absolute max for a cover-up. Or rental cost (thanks for that suggestion...hadn't even occurred to me).

Yes, already asked suitable candidate friends re borrowing something suitable, but August being peak holiday/events month, they'll either be in use or are wrong size/colour (or so fancy I'd worry about my tendency for spilling red wine! Hmm. Maybe that prevents hire possibility too?)

Really appreciate your help. Will let you know what I decide upon.

A shawl, longline coat, wrap or capelet in a warm solid colour that goes well with gold, your hair colour or a very similiar colour to the dress. The fabric could be silk, fine wool, crochet or even fake fur.
Op shops sometimes have nice formal items.

absolutely do NOT go for a shrug/bolero/wrap or shawl

you’ve splashed out on Rixo so don’t undermine the style with a naff 90s wedding accessory.

an oversized ruched sleeved blazer would be best or if you’re really adverse to the idea a cropped chunky cardigan. Ba&sh and Maje have some lovely examples that pair well with Rixo that you could look at for inspiration

I love a pashmina style cover up. I think it would look better than a blazer over this dress.

I'm not an expert but I didn't have to cover my head in the Greek Orthodox church but did have to cover shoulders and down to the elbows and wear a skirt that came below the knee , no slits in skirt either.

I would wear a white s/s t shirt underneath and remove it for the reception.

A pashmina is a drapey, long shawl. What do you think it is? They come in all sorts of fabrics, sometimes embroidered, but they are in essence drapey, long shawls. The knee-jerk rejection of them on here is almost childish. They are so much more than those garishly-coloured, synthetic things that were popular in the 1990s
It would be perfect for these circumstances. Once the ceremony is over, it could be put in her bag, maybe used again if the evening is chilly.

How booby are you?
There should be no cleavage shown so depending how deep the V comes down a blazer may not work (do you have a pic of it on you?)

Many guests have wraps to match their dress for this reason - then take them off after the ceremony

Shoulders and upper arms should also be covered

Legs covered below knees so the dress is fine for that

That is beautiful!
I would have a pashmina don't cover it

Some orthodox churches provide scarves/shawls for people to borrow (thinking if you'd rather not buy something you wouldn't normally use), they definitely won't allow bare shoulders. As a pp said it's skirts below knee length and arms covered to the elbows. And no cleavage, midriff etc visible. I'd imagine some people there will have head coverings too but I've never seen it enforced especially for visitors.

I think the difference is though that you're not just "going" along for your own benefit like the oft-mentioned tourists in Spanish churches, you're being "invited" along - as a guest. Hosts should go to lengths to make their guests comfortable, or at least I did at my wedding.

If someone has already spent money, booked accommodation, bought outfits and a present, booked time off work, given up their free time and travelled, I can't imagine also expecting them to have to go along with my bizarre terror of women's shoulders. Now that would be disrespectful.

@RedheadInARush you’ve had lots of good ideas here and I hope you find something you like.

Greek Orthodox weddings contain a lot of beautiful symbolism, you might enjoy the service more if you spent an hour online and read about the service and the meanings behind it. I’m sure your friends will be touched that you took the time to learn about their traditions and culture.

But its not the hosts rules, it's the religious rules for attendance at a Greek Orthodox wedding. As I said, I'm an atheist but I would still wear a dress that covered shoulders, arms to the elbows and legs to below knee. Would you cover your head in a Gurdwara ? or Mosque? If you wouldn't why not?

A pashmina is made from goats wool. Not a shawl - different.

The couple didn’t chose the beach, pub, nightclub etc., but have chosen to be married in a religious place, others should respect their ideas.

Even the late Queen took off her shoes when visiting a Hindu Temple.

@SirCharlesRainier you're being childish.
It's not a high affront to whack a pashmina over your shoulders while attending a place of worship. It's about having respect for others beliefs and practices.
It would look incredibly ignorant if you didn't comply with such a simple request and you would be in danger of embarrassing the bride/groom/their families on their happy occasion - why would you deliberately do that?

IMO Churches are always freezing and in that dress with bare legs/sandals I would turn blue without a blazer or similar. It's only for the ceremony, so hardly 'wasting' the dress. (I am super jealous you can carry that dress off though OP - my boobs would have a field day with that fabric and no bra! )

They're brilliant. I have a pale green one, it fits into my bag.

It’s nothing to do with the hosts, though.

For what it’s worth, I would never go into any church or religious building with shoulders uncovered, and I’m not religious. I’m quite shocked at some of the views on this thread.

Indeed. I went into mosques in Malaysia and put a burqa on! Their place of worship, their rules.

This is lovely. Absolutely not a blazer!

@beancount I wouldn't do that and didn't say I would, and have dressed in compliance with religious views in the past. Stop projecting. I am still allowed to state my objection to it in discussion here. It certainly is a high affront to expect women to avoid a style of dress that is culturally perfectly acceptable at weddings in this country if it weren't for the religious element. I'd say the same if they expected me to wear a burkha, too (and you'd presumably accuse me of childishness).