Attire & Accessories Forum

Vent - Why is everyone so concerned about matching?

I'm not really concerned with what people wear to my wedding... that includes wedding party attire. I picture our wedding being pretty laid back and low stress (at least as much as a wedding can be). All I care about is being married by end of that day and celebrating it with those closest to us. For bridesmaids, I think the different style dresses is great and usually looks better than matching since they can get dresses that suit their body type. So, WHY is everyone else so concerned with making sure everyone matches exactly? 

I told BM's to get any short, navy blue dress. In whatever style or price they want. I figured this was best since they live in different states. They decided to coordinate anyway and got matching dresses from Davids. Well, 2 of the 3 match. 3rd BM is 6 years old. So rather than paying high cost for dress she will grow out of quickly, we went with cheaper navy dress from retail store. It probably would be better to have all match or all different (mainly because I want 6yo to feel part of the group), but whatever. And nobody will likely question kid wearing different dress. 

Then, my dad is super concerned with making sure he matches his attire to groomsmen. He wants exact same suit/tux they wear. I told him he could wear whatever he wanted, it doesn't even need to be same color, but he wants to match. They are already spending a lot of money travelling to my destination wedding, so it doesn't make sense to spend a lot on something he may not wear again. FI picked a navy suit he liked. FMIL was kind enough to offer to purchase suits for all the guys, including my dad, because there was a good sale going on.  He wanted to match, so now he does.

Now, we also have a 12 year old groomsman, who apparently wears an odd, hard to find suit size. We've only found a couple navy suits in his size, but FMIL doesn't like them. Why? Because they aren't exact same style as other groomsmen suits! Mainly, so far we can only find 3 button suits for him and other groomsmen have 2 buttons. Really??? It's not that big of a deal! Buy him a navy suit, ANY navy suit, and it will be fine. Nobody will even notice that it's not exact same! And if they do, again, I don't think anyone will side-eye the kids wearing slightly different attire than rest of wedding party.

I only care about what I'm wearing and what FI is wearing. Honestly, if everyone else showed up in blue jeans or shorts, that would be okay too. It might raise an eyebrow for a second, but then I'd turn around, say I do, and have an awesome day. It doesn't really matter to me. I just want to keep things as simple and low-stress as possible. Why does everyone else feel the need to complicate everything? And why doesn't anyone seem to believe me when I say it's okay if they don't match? At this point the "we have to match" stress is getting annoying. Picking an outfit to wear to a party shouldn't be that complicated! 

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Re: Vent - Why is everyone so concerned about matching?

  • i feel you we got the same dresses for my maids jasmine l3001 long chiffon one strap dresses. groomsmen all are renting the same tux.

    i had issues with my maids waiting til the last possible second to call in deposits to my salon they live out of state.

    i told my mom and dad to wear whatever you want any color is fine
  • Because everyone is brainwashed into thinking what happens in movies and in magazines is normal. And, if your wedding isn't like that, then there's something wrong with your wedding and, by extension, with you. That, and people assume they have to walk on eggshells when a wedding is involved because "OMG! It's got to be perfect and only matching means perfect." I agree, it's silly. 
    "There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness." -Friedrich Nietzsche, "On Reading and Writing"
  • vmj23vmj23 member
    Fifth Anniversary 1000 Comments 250 Love Its 5 Answers
    I'm with you! i told the girls to pick whatever they want (gave them a color) they all ended up getting the same color from david's but 3 different styles.  I told my sister in law's to pick whatever for the kids to wear, which they ended up coordinating with each other.   They all still keep asking me if what they are picking is okay, or what color shoes and i just tell them whatever they want.   if they are happy, i am happy.
  • ElcaBElcaB member
    2500 Comments Fifth Anniversary 500 Love Its First Answer
    I agree, people do get carried away. Overly matchy emulates a very robotic feel, which isn't something I'm going for.  

    My dad told me if I wanted him to get a certain color suit to let him know and he would.

    Me: "Do you own a suit?"
    Dad: "Yes."
    Me: "Is it powder blue?"
    Dad: "No."
    Me: "Then it works for me!"
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  • I feel your pain. I've even had issues with guests calling me and wanting to know how they should dress and checking with me if outfits are ok. Seriously? Everyone is making everything else about my wedding so complicated too. It's irritating, but in the end I know they are just doing it because they want to make sure I have everything that I want and my day is perfect. 
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  • Yeah, I know they are doing it because they care and they want to make sure my wedding is perfect for me. And my BM's are both the type that wanted 100% matching BM's in their weddings (even jewelry), so that's what they think a wedding should be. And I'm the first daughter getting married, so that probably explains my parents craziness. And FI is in his family to get married and 40 years old, so they weren't sure he ever would... and his parents absolutely love me. But how many times do I need to say that attire isn't important? And if I say an outfit it okay, maybe believe me that I really am okay with it.  I keep saying over and over that the small details don't matter. I feel like a broken record sometimes.

    @ElcaB, I had almost exact same conversation with my dad. Most of his old suits don't fit him anymore, but he bought a new black suit last year for an event. I told him that would be perfectly fine to wear. But, him & mom thought otherwise. But, on the bright side, I think the suit we got him will be his first fitted, tailored suit he's ever owned. So, I'm sure he will look awesome. 

    Everyone is spending a lot of money to get to the wedding, so it seems stupid to me for them to spend hundreds on an outfit they will only wear once. I never planned to have a big, fancy wedding. My parents actually just expected a call one day saying I had eloped. I just want something simple.

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