To wear a hat or not to wear a hat...WITH MY WEDDING DRESS?

grandmaweloveyou

grandmaweloveyou

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Hi. I am not starting the wear a hat debate.....I just want to ask your advice or knowledge on legally where do I stand with:

wearing a hat on my wedding day (just got engaged) if/when riding my horse to the ceremony?

Thought please....thinking it'll really kill the look haha

Oh and to side-saddle or not? Have never done that before!

Thanks x
 
I'm thinking it would def spoil the look!

I guess there'd be no legal reason for you to wear it - but that might depend on how far you were riding and whether on roads / someones land etc. Where and how far you were riding might also impact how you would feel about wearing it / not wearing it.

I'd say side saddle with a wedding dress . .
 
i thought as long as you are over 14years old you don't HAVE to wear a hat? Could be very wrong as i only vaguely remember being told this many years ago (:
 
well, it would ruin the look, but unless you have an incredibly trustworthy horse, who is well used to have a (voluminous?) wedding dress hanging all over him/her, and is going to be in a totally controllable environment (nobody doing something chuffing stupid to spook the horse etc), i would. i'd just make sure i had a very clever hairdresser who could make a wonderful hairstyle which wouldn't look bad after having a hat on...
you could even have a milliner (or clever friend) cover your hat with something fancy, maybe?
i know it's probably very unlikely, but banging your head while hatless on your wedding day would spoil the day bigtime... :( :(
legally i don't think it makes any difference at all unless the venue stipulates that you must wear a riding hat...
 
Hat is only a legal requirement on the publlic highway if you're under 14. Last time I checked anyway - you could have a quick glance at the latest highway code to check. I'd be more worried about getting saddle soap/horse hair all down the back of your dress if I were you!!
Seriously though - congrats, and how lovely to take your horse to your wedding! I would have loved to but in the end decided I couldn't bear the stress of someone else travelling my horse etc on the morning of the wedding!
 
Seriously though - congrats, and how lovely to take your horse to your wedding! I would have loved to but in the end decided I couldn't bear the stress of someone else travelling my horse etc on the morning of the wedding![/QUOTE]

^^^^^ ditto this, weddings are stressful enough in any case - especially if, as the bride, you end up doing most of the planning on your own - does tend to happen! Hope you have a lovely (big) day when it happens x
 
Nooo.....it ruins the look.

IMG_4320.jpg


This is me on my wedding day, riding the magnificent Blossom. Mind you, I was quite ruined on champagne even before I got on her...
 
One of my horses attended our wedding - didn't ride as didn't want to get the dress dirty. Was worried about it getting slobbered on! Had some wonderful photos though. Some friends kindly plaited him up with ribbon that matched the bridesmaid dresses and brought him o the church. He behaved impeciably amongst lots of non-horsey family and guests fussing him. He's a Grade A and I think he thought everyone was there to see him! Personally if you know the horse is reliable I wouldn't wear a hat.
 
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Regarding the legal position I agree with the points that others have said.
When I got married a few years ago I will admit that I didn't wear a hat - just a metal Tiara - which is even worse!!!
I drove the horses to the venue (a local country house restaurant) by lorry, parked the lorry out of sight of the guests behind a building then my bridesmaid & I got dressed in the lorry and just rode round the corner, posed for photos then dismounted. The venue had an empty field so the horses were turned out until we were ready to go
We didn't do the side-saddle thing, because my horses being 'sensitive' types would've needed lots of training & preparation and I'd heard a few horror stories of horses not properly prepared for side-saddles having nasty accidents. Instead we rode astride wearing circular skirts which draped nicely over the horses backs and covered our feet (they were well used to flapping yellow exercise sheets, so no problems there).
I also fixed pale pink, mauve & cream ribbons in their manes which matched our dress colours.
Getting the circular skirts made was initially difficult because dress-makers didn't seem to understand what I wanted, but finally I found patterns for both the skirts and corset-style tops and a dress-maker who understood what I meant and they were PERFECT.
Wishing you VERY GOOD LUCK & I hope you can post the pictures.
 
Congratulations! Definatley go side saddle it would be easy to learn enough to ride for your wedding and would probably only take one lesson (assuming you would only want to walk). With regards to a hat it would definatley ruin the look but then you dont want to take unneccessary risks... What about having someone leading the horse and having no hat?
 
Could you were a bowler - depending on the cut of the dress.

But whatever you do, practice and practice with your horse - you are (i guess???) going to be a little bit nervous, so the horse needs to be used to unhorsey people, umbrellas (this is england) flash photos, etc, etc.

And CONGRATULATION incredibly exciting!!
 
Gongratulations!
There was a post on HHO in the summer about someone going to ball on their steed - I cant find it now ,.,,, typical!

If your worried about the 'risks' how about just having the horse as a 'guest??' for some piccis :)

Afterall - How much slober and grease can one white dress take - (maybe my horse is just a dribble monster!!)
 
The state my hair comes out after I've had a hat on it, I must admit I wouldn't. But you must be sensible and wear your hat. :-)
 
My friend rode my old boy to her wedding (totally bombproof)

She didn't wear a hat

We just used my regular sadde. She had her inside foot in the stirrup and just lay her right leg over the pommel of the saddle. She felt quite secure.

We even unbrella trained him!! just in case!!
 
Did the hair for a wedding once where bride wore a small top hat with a small net veil(Think side saddle) in white silk hair was made into a bow at the back which then had pearl beads pinned in. looked really elegant and when hat taken off hair beautifully in place. Need quite long hair for this look and ideally quite straight and not to thick!
 
I wore a top hat when I rode to my wedding but with breeches, boots and a tailed jacket.
No side saddle though because it would have looked a little strange for the groom to ride side saddle.
I took a hired horse through the centre of Lincoln to the venue but also had a helper walking with me to look after the horse during the ceremony and for if things got a little wild.

No problems though and one of the best things I have decided to do so far.

Go for it make an entrance.

Craig
 
Guys you are all brilliant taking the time to reply thanks! I BOUGHT MY DRESS TODAY!!

I think the dress lady thought me mad keep posing with my legs spread in a squat like position to see if I could ride "usual" style or side saddle.

Was thinking side saddle til now.....reading these posts I am thinking can I just get away with my leg draped over? When I am tipsy I ride in various positions (on private land off road btw) so I could just practice?

He will not worry about dresses at all, he wouldnt notice whatever drags off of him so thats not a worry.....and I am hoping my sharer will have him clean for me SO

wear him to the registry office / take him there and just sit on him in park for photos / have him meet me at the country pub for photos / have him meet me at the house in field out the back for a canter and photos??

THIS is the hardest bit of the wedding, fitting him in "seamlessly"!
 
I'm having mine there on the day. But I'm getting dressed at the venue, so won't be arriving as such. He'll just be there for photos afterwards (nice country house) and to be patted and fed polos by guests.

I might sit on him if he's in the right mood, if he's not I won't be. I have no desire to wear a hat at all. I'll be paying an instructor to box him there and get him ready, then he's going to her afterwards for a schooling 'holiday' ;)

I will be training him though, with umbrellas, and have borrowed a suitably hideous poufy dress from my mum's am dram society to practise with, if he can cope with that he'll cope with anything! Whilst he likes being centre of attention, I am hoping to find a fair or similar to take him to so he can get used to lots of hustle and bustle on the day.

Trouble I have is, do I wear a hooped skirt or not? Dress kind of