This is a stupid question I know.

RandiKay1226

Okay my FI and I are really thinking about having an outdoor wedding and lastnight we started talking about it and I was just wondering if you have an outdoor wedding is it less formal than indoors??? Like when i think of outdoors I see the bm's wearing short dresses (which i think to be less formal) so am I crazy??? or is it lol. sorry for the dumb question. TIA...

dana129

I tend to agree with you, however I was at an outdoor wedding in Southern California that was just as fancy as indoor ones I have attended. The BM's wore floor length gowns, most of the men (guests too) were in tux's. So I think it really depends on what you want and you car create that image. However I do traditionally think of outdoor weddings as less formal. Mine is going to be outdoors (weather permitting) and it is nor formal. Hope that helps!

jennyp08

I was wondering the same thing, initially, but I think its more about where you have it outdoors, and the atmosphere you create.  I've seen very formal outdoor weddings in a variety of outdoor venues.  I think if you want it to look formal, go for it, and just plan everything else so that things are consistent.  I've seen some girls have very earthy, natural outdoor weddings, or a more laid back, beachy feel.  Personally, I want an outdoor wedding, but the beach like theme isn't my thing.  I'm looking at bed and breakfasts with outdoor gardens and courtyards, so that it can be outside and still decorated to be closer to the formal side.  Then again, a gigantic ball gown with a swanky reception isn't my style either, and isn't what came to mind when you said formal.  If that is what you're thinking, I bet you can still pull it off outdoors, it will just take the right venue and the right decor.-Jen

subdola

Ditto pp.  We had ours at home in the meadow, and while it wasn't formal, it wasn't super casual either.  The men generally wore suits with ties, and the women were more in cocktail attire.  It totally depends on the location, and the mood you set via invitations, bm dress etc.

AngelaOct11

We got married outside a couple weeks ago under a canopy.  I didn't really take that into consideration when looking for attire.  The guys wore tuxes and the girls wore long dresses.  We just picked out what we wanted and didn't really think about what should or shouldn't be for an outdoor vs an indoor wedding. 

LucyD1029

I would say ours was semi-formal.  My BMs wore knee-length dresses from JCrew and the groomsmen wore tuxes.  Most guests were in cocktail attire, but a few were dressed more casually.  We still had china, silver, and floor length linens.

sandradpage

We are having an outdoor wedding....the girls are wearing floor length dresses, boys are wearing tails. i think it depends on how you make the atmosphere with decor etc....take a look at my bio if you like it has all our hire stuff....

shannjeff

mine is a mix of both..while we will be on the beach i am having a long dress as well as my bridesmaids. the guys however are not wearing tuxes. i think you can have it as formal or as casual as you want..its both your fiancee and your wedding day : )

brownhenry

My friend had an outdoor wedding recently and we wore chocolate brown halter dresses, floor length, and it looked very elegant and it looked like a formal wedding. The wedding is what you make it doesn't matter where you have it. The venue helps but anyone could make a shack look formal.

Deidra123

I don't think it matters, just go for the look you want.  Mine is outside and the men will wear tuxes and the women full-length gowns (probably chiffon).

cynasmin

i agree! we also are doing full length dresses and tuxes. I feel like there are so FEW occasions i life which warrant wearing a tux and my groom would like to wear a tux for something other than his prom! i did however turn down a cathedral length dress i liked - just wouldn't have been the same w/ a shorter train and felt like that was to much for an outdoor wedding!

mizu22

i see your point, but there are ways to make an outside wedding just as formal. use long dresses, decorate it nicely, use chair covers and long table clothes. get formal invites and, if necessary, ask people to dress formally since it is a formal wedding. it is your wedding so you can make it however formal you want

amy41710

We are having a formal wedding in which the ceremony is outdoors in a garden, and the reception is indoors. You can make almost any venue formal if you have the proper attire, decor, food, etc.

themidge

it is less formal to have an outside wedding than a tradional indoors event. but that doesn't necessarily mean the bridesmaids have to wear short dresses. there are tons of long styles that would be charming for outdoors - lightweight breezy materials, style, and color all make a difference. don't worry so much about length - just find dresses that suit your style.

ngiguere

An outdoor wedding can be whatever you want it to be! Outdoor settings are more versatile than you may think. I'm having an outdoor wedding that will be formal. I just love the outdoors. Indoor venues aren't for me at all, and I always find something wrong with them (but that's just my taste)...but when we found our outdoor spot, I fell in love! Things you can do to make it more formal: -Formal gown -Floor length BM gowns (just b/c its outdoors doesn't mean their dresses have to be short!) -Tuxes on all the men -Wooden chairs for the ceremony (trust me, metal folding chairs are great, but wooden chairs, either white or natural, instantly make it look and feel fancier) -Nice lighting (we're using candle-light lamps strung from trees for the reception) -well chosen music, for both ceremony and reception -a nice dance floor set up outside -timed in the evening -cocktail hour before dinner Other things can help make it feel more formal too. A really nice tent set up can be beautiful, just make sure you get a good vendor and take a look at pictures of their previous events. Also, we're having fairly fancy French food catered for a sit-down dinner. Don't worry, do what you want, good luck and have fun!!