What to Wear for a Military Wedding
Bridal Gowns, Uniforms, and Regulations for Planning Your Wedding
Oct 9, 2009
For a military couple, nothing is more elegant and full of tradition than a full dress military wedding. Nothing is more horrific, however, than a military wedding where the bridal party and guests are unsure what to wear, or even worse, wear uniforms inappropriate to the occasion. While it may seem like a daunting task to make sure each detail is perfect, following a few simple rules will make your day a memorable one for all the right reasons.
Bride and Groom
Brides, if you are not a service member yourself, you may choose any type of formal wedding gown as long as it is in good taste. Remember, a number of people from your future husband’s, or your own, unit may be there and you don’t want any embarrassing moments!
If you are a service member, you can choose to wear your dress uniform or a traditional, formal bridal gown. If you choose to wear a dress uniform, however, you and your husband should wear the same level of dress uniform. Otherwise, your groom can wear whatever dress uniform he wants. His uniform choice, however, should not be less formal than that of the other members of the bridal party.
Bridal Party
Uniforms are appropriate for your bridal party as well. If your bridesmaids are service members, they should wear either uniforms or bridesmaid dresses, depending on what you are wearing. Officers or enlisted members of the bridal party should wear uniforms in keeping with the formality of your wedding.
Tips: according to US Marriage Laws.com, the groom and the best man should never wear gloves – it makes it too difficult to handle the rings. All other military members of the bridal party can wear white gloves. If you are planning a saber/sword arch, all saber/sword bearers must wear white gloves. And boutonnieres or corsages are never worn with uniforms!
Choosing the Right Uniform
Every branch of service has different formal uniform rules. According to Army Regulation 670-1, officers and enlisted members are authorized to wear Army Dress Blues with black bowtie, which corresponds to civilian black-tie, or Blue or White Mess Dress, which corresponds to civilian white-tie.
Navy Article 6407 authorizes full dress uniforms for weddings. These full dress uniforms include Dinner Dress Blue and Dinner Dress White, Dinner Dress Blue Jacket and Dinner Dress White Jacket; and Formal Dress, which is equivalent to white-tie and is only authorized for officers and chiefs. Petty Officers First Class and below may wear their Service Dress uniform with miniature medals.
Air Force Instruction 36-2903-2 prescribes Mess Dress Uniform for both officers and enlisted for formal or semi-formal occasions. The uniform worn with the blue tie and cummerbund is equivalent to black-tie formal wear; when worn with a white bow tie and waistcoat it corresponds to white-tie.
Marine Corps Order 1020.34F, Ch 2, states officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted members may wear Blue Dress or Blue-White Dress, corresponding to black-tie. Evening Dress corresponds to white-tie, and is authorized for officers, while SNCO Dress is authorized for Staff Non-Commissioned Officers.
Enlisted service members with a rank or rate of E-6 or below of all services may always choose to wear their Service Dress or Class A uniform to any wedding, regardless of the formality of the occasion.
Tip: ask what dress uniforms each member of the party owns, and plan to have the bridal party wear a uniform that everyone has. Dress uniforms are very expensive and can change at different ranks; never ask anyone to purchase a dress uniform solely for wear at a military wedding.
Let People Know What is Expected
It is very important to let people know how formal your wedding is going to be so that they can choose the appropriate uniform. Invitations are one way to communicate that information. For example, if you are having a black- or white-tie wedding, you should put "Mess dress uniform invited" so that your guests will know you would like them to come in their formal dress uniforms. Invitations for a semi-formal wedding may include "Class A uniform invited" or "Service dress uniform invited".
Military Guests
Military uniforms always look elegant, but even for a military wedding it is strictly up to the military guest whether to wear his or her uniform or appropriate civilian clothes.
If one or all of the bride and groom's parents are active, reserve, or retired military, they may choose to wear their uniform or civilian clothes. Again, if they opt for uniforms, no boutonnieres or corsages may be worn.
Military retirees and reservists are authorized to wear their dress uniforms to a military wedding, as long as they comply with current regulations and the uniform still fits properly.
Because dress uniforms are so expensive, not everyone can afford to own one. Be sensitive to this issue and welcome all guests warmly and graciously no matter what uniform they choose to wear.
If you follow these guidelines your military wedding will be a day to remember!
SOURCES:
- Air Force Instruction 36-2903. Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel. http://www.afoats.af.mil/OTS/documents/AFI36-2903.pdf. Accessed October 9, 2009.
- Army Regulation 670-1. Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia. http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r670_1.pdf. Accessed October 9, 2009.
- Marine Corps Order P1020.34F. Marine Corps Uniform Regulations. http://www.pacom.mil/staff/j01p/docs/Form%20of%20Uniform%20Dress/Service%20Branch%20Uniform%20Reg/USMC/Marine%20Uniform%20Regs.pdf. Accessed October 9, 2009
- Navy Article 6407. Navy Uniform Regulations. http://www.npc.navy.mil/CommandSupport/USNavyUniforms/UniformRegulations/Chapter6/default.htm. Accessed October 9, 2009.
- US Marriage Laws.com. "Military Weddings." http://www.usmarriagelaws.com/search/united_states/military_marriages/index.shtml. Accessed October 8, 2009.
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