Hello ladies,
I'm an American who will be the mother of the bride at my daughter's wedding in a small town near York, UK. I already purchased a dress I would wear here in the US in the mother of the bride role, but it's a gown. Every picture I look at of a British wedding the women are wearing knee length dresses, except for royalty of course which we are not. Am I making too much of this? The wedding is in June.
Thanks to all, I need advice please.
Consult with the groom's mother, assuming she is Britush.
How fun! One of my favorite activities when visiting in the U.K. Is to watch wedding guests gather. Everyone dresses up so beautifully. Do not underestimate the value of a hat/fascinator. 99.9 percent of ladies wear them. I am not sure, given your area of the country, how easy they will be to come by. If you are spending time in London or York on the way over, you might be able to find one there. Maybe Emma has some suggestions for shops in U.K. They are nearly impossible to find in my area.
I guess I would ask if you want to do it UK or American style? UK, go with what they would do. American, go with your long gown. I know as an American I would expect a long gown, but it is really what you are happy with. Congrats!
I guess I would ask if you want to do it UK or American style? UK, go with what they would do. American, go with your long gown. I know as an American I would expect a long gown, but it is really what you are happy with. Congrats!
May I say that addressing your question to "ladies" is a little sexist, and prompts me to add a male voice.
Your comment on royalty wearing (full length) gowns is erroneous, as this photo of the Queen and Queen Mother at Charles and Diana's wedding in 1981 clearly shows. http://contact.photoshelter.com/image/I0000Vut6Bx5agss
What you will see, at a summer wedding in an English village, are hats. What you won't see, are full length gowns.
Full length gowns might also get wet in puddles or from long grass. You might also well find that following the meal, that they have dancing - normally to some kind of disco music - which may involve a live group. Should this be the case, you will find that some of the guests partake whilst others go away from the music & chat. I take it that you have googled the place where the reception will take place to see what it looks like!
go short - when I attended my step daughter's wedding in York there were few if any long dresses. There were plenty of fascinators and they were the most fun to look at. There are plenty of hat shops which have fascinators in York and I would not try to find one in the states.
To get an idea of fascinators here in the UK, have a look at the website for M&S - marksandspencer.com. They have quite a few.
I'm going to my younger nephews wedding in a couple of months, in Sussex. I'll be wearing a knee length dress (as I expect most of the other lady guests will) but have still to buy a hat/fascinator.
As others have said, ask your daughter or groom's mother for advice re dresses for this particular wedding. I would say the norm is knee length dresses, but its not set in stone.
Katy
