Waffling on Wedding Wear; Welcoming Wisdom!

Parent Cafe
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<p>For those of you who are bored or in need of distraction: Our favorite nephew is getting married next week. It’s a big wedding (self described Big Fat Greek Wedding - his fiancee is Green Orthodox and the wedding is in her church), at 5 pm. Mitigating the formality of the hour, it’s in the Tidewater Virginia area, and I know that lots of folks will just be coming in “church dresses.”</p>

<p>Further information: Bride’s color scheme = pistachio and cream.</p>

<p>Further, further information: S2, who is six, is the ring bearer. This could mean that I have to be able to perform stealthy acts of restraint/redirection. I can’t wear anything that can’t survive a quick . . . rendition flight. :eek:</p>

<p>So I think I’ve narrowed it down to three choices. (Note: Maker/designer names only mentioned to give a better idea of “look.” All guaranteed bought on sale!)</p>

<li><p>DvF wrap-type dress (not actually a wrap). 3/4 sleeves, geometric (but not wild) blue/black/cream print. Low cut, knee length, DH likes though it’s really not revealing. Biggest plus: I always feel happy when I wear it. Drawbacks: Fairly New Yorky for this crowd! Definitely a cocktail dress . . . not sure the home team will feel it belongs at a wedding (though I would not hesitate to wear it to one here). </p></li>
<li><p>Eileen Fisher greenish/gray tank dress. Mid-calf, fairly form-fitting. Age appropriate & has nice jacket that goes with. Also, my favorite shoes in the world go with. Drawbacks: DH has fairly rude things to say about all EF clothes. Color is v close to bride’s colors - I don’t want to look as if I think I’m in the wedding party. Then again, if I have to chase after S2 I won’t clash, I guess?? Perhaps worse, I wore this outfit to the last family wedding, for which S2 was also the ring bearer, so it appears in a lot of photos.</p></li>
<li><p>Jones NY Color-of-CC menu items type (not quite royal blue?) sheath. Just above the knee, form fitting - it’s a little black dress, only blue. Can probably wear spiky black heels. Drawbacks: Will have to be careful w accessories, otherwise it could be boring; the dress itself is very plain. Possibly would provide unwelcome comic relief if I have to leap or lunge into the aisle.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Feel free to vote, advise, or denounce all three.</p>

<p>Also, if you know of any nonstaining candy for bribery purposes, I’m open to ideas! He loves skittles - guess I could choose the flavors/colors depending on what dress I end up wearing. . . .</p>

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<p>Voting for #3. Possible comic relief a plus ;). Would have voted for #2 except for the fear of matching bridal party. I’d worry about that too, if it were me. (In fact I ruled out all the great looking brown or spring/lime green dresses I saw last summer because they were the bride’s colors and I am just a close family friend).</p>

<p>All three sound great. I ruled out #1 because you thought the home crowd might not get it. H can see you in it some other time :cool:.</p>

<p>And I loved your post, the distraction and the chance to vote.</p>

<p>Perhaps you should turn this into an American Idol, secret ballot by PM and you could announce the " bottom two" with dramatic music at the end of the thread?</p>

<p>Can you see that I need something to pass the time until my next appointment?</p>

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<p>I vote for #3 for the same reasons as JMMOM. I happen to love the color, too. Plus it would be nice for you to have pictures of yourself in different attire. No one else might notice, but you surely will. I’m not sure why you’re worried about the ring-bearer. I’m absolutely confident that his conduct will be impeccable and everyone in attendance will marvel at how chic and glamorous you are AND how spectacularly well-behaved your child is. (Says the mother of a 9-year old boy).</p>

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<p>Number 1. Comfort and feeling your best is always a prime consideration. I wouldn’t worry about what other people are thinking about it…chances are those who don’t like it won’t like anything! And the rest are too busy wondering if other people like <em>their</em> clothes! (What’s this dress made of?)
I’m seeing a lot of evening dresses in patterns this year as we look back on the early 70’s for influence. </p>

<p>Number 3 sounds like a winner as well! Don’t go too spiky on the heels so you can chase around after your kid. A sparkly pair of earrings and a great bag is all you need for a sheath. </p>

<p>I think you’re right about number 2. Too close to the wedding colors. I don’t care for Eileen Fisher’s stuff either…not enough ‘line’. </p>

<p>As for non-staining candy…i suggest you get something that goes with <em>his</em> outfit…maybe Skittles will work if you eliminate all but the green ones? Does he like Smarties? They dissolve quickly in the mouth but may be too sour for his taste.</p>

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<p>Harriet, I agree with jmmom that they all sound great. I’m going to be a mom of a bride this summer and so I’ve been asked this question about wedding attire many times in recent months. :slight_smile: My answer would be to wear whichever one you want! I’m sure that each of them would be just fine and that you’ll look great in any of them. If I absolutely had to vote for just one, I’d choose #3 because blue is my favorite color. </p>

