Winter wedding England

[asr123]

I'm going as a guest to the wedding of one of my wife's friends this December which will be a morning coat affair, which I plan to wear.
Striped trousers, white shirt, buff db waistcoat, and black morning coat with a silk tie.

As it will be freezing(!!) cold, is it advisable/acceptable to wear a smart black wool overcoat (chesterfield style but without a velvet colar) with it for when we're in the car and outdoors?

Or should I be gritting my teeth against the cold and not covering up the morning coat even when outside? If I wear it outside it means I will likely need to wear it in the church too as won't have anywhere to put it other than over my arm.

Also, what are people's thoughts on wool gloves and scarves? Ok with black wool/cashmere?

 

[Chouan]

I'm going as a guest to the wedding of one of my wife's friends this December which will be a morning coat affair, which I plan to wear.
Striped trousers, white shirt, buff db waistcoat, and black morning coat with a silk tie.

As it will be freezing(!!) cold, is it advisable/acceptable to wear a smart black wool overcoat (chesterfield style but without a velvet colar) with it for when we're in the car and outdoors?

Or should I be gritting my teeth against the cold and not covering up the morning coat even when outside? If I wear it outside it means I will likely need to wear it in the church too as won't have anywhere to put it other than over my arm.

Also, what are people's thoughts on wool gloves and scarves? Ok with black wool/cashmere?

Whereabouts in the UK/England? Cornwall might be quite mild, whilst Northumberland/Cumbria is likely to be very much colder.

 

[Anachronist]

Having attended a few of those style weddings myself, I believe an elegant overcoat is absolutely acceptable and would second your choice of a Chesterfield.

 

[maxalex]

Having attended a few of those style weddings myself, I believe an elegant overcoat is absolutely acceptable and would second your choice of a Chesterfield.

Agreed that frostbite trumps fashion. Many churches have coatracks in the vestibule—that’s what the word indicates. If not, you can fold your coat and leave it on the pew next to you.

However unless it’s really bitter that day, merely striding from a warm car to a warm church in your woolen morning coat is unlikely to put the chill in you. Play it by ear.

 

[Chouan]

The weather in England is so unpredictable, and so variable, that, without knowing where the wedding is to take place it is impossible to advise with any level of confidence. I was at a wedding in County Durham in December two or three years ago, and, although there was a very cold wind, it wasn't so cold as to require an overcoat. I'd be more concerned about the possibility of rain, but, again, the location of the wedding would be important to assess that possibility.

 

[Chouan]

No location?

 

[Purplelabel]

I wouldn't think twice, I think it'll look perfectly acceptable.

 

[asr123]

No location?

Thanks for the replies. Wedding is in the North. I live in UK so am aware of weather and expect it to certainly be cold enough to require a coat under normal circumstances (i.e. not in morning coat). Thanks for the concerns though.

One thing you quickly learn in UK is that you can't ever confidently predict the weather regardless of location.

 

[asr123]

Thanks all for the responses.

Coat it is! And will wear with a reassured confidence from your advice.

Cheers guys.

 

[Chouan]

"The north" is quite a large area. Some, foolish, people think that places like Manchester are in the north, whilst I would consider that area to merely be the Midlands.
The only concern that I would have about the weather is rain or other precipitation. If rain or sleet or snow is present, then an umbrella will be essential. If If you are to be wearing morning dress, I would suggest a layer or two under your shirt if it looks like it will be particularly cold. The church will probably be cold, so extra layers, vest/vests or tee shirt/shirts, under your dress shirt will keep Jack Frost at bay whilst you are relatively stationary. Not wearing a coat over your morning dress will mark you out as being a person who isn't afraid of the elements. Wearing a coat over your morning dress will:
1) Spoil the effect
2) Mark you out as being a characteristically soft southerner
3) Mark you out as being a soft and effete Northerner.
Be a man and tough it out.....

 

[shorts17]

I'm going as a guest to the wedding of one of my wife's friends this December which will be a morning coat affair, which I plan to wear.
Striped trousers, white shirt, buff db waistcoat, and black morning coat with a silk tie.

As it will be freezing(!!) cold, is it advisable/acceptable to wear a smart black wool overcoat (chesterfield style but without a velvet colar) with it for when we're in the car and outdoors?

Or should I be gritting my teeth against the cold and not covering up the morning coat even when outside? If I wear it outside it means I will likely need to wear it in the church too as won't have anywhere to put it other than over my arm.

Also, what are people's thoughts on wool gloves and scarves? Ok with black wool/cashmere?

I would say that north and south sure it changes....only on how "colder" it ll be...it will be cold generally, just north much more! the location would affect on the rain mostly I d say

 

[Wingtip77]

Anything above The Wash is 'The North', anything below is 'The South'. The Midlands is level. Manchester is definitely in the north.

Personally, if I was wearing a morning suit, I would not wear a coat. You've got 3 layers already, and unless the reception is being held on top of a mountain, you shouldn't be outside for too long. Plus you'll just end up worrying where to leave it.

Perhaps invest in long johns if you are one of those southern soft lads?

 

[Chouan]

Anything above The Wash is 'The North', anything below is 'The South'. The Midlands is level. Manchester is definitely in the north.

Personally, if I was wearing a morning suit, I would not wear a coat. You've got 3 layers already, and unless the reception is being held on top of a mountain, you shouldn't be outside for too long. Plus you'll just end up worrying where to leave it.

Perhaps invest in long johns if you are one of those southern soft lads?

If Manchester is in the north, where is Northumberland?

 

[Wingtip77]

If Manchester is in the north, where is Northumberland?

The North.

Manchester = North West

Northumberland = North East

 

[Chouan]

I would say that north and south sure it changes....only on how "colder" it ll be...it will be cold generally, just north much more! the location would affect on the rain mostly I d say

Indeed, Carlisle is far more likely to be wet, whereas Newcastle is one of the cities with the lowest precipitation in the UK.