outdoor winter wedding
 

Just to preface... I'm shivering when it's 80 degrees outside.

My darling ex-roommate/sorority sister will be married in October. The venue is a sprawling ski resort in Central VA. The wedding reception will take place on a mountain top. Outside.

Clearly, a little strapless dress isn't going to cut it. How do I stay warm and look stylish? I have a fabulous red peacoat that I could wear OVER something... but what to wear under it? Maybe get a fancy broach for the coat?

Help! I have a fashion emergency. Keep me warm and looking pretty!

Oooh, is it at Wintergreen? It's gorgeous that time of year.

Sometimes the weather in October is freezing. Other times it's unbearably hot. I'd have an outfit ready for both if I were you. I know towards the end of last October we had on shorts and tshirts.

man you Floridians are such pussies.

80 degrees. BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

ok fine. I'm a pansy myself. I can't standz humidity. so I guess we're even

I usually am roasting in 80 degree weather.

For an outdoor wedding, you probably would not be super duper dressed up.

So perhaps a velvet dress with a warmer shawl on top if necessary.

And make sure to wear warm shoes and socks.


I did go to Virginia a few winters ago. Granted, it was on the coast. But one day it was 62 degrees. The next day it was in the 40s. One day I was wearing a silk cardigan and skirt. The next day I was in my warm hooded tracksuit.

October is not winter. Although the temperature can sometimes be cool, it can also be warm. My sister was a bridesmaid in an October wedding. The bride made them wear velvet jackets. Of course, that day had record high temperatures in the high 70s. She broiled all day long.

I suggest that you have two outfits ready: one for warm weather and the other cool.

i was just about to ask the same question.

Yes, it is at Wintergreen. Thanks for the idea about the two outfits. Good call! I'm just worried because both the ceremony and the reception are outside and I'm always cold!

I was in a wedding in Virginia (near Frederick) in early November, and while it wasn't the warmest, it certainly wasn't arctic. We wore satin dresses with velvet cloaks (think Squeaky Fromme!) and used muffs with something like an overgrown corsage on them instead of bouquets. Once inside, we dumped the cloaks and muffs and were fine.

That may have been THE bridesmaid dress I got the most use out of, post-nuptials. Its last incarnation was part of a Little Red Riding Hood costume!

People still wear velvet dresses? :::shudder:::

Techically, you're not even supposed to wear velvet as early as October...

Good God, people are still wearing velvet??

If it was me, I'd go for some nice wool trousers and a jacket or a nice sweater...and the pea coat!

I had a velvet shawl at my December wedding, but I cannot imagine an enitre dress of velvet.

that was my reaction too

"i'd like to drape myself in velvet"-george constanza

the mountains here get really cold at night, regardless of the season, so be prepared. hopefully the couple takes some consideration into their guests and has heaters placed around the reception area.

Reading Is Fundamental, folks! I said was (that's past tense, very past tense!), bridesmaid (a tad dressier), and cloak (as in outer wear, NOT a dress!). :rolleyes:

That part I got, but I still don't see very many people wearing velvet.


And now I'm picturing an entire wedding party looking like Little Red Riding Hood.

*giggle* Why do you always make me laugh out loud at work?

The velvet jacket made my sister cringe as well, but the bride selected the bridesmaids' outfits. Anyway, that wedding was in the late 1990s for what that's worth.

Bridesmaid dresses are designed to never be usefully worn again anyway. At least that's my theory.

It's a daytime wedding, so unless they change the time again, it will be in the early afternoon.

I have a vintage-y looking camel colored wool suit with a skirt.. I wonder if I pair it with a funky top and knee-high boots if I could pull that one off for my cold weather option... thoughts? Camel colored boots or black?

You poor thing!

Sweetheart, there are ages where wearing velvet is acceptable. Under 10 and over 60. You are neither.

Everytime someone says the word "velvet," God kills a kitten.

Actually, every time someone says "velvet," I am reminded of that scene in "Coming to America" where Eddie Murphy (in makeup and playing the old Jewish guy) appreciatively pets the lion's head robe and proclaims, "This is beauty-ful! What is this? Velvet?"

So seriously, what should I wear?

ETA: This is my "I hope it's warm so I can wear this dress" dress: http://anntaylorloft.com/atlOutfitDe...oduct_Id=77542

I just looked online at Weatherunderground and it says you have a 91% chance of it being over 60. To a wedding that was going to be over 60, I'd wear a sundress and a light cardigan. However, I'm from the midwest.

Maybe wear a heavier-weight black skirt (think J.Crew or BR's suiting skirts, boots, and a warner but pretty sweater. You can always put your peacoat on if you need to. Then when it moves inside you can change the boots for heels.

Most outdoor weddings I've gone to have been 20-30 minutes at most, so keep in mind you don't need to bundle too much.

I just saw your edit - you could wear that with a cute shrug over it. Regular Ann Taylor has a cute navy one that I bet will match.

For that dress I would get a white or silvery cardigan to match the embroidery on it.

I think white in October is not the best idea.

No white cardigans in October? I must be more of a fashion renegade than I thought.

I don't like wearing white cardigans to weddings anyway, but I would think in VA some people might still frown on that.

Aw cute! I have a wedding to go to in october in Laguna...hmm me thinks I need to hit up Ann Taylor Loft!

I could just send you mine! :)

Sadly, the whole wedding--ceremony and reception is outdoors! Dear ADPi Sister is killing me! Our other former roommate is also always cold... I think we might huddle together for warmth.

I saw the AT shrug and thought about it... it is a cotton and silk blend, and my dress is cotton... I wonder if the navy on navy will be too much... and if the ivory will clash with the white trim on the dress...

While we're on the subject ... I have another wedding to go to in Malibu in Sept. It's a beach wedding (world's away from the Wintergreen resort!). Any ideas on what to wear? Let me know if you see cute dresses! I'm thinking a bright peacock blue would be pretty. (ETA-- HB, we'll definitely have to get together. It's been 2 years since I was last in LA!)

The AT shrug I saw is solid navy - although I can't find it on the website. Weird.

I just got a really cute blue strapless dress at GAP on clearance.

It is part of AT's Celebration's line. If you look on the website, it is there.

My Loft dress is Deep Blue and the Celebrations Shrug is Midnight Blue, but I know my Ann pretty well and they only have one navy. So it might work. I just worry about the blue on blue being "too much."

FYI: I'm an AT addict. Today I frightened a co-worker when I complimented her blazer and asked, "Loft Spring 2004 line, right?"

AHA, I did not look in there the second time around. I don't think it would necessarily be bad - I mean, we wear black shrugs with black dresses all the time, right?

Very true... did you see it in the store? I might hit up my local AT this weekend. If not, I'll order it online and pay for the shipping.

You do realize only about 10% (I'm probably being generous) of the people on here know what you're talking about? Huh-huh. We're old.

No, online - I don't thin the Celebrations line is in stores - at least not up here.