<p>p.s. Good non-staining candy? Rockets!</p>

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<p>Harriet, another vote for #3 here. #2 gets a “no” from me for being in too many pictures (but I loooove EF, and my H hates it - lol). How did your S do the first time he was a ring bearer?</p>

<p>PS I almost wrecked my brain trying to figure out what a “Green Orthodox” is. It’s Greek, right?</p>

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<p>I think we need pictures in order to properly vote.</p>

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<p>I really like #3. It sounds perfect; I’d like to wear it myself. Plus you can add or subtract from it as you like.</p>

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<p>At the last wedding I attended, the flower girls and the ring bearer were promptly marched to their parents after they had walked down the aisle. You might consider this if they aren’t doing it already.</p>

<p>No suggestions on the dress…I like #2, but I see what you mean about not wanting to look like a member of the wedding party. We had a summer wedding and the guys wore white dinner jackets and black pants, because both of our dads had done that at their own weddings in '54. One oafish guy my husband invited wore exactly the same thing!</p>

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<p>Another vote for number three. I don’t really like prints except at outdoor weddings.</p>

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<p>If the wedding will be a traditional Greek Orthodox one, be prepared for a much longer ceremony than you’re probably used to. (Not what you want to hear with a 6-year-old in tow, I’m sure!) I like #1: Being New Yorky is fine in my book, and if you always feel great in it, then you won’t have to worry about any lunging comic relief moments. :wink: But #3 does sound like it’s a great color…</p>

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<p>Yup - GREEK, not Green. :smiley: Saw it too late to edit.</p>

<p>These responses are making my day. You all are wonderful. </p>

<p>Rockets? Sounds good, alwaysamom. And you know we’re all going to want to hear more about your D’s wedding. Novelisto, #1 is silk. Latetoschool, I think we need to have a CC party anyway; sound good? Jmmom, funny about when DH gets to see the dress. 3bm103, what a scary thought. </p>

<p>Zoosermom, yeah! Sure! Right! :eek: Clearly, you were at the last wedding, and I just didn’t know. You know, the one - to answer your other question, BunsenBurner - where S2 decided that wandering off to look at shiny things was a better idea than standing where he was put? </p>

<p>Granted, he was only three then. And his cousin the flower girl scared him gormless when she helpfully informed him that he shouldn’t be afraid because “Jesus would be walking down the aisle with them.” See, we’re catholic-lite, and this was a Catholic church, so . . . there was Jesus, hanging on the cross. . . . </p>

<p>Oh, never mind. It’s enough to make anybody Green Orthodox.</p>

<p>Missypie - we’re HOPING! Will find out at the rehearsal on Fri. Mathmom, good point. Booklady, rehearsal will also clue us in about length of ceremony.</p>

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<p>Do Greeks bring chairs for the wedding party to sit in during the long part?</p>

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<p>As far as the treats for your son, I can tell you that tootsie roll pops are not good! My cousin’s sons were in the bridal party at a cousin’s wedding last year and once the boys were in their seats, dad gave them the lollipops. My husband had the honor of keeping the 4 year old during the ceremony. Let’s just say that my husbands tux needed cleaning after that wedding! The lollipop was in and out of the mouth, sticky hands on my husbands pants, and drool on his shoulder from when my husband carried him.</p>

<p>How about fruit snacks, although I realize that might not really be a treat, or some gummy dinosaurs. Something that will dissolve quickly and not be pulled in and out of the mouth, or something that won’t melt in his hands.</p>

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<p>Yep, I need pictures. From your descriptions, if I were wearing dress number 1 (a low cut faux wrap dress) I would be much more likely to cause non-G rated comic relief than something that might possibly show leg. Though, I’ve learned from People magazine, do wear underwear. So I vote for dress number three, also because CC menu items blue is one of my favorite colors.</p>

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<p>Number 3! (But number one sounds great…keep it in the running. What’s wrong with being the Stylish Aunt From New York?)</p>

<p>Do m&m’s really “melt in your mouth, not in your hand?” if so, theymay be the answer!</p>

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<p>I vote for 3. My MIL wore the same outfit to kid 1 and kid 2 bat mitzvah services. She didn’t realize it till the photos came back. So for me that eliminates choice 2. For what it is worth I think women like EF and men hate it.
Snacks- an assortment if the wedding is long. If he is going to sit with you I would have a bag of stuff. Gummy bears are good. They don’t melt, don’t stain. The last long event I went to the boy in front of me had some sort of handheld game. Nintendo or gameboy type of item. It didn’t have sound. He also had an assortment of candy and snacks. Including long string red licorice and popcorn. Sitting behind him we were getting a bit jealous that we had no snacks. This was a long church wedding.</p>

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<p>Laughing at the do wear underwear comment. At the same above wedding the mother of the kid had on a white linen suit with a pair of thong underwear that cause quite a bit of discussion between the young boys who were sitting with us. Not to mention the men!</p>

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<p>well, if she ^^^ shows up, Harriet, you won’t have to worry about anyone commenting on your NY Style or anything else.</p>

<p>Oh dear. What was she thinking?</p>

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<p>gummy bears won’t melt.</p>