Congratulations on your wedding!
You are lucky, not only because you are marrying, but because as the
groom you can decide on what you want to do and dictate protocol to
the others. That will avoid confusion and assure uniformity. (at
JFK's funeral, one brother forgot his top hat, so all those in formal
attire went without.)
Top hat and gloves are optional it seems from a survey of sites on the
subject, but I agree with your decision to have them for a wedding
that has so many in formal attire.
Obviously, you do not wear your hat in the church nor have gloves on
during the ceremony. Hat and gloves are not indoor attire. As at the
theatre or a private visit, they are left in the cloakroom, not
carried.
I recall the scene on TV of Prince Charles's wedding: at the entrance
of St. Paul's, he passed his uniform headgear and gloves to someone,
retrieving them after the ceremony and wearing them (maybe not the
gloves) as he left the church for the walk to the coach.
I expect that this is the proper etiquette for you and the groomsmen.
If they are ushering, they should leave hat and gloves somewhere where
they can be retrieved when leaving the church after the ceremony. You
should have someone ready to hand you yours, so that you needn't leave
your bride.
If you have a hat, it belongs on your head unless you are greeting
ladies, which you perhaps may be doing so constantly that it is
sensible to just hold it and your gloves in your left hand while you
are shaking hands and rubbing cheeks with all and sundry females. You
don't need to wear the gloves, but don't stuff them in your pocket,
clutch them and the left brim of the hat in your hand.
If your top hat does not fit comfortably - or those of the other
gentlemen don't - that could be a good reason for you all to just
carry them. No one wants to look silly trying to balance a top hat
that does not fit, or worse, have it fall off.
If there will be a garden reception, I believe that this is considered
the equivalent of an indoor event, so that the hats and gloves can be
deposited somewhere.
Again, you can decide, and it is certainly much easier than trying to
juggle hat and gloves and a champagne glass.
This may also be of interest:
http://www.formalwear.org/public/resources/tophat.html
Have a great time, and may the sun shine on your wedding and your marriage!
Myoarin |
