Question regarding British army officer's choice of uniform for a wedding

[fringedweller]

I'm writing a fic where a British army officer (rank of captain, if that makes a difference) is attending a wedding. I know that there's a certain uniform that he is to wear, but I'm unsure as to what that is

Comments

[fringedweller]

Not unless dinosaur hunting has its own special badge now, no...

[fringedweller]

Excellent, thank you. I also need to leave feedback on your last fic, which was a great little snippet of Becker as an officer in the army, rather than Becker the dinosaur removal specialist.

[major_clanger]

The problem is that, as you've probably gathered, the British Army doesn't have a uniform, or rather it doesn't have a single formal uniform - each regiment or corps has its own. (There is a common combat uniform worn as working dress, but even there distinctive berets or other headgear and often a coloured belt are worn for unit distinction.)

My understanding is that an Army officer would wear No 1 Uniform, also known as 'Blues' (actually a very dark blue, near black) in the style of his unit.

However - as a former officer myself (RAF though, rather than Army) there is one point I would make. One would never wear uniform to a civilian wedding without clearing it with the bride and groom first, and in particular it would be very ungentlemanly to upstage the bridal couple!

[fringedweller]

Thanks, that's pretty much what I thought. And don't worry, the bride and groom are absolutely hideous people so it's fine for them to be upstaged!

[eleanorb]

Just to add, it would be incredibly bad manners to wear a uniform to a wedding unless:

a. It was a military/regimental wedding and the bride or groom were in the military

b. The person wearing it was close family or an usher and had been asked to wear it

To turn up at someone wedding as a guest in a military uniform is very much frowned upon. Remember at a wedding , whatever they do, the bride and grooms etiquette is not to be criticised. Guests, on the other hand will be looked down on if they break the rules, however dashing they are. Also, unless one of the families is a military family the forces, especially the Army, are not looked on in a positive way, unlike in many other countries. Your man would be considered a bit of a prat by most people.

[fringedweller]

Thanks I'll keep that in mind.

[gehayi]

Is this a contemporary story or a historical one? Because that could have some bearing on the answer.

[fringedweller]

I'm sorry, I should have said. Contemporary.

[chickenfeet2003]

This link should give you more information than you need:

http://www.army.mod.uk/infantry/regiments/6313.aspx

It's specific to The Rifles but it should point you in the right direction if you need the info for a different regiment

[fringedweller]

Thanks.

[elfbert]

As far as I know (I have lots of family in the military), you have to ask for permission well in advance to wear anything above your No2 kit, and that permission would only be granted for your own wedding. (Cousin forgot to ask in time, his mother had had replica uniforms of his No1 made for both young page boys, and then he had to get married in his No2s!).

You WOULD NOT be granted permission to wear the No1 at anyone else's wedding. You could wear No2s, but as everyone stated above, it would be incredibly bad manners.

[fringedweller]

Thanks, I'll shift a few details to make it acceptable for him to wear the uniform.