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There is a wonderful tradition that at the end of the reception, the bride and groom change into their going away or travel outfits. They then leave the reception to the cheers and well wishes of their guests, and head off alone to their honeymoon, or at least the hotel where they will spend their wedding night. This custom is often overlooked these days, as newlyweds tend to stay at their reception until the very end, but is one that is worth reviving.
The bride and groom often give a lot of thought to their entrances, both to the wedding ceremony and the reception, but may forget to plan anything special for their exit. But how you leave the party can be just as important as how you arrive, so it is worth it to plan for a grand ceremonial exit. Besides, as one wedding etiquette specialist once said, there is something disturbing about the bride and groom not wanting to rush off to be alone together at the earliest reasonable time. Even if they have been living together for years, it is still nice to maintain the front that a special time awaits the newlyweds on their wedding night, and that romance matters more than drinking until dawn with your old college pals.
One thing that is very practical about having a going away outfit is that it allows you to hand over your bridal gown and the groom’s suit or tuxedo to someone else to deal with after the wedding. If you will be leaving for your honeymoon the morning after the wedding, the last thing that you want to worry about is getting the bride’s dress to the cleaners or returning the groom’s tuxedo (if rented) to the formalwear shop. Let someone else handle those duties so you can focus on enjoying the start of your honeymoon.
Brides whose gowns are complicated to get out of will also be very happy to have the help of bridesmaid or mother who helped them into it when it comes time to take it off. My wedding gown had many tiny buttons down the back, and I knew that my husband would never be able to deal with them. One of my bridesmaids was assigned the task of staying sober enough at the reception to unfasten all of those tiny little buttons when it was time for me to change into my going away outfit!
Your going away outfits can be almost anything, as long as they coordinate. Usually you will change into something that is less formal than your wedding attire, but still dressier than your every day clothing. Think about what you might wear if you were a guest at a friend’s wedding, or if you were having dinner in a very nice restaurant. This will typically mean a dress for the bride and a suit or a jacket and tie for the groom.
Don’t forget to bring all of the accessories to complete your going away outfits, like shoes, socks, and a tie for the groom. The bride will usually keep on her wedding jewelry. However, do try it on in advance with your going away dress; if the jewelry that you wore for your wedding doesn’t sit well with your dress, or it is too formal, then by all means change into a different set.
Couples can also opt to change into going away outfits that fit the style of their honeymoon. For instance, if you are headed to Hawaii, them the groom could wear a Hawaiian shirt and khakis, and the bride could wear a floral sundress and sandals. Your going away outfit can really be whatever you like and think will be the most appropriate for your grand exit.
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Source by Bridget Mora
