What to wear to a smart wedding in Scotland in November

[Gladtimeslady]

I've been invited to a smart wedding in Scotland in November. Despite the fact that I'm in my 70s, I've just realised that I have only ever been to summer weddings and I have no idea what to wear at a winter wedding. I have dresses I can wear, but what do I do about a coat? My only smart coat is an olive green gabardine raincoat. It's a good quality, expensive coat but it doesn't seem very wedding like. And it wouldn't look right with a fancy wedding hat. What do people do - just wear a drab coat for the service and only start looking like a wedding guest when they take the coat off at the reception? (I obviously don't want to buy a smart coat just for this one occasion.)

I live in Scotland and have been to two November weddings recently - one in a castle and one in a collection of barns. Two of the three barns used were very cold and the one where we had the meal was quite warm.

I wore velvet dresses to both weddings and a fun fur jacket. It seemed that many people at the barn wedding were wearing any warm coat they owned - nothing special.

Only the wedding party wore hats at both weddings. (MOB and MOG).

@sodabreadjamDont the wedding party care about being cold? I’d absolutely not want that for my guests if I was paying for it. Most people know guests won’t be dressed for sitting down for hours in a cold place. What a shame people have to wear coats!

@MeetMeOnTheCorner the barns had been booked months rather than years ahead, so I suspect the venue didn't usually host winter weddings but had been persuaded to. Younger guests didn't seem to mind the cold and many knew the drill and came in big coats. It was very lavishly catered, which helped take the edge off the cold.

Really? I would say exactly the opposite. Of the men I know who wear kilts they all own their own, to be dressed up or down as appropriate, with different jackets depending on the event. Kilts sometimes substituted by trews.

Nothing wrong with wearing tartan but suggesting it because a wedding is in Scotland is silly. Several other posters pointed out Scotland isn't a theme park.

As for being rude try reading your first reply to me.

I'd say in my circle, its probably 50/50. And the ones who do own a kilt, tend to have two, a drinking one (for the football) and a smart one for weddings.

I'd absolutely encourage anyone who wants to hire a kilt to do so. I'm Scottish, live in Scotland, got married last year and the only way I knew who had their own kilts and who hired one, was due to conversations we'd had. I certainly couldnt tell by looking.

@sodabreadjamA cold venue would not suit me! DD is getting married this winter but it’s got adequate heating! Not a barn though.

I’ve got that coat. It’s not anywhere near warm enough for NE Scotland, I’m afraid. I was cold in it in Woking last December! It is a lovely coat though.

Scottish weddings don’t do a gap, you’re straight from wedding to reception, there’s usually a fair bit of socialising before the meal while the bridal party have photos taken.

I live in Scotland and have been to ones with a gap - usually because far more people were invited to the evening ceilidh which is elsewhere. So just in case this is that setup I’d personally change in between if possible. Otherwise - layers as I get super hot at a ceilidh!