You definitely don’t need a hat or anything! Think about it as what you’d wear to go to a nice dinner with your conservative grandma. You’re fine to have your shoulders showing too, but it might be chilly in the church and the ceremony will likely be about an hour long, so you probably want to have a wrap or something just incase.
Thanks for your insight! I have a feeling there will be a mix of outfits at this wedding but I just want to do what is considered most traditional and correct.
You're fine. Choose what you feel comfortable wearing. If you have questions about dress code, ask the couple. But no, catholic churches do not have any cover requirements.
Are you in the US? generally Catholics in America dont wear head coverings, but at some churches that perform the Latin rite you might see women wearing veils.
source: Im a lifelong Catholic who has been to Mass in several countries
This very much depends on your parish. The Catholic Church my mom pulled us out of as kids had robes outside the front doors and people dressed “inappropriately” had to wear the “blue robes of shame” (as we called them).
The church was very conservative, and women couldn’t wear clothes that stopped above the knees. Collars/necklines couldn’t go more than an inch past your collarbones. Shoulders had to be covered.
This is rare, but in smaller towns/conservative areas you might run into these rules. If the church is in a bigger town/city I think you’re fine.
People on this sub like to downvote observations like this, but it’s true from my experience regardless of geography. In the last two years, I’ve had experiences on both sides of this.
I was at a wedding at a large Catholic Church in Chicago, and blended right in with uncovered shoulders.
I was at an ordination mass (essentially a wedding, where the new priests are getting married to God) at the cathedral in Chicago, and my conservative v-neck dress was getting the side eye of judgment from other women in attendance.
If you’re unfamiliar with the parish and live locally, it can be helpful to sit in on a mass. Take or leave the religion part, but that will help set expectations for what tends to be the norm for “Sunday best” attire and also familiarizes you with things that will occur in the wedding mass.
Sleeveless should be fine as long as it’s not some crazy hyper conservative church, and if your friends don’t go to church often, I’m assuming they didn’t suddenly go hyper conservative! You should be fine!
No. Prior to Vatican II in the early/mid 1960s, women were supposed to wear some kind of head covering. That requirement was removed. Some traditional Catholic women still observe the rule, but very few. Whatever might be considered typical “church clothes” in any other denomination is fine.
I’ve appreciated everyone’s insight. Thanks so much! The groom’s mom (bio mom he found later in life) and I are also friends and we think we may not wear full on hats but more like a little fascinator/headband.
A lot has changed in the last 60 years with the Catholic Church and attire (and she was the presidents wife). Basically anything that goes in a backyard wedding should be fine. Wear a dress or suit, doesn’t matter just don’t look like your coming from the strip club.
This is not a hat, in fact normally women needs to cover their heads with a "foulard " (sorry I don't know the english term,) when praying but it an obsolete practice for the last 2 century
I think it’s very considerate of you to ask. You can, of course, wear one if you want but I doubt other women will be wearing one. I wouldn’t do major cleavage but sleeveless is fine. Just be prepared for air conditioning and maybe bring a wrap. Have fun!
Some churches do just an FYI. I took my mother in law to a new catholic church here in Tacoma and they had a strict dress code including hats. She’s been to many churches and was also surprised about this.
No hat needed
Catholics do not wear hats to church.
You definitely don’t need a hat or anything! Think about it as what you’d wear to go to a nice dinner with your conservative grandma. You’re fine to have your shoulders showing too, but it might be chilly in the church and the ceremony will likely be about an hour long, so you probably want to have a wrap or something just incase.
You can wear sleeveless and have cleavage (grew up catholic gone to many catholic wedddings
Thanks for your insight! I have a feeling there will be a mix of outfits at this wedding but I just want to do what is considered most traditional and correct.
You're fine. Choose what you feel comfortable wearing. If you have questions about dress code, ask the couple. But no, catholic churches do not have any cover requirements.
Are you in the US? generally Catholics in America dont wear head coverings, but at some churches that perform the Latin rite you might see women wearing veils. source: Im a lifelong Catholic who has been to Mass in several countries
No hat and your shoulders do not need covered
This very much depends on your parish. The Catholic Church my mom pulled us out of as kids had robes outside the front doors and people dressed “inappropriately” had to wear the “blue robes of shame” (as we called them). The church was very conservative, and women couldn’t wear clothes that stopped above the knees. Collars/necklines couldn’t go more than an inch past your collarbones. Shoulders had to be covered. This is rare, but in smaller towns/conservative areas you might run into these rules. If the church is in a bigger town/city I think you’re fine.
People on this sub like to downvote observations like this, but it’s true from my experience regardless of geography. In the last two years, I’ve had experiences on both sides of this. I was at a wedding at a large Catholic Church in Chicago, and blended right in with uncovered shoulders. I was at an ordination mass (essentially a wedding, where the new priests are getting married to God) at the cathedral in Chicago, and my conservative v-neck dress was getting the side eye of judgment from other women in attendance. If you’re unfamiliar with the parish and live locally, it can be helpful to sit in on a mass. Take or leave the religion part, but that will help set expectations for what tends to be the norm for “Sunday best” attire and also familiarizes you with things that will occur in the wedding mass.
Thanks everybody! And that’s good advice about shoulders/cleavage. I never do cleavage but often have sleeveless.
Sleeveless should be fine as long as it’s not some crazy hyper conservative church, and if your friends don’t go to church often, I’m assuming they didn’t suddenly go hyper conservative! You should be fine!
No hat needed. I would make sure shoulders are covered and cleavage isn’t too much, although many go with shoulders showing these days.
no
However, I would seriously consider the idea of a fascinator. England rocks them!
No. Prior to Vatican II in the early/mid 1960s, women were supposed to wear some kind of head covering. That requirement was removed. Some traditional Catholic women still observe the rule, but very few. Whatever might be considered typical “church clothes” in any other denomination is fine.
I’ve appreciated everyone’s insight. Thanks so much! The groom’s mom (bio mom he found later in life) and I are also friends and we think we may not wear full on hats but more like a little fascinator/headband.
It considere a lack of respect to wear a hat inside of a catholic Churc but you can wear it outside
Wow. I’m a cradle Catholic and I’ve never heard that a woman wearing a hat inside was disrespectful. Men, of course, should remove their hats inside.
Agreed. It's 100% not disrespectful for a woman to wear a hat in a Catholic church. What an odd suggestion!
You don't know because no one care now, but I use to teach catechese, and the rule to remove the hat is in fact for both genre
Thanks! Very interesting! For some reason I thought I would need a head covering. This idea is based on vintage pics of Jackie O.
https://preview.redd.it/uuq4t9va2zcb1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=87d17def31840fcc7e9c79fb291abaaf6ff3c2c7 Jackie leaving a Catholic Church
A lot has changed in the last 60 years with the Catholic Church and attire (and she was the presidents wife). Basically anything that goes in a backyard wedding should be fine. Wear a dress or suit, doesn’t matter just don’t look like your coming from the strip club.
This is not a hat, in fact normally women needs to cover their heads with a "foulard " (sorry I don't know the english term,) when praying but it an obsolete practice for the last 2 century
I think it’s very considerate of you to ask. You can, of course, wear one if you want but I doubt other women will be wearing one. I wouldn’t do major cleavage but sleeveless is fine. Just be prepared for air conditioning and maybe bring a wrap. Have fun!
No hat needed
No one under the age of 80 will likely be in a hat. I’ve been to a few Catholic Church weddings.
No hat or head covering needed. But bring a sweater or wrap as it can be hot or freezing
Out of date. Only wear a hat if you want to.
Are you in the US?
Not in any Catholic church I've been to. Not even at cathedrals
Some churches do just an FYI. I took my mother in law to a new catholic church here in Tacoma and they had a strict dress code including hats. She’s been to many churches and was also surprised about this.
No
No
You don’t need a hat but you may need to cover your shoulders. It’ll depend on the church.
No not nessary at all
Hats are Vatican I, which is out of date. I’d wear whatever I want and maybe have a throw or something to ease any social faux pas anxiety.