Can any Americans help me with wedding wear - if the men are in black tie do the women really really glam up in the day or evening??

[CountessDracula]

I have to go to a wedding in W virginia at the end of July

It is black tie for men (ffs, in that heat and humidity!)

So my q is
do you change for the evening? Wear something very eveningy for the day? or is it just normal wedding stuff for women?

[MrsBadger]

ime they wear cocktail dresses all day - think Coast or Monsoon strapless kneelength type

they do not wear lovely tailored linen dresses from Aquascutum with big hats (I stuck out like a sore thumb)

neither do they change for the evening

[CountessDracula]

Fantastic thanks

I am not wearing strapless I have big shoulders

Bugger will have to find something now

[DarrellRivers]

but I bet you looked v stylish MrsB

[CountessDracula]

i wasn't going to do a hat

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[DarrellRivers]

At the Washington wedding we went to, there were people in mid length cocktail dresses.
I wore a lovely sleeved dress to the knee with heels and a small stylish hat, and then took the hat off fot the evening hotel reception.
Fitted in nicely

[expatinscotland]

what time is the wedding and what time is the reception?

is the reception a ball?

if it's an all evening thing - wedding followed by cocktails, sit down dinner and ball, then yes, you need to glam it up, particularly a southern one.

if it's a morning or afternoon thing then you can go with something less jazzy.

i always took 'black tie' to mean tuxes or morning coat for non-evening affairs.

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[expatinscotland]

if they are Southerners, you will be expected to dress accordingly.

[expatinscotland]

Southerners will wear if it's a daytime thing.

[MrsBadger]

I certainly looked very English

[CountessDracula]

brides family are greek orthooox
groom is irish with 9 siblings

[DarrellRivers]

But they love the whole english accent thing, maybe it added to your general quaintness and penchant for saying thigs like 'mobile' rather than 'cell'

[expatinscotland]

the greek orthodox are probably going to be dressed up.

i think i'd go English all the way.

[expatinscotland]

i seriously hope it they are getting married outside that it's in the morning.

and that the reception venue has A/C.

it's not just hot there. it's SOOOOOO muggy.