Must DH wear suit to a wedding

[Mysterian]

Ok this is what I picture the venue to be like https://www.adventureaquarium.com/venues/weddings/

"So do penguins bite? Yes penguins can and do bite. In many cases they have a very long beak, with the emperor penguin possessing a beak 8cm in length. A penguins beak also has a hook on the end of it which can easily pierce a person's skin."

 

[Moliphino]

It's funny you mentioned Costco to the other poster, my favorite leggings are from there and I'm kicking myself for having not bought more when they were selling them.

I wasn't even joking, they have some really nice stuff! Some of my work clothes also come from Costco.

 

[DisBud]

You've never been to a Midwest wedding, I assume? jeans and a clean top is a-ok at most.

Neither my husband, nor my son's, own suits. For all the funerals we have been to, it's khakis, polo or button down, clean shoes (tennis shoes, more than likely!).

And they are typically the overdressed ones.

Fancy clothes do not equal respect for the deceased (or bridal party).

LOL...originally from MN. We just returned from a wedding in MN two weeks ago and the Mother of the Groom wore shorts. They were like a little jumper, but they were shorts that I would see on any given day out and about. I'm not sure anyone outside of the wedding party and the Father of the Bride wore a suit.

I think a shirt and tie is fine. Personally, unless we are talking an expensive and well tailored suit, I don't like the look of them, but that's just me!

ETA: This wasn't a casual wedding either. Proper church wedding.

 

[TLSnell1981]

DH would wear a suit unless otherwise instructed. He has a dozen or more so no problem.

 

[HopperFan]

Unless @CaptainAmerica is there. LOL.

 

[Carol_]

If you’re 72, you get to wear whatever you like. Write a nice check.

 

[2letterwords]

Ok this is what I picture the venue to be like https://www.adventureaquarium.com/venues/weddings/

I went to a wedding at an aquarium and it was very much like this. It was a fun night!

 

[ncc1701]

The people who just came from a wedding where the food sucked and they were underfed. (Been there, done that.)

Or people killing time between the ceremony and reception.

 

[fla4fun]

After reading this debate, I stand by my decision (should I ever marry) to just elope to the courthouse in business casual. Maybe I will throw a backyard BBQ party afterwards, maybe not. We’ll see.

Where I grew up, children did attend weddings, but I can certainly understand not including them if the wedding is more formal. Supposedly, when I was maybe two years old, I sang Happy Birthday quite loudly as the bride walked down the aisle at my cousin‘s wedding (despite my mom’s best efforts to keep me quiet). I don’t remember this faux pas, but my cousin and her husband never held it against me.

As far as funerals go, the last three I have been to were not formal dress. One was for a child who loved football, and everyone wore his favorite team’s colors (some wore team jerseys). The second was for the parent of a friend, who had worked for Disney prior to retirement, so it ended up being sort of a Disney themed funeral. The other was for my parents, and we wanted to celebrate the fact that they were no longer suffering (mom’s cancer had her in agony for ten years). No one wore black or dark colors to any of them.

It is interesting to see how different locations and cultures can have such different views. I think a lot of it boils down to knowing what the bride and groom would like, and doing your best to fit in with those requests.

 

[Jangles]

Do you really think at a funeral, someone is going to look at me and say (or even think) "it's so disrespectful he didn't wear a suit"?

Here I would say yes. But here we still draw the curtains, bring the person home before the funeral and wear black for a period. ‘Respect’ in its purest form is a thing to be valued.

 

[Jangles]

If you’re 72, you get to wear whatever you like. Write a nice check.

Hey, 72 is middle aged, don’t write us off! I am not ready for slippers and a moth holed cardigan yet.

 

[cedricandsophie]

I’ve been to a couple wedding at an aquarium. I’ve found they tend to be dressy. He can wear whatever he wants but I would look at the invite to see if there is a suggested attire. And what are you wearing? My husband who is 76 wouldn’t go to a wedding without at least a sport coat. And I like dressing up with sparkles and heels. The last wedding we went to was formal and he wore a tux and me a long dress.

 

[ronandannette]

I’ve been to a couple wedding at an aquarium. I’ve found they tend to be dressy. He can wear whatever he wants but I would look at the invite to see if there is a suggested attire. And what are you wearing? My husband who is 76 wouldn’t go to a wedding without at least a sport coat. And I like dressing up with sparkles and heels. The last wedding we went to was formal and he wore a tux and me a long dress.

This right here - this is what the OP should do.

Thanks to everybody for playing though - such a refreshing departure from "what colour was your childhood toothbrush"...

 

[slo]

My husband and I have a wedding to attend next month. He doesn't have a suit to wear. At our age (72) he has no real need to spend the money on a suit. Would it be ok to just wear a dress shirt with tie and dress pants. The wedding and reception are being held at an aquarium.

I’m another vote for what he already has to wear is adequate

 

[DisneyHardin]

I wasn't even joking, they have some really nice stuff! Some of my work clothes also come from Costco.

DH and I both have lots of Costco and Sam's Club clothes.

 

[Minnesota!]

LOL...originally from MN. We just returned from a wedding in MN two weeks ago and the Mother of the Groom wore shorts. They were like a little jumper, but they were shorts that I would see on any given day out and about. I'm not sure anyone outside of the wedding party and the Father of the Bride wore a suit.

I think a shirt and tie is fine. Personally, unless we are talking an expensive and well tailored suit, I don't like the look of them, but that's just me!

ETA: This wasn't a casual wedding either. Proper church wedding.

So, you understand Hope your visit was enjoyable!

 

[scrapquitler]

My husband and I have a wedding to attend next month. He doesn't have a suit to wear. At our age (72) he has no real need to spend the money on a suit. Would it be ok to just wear a dress shirt with tie and dress pants. The wedding and reception are being held at an aquarium.

I think so, as long as your husband isn't in the wedding party. Most of the wedding I've been to in the last 10 or so years, there have been very few men wearing suits. Most just seem to wear nice pants, a dress shirt and a tie. Even those who do wear suits seem to take the jackets off immediately after the ceremony

 

[JLTraveling]

You've just described everyone dressing in relative uniformity for an event, which is I think all parties here can agree with.

(No? Another three pages? Ok, ok.)

There are weddings where the theme is Star Trek or Zombies, or whatever the couple chooses. And I'm sure people want to put the "Fun" back in "Funeral" and do the same in turn. I think to be the odd one out wearing something different would raise a brow. Or unibrow, per the Klingon groom.

In summary: Points to the person for the comment about the "wet suit". But not one of you associated an Aquarium Wedding to Penguins/Tuxedos. Tsk.

This. My ex-husband and I had a medieval themed wedding. Custom-made costumes for everyone in the wedding party, including the horses we rode in on. Historically accurate foods. Wandering minstrels. A red dragon ice sculpture. Hay bale seating. We encouraged everyone to dress according to the theme. Even my grandparents, very conservative traditionalists then in their 70s, put together fun outfits that looked fantastic and blended well. Some people went all-out, some less so, but nobody showed up in a suit. To me, that would have been highly disrespectful. Don't want to costume, fine. But don't stick to some antiquated idea of what a wedding "should" be when the bridal couple has made it crystal clear that theirs isn't that.

To the OP, I think the outfit you've described is perfectly fine unless the invitation says black tie.

 

[piccolopat]

I’d be tempted to wear a bathing suit. Maybe they have a swim with the fishes program.

Otherwise dockers and a collared shirt is fine.

I wouldn’t invest in the wedding given that about half of marriages end in divorce.

This made me laugh. When DH's niece got married last year it was at a covered pavilion at an outdoor activity park. Not only was a Hawaiian shirt theme specified, but bathing suits too for anyone who wanted to use the pool. There was a rock climbing wall and other activities. Lots of kids invited including my infant grandson. So much more fun at this casual, family oriented event than some of the formal ones we've attended.

 

[footballmouse]

I'd have him where a sports coat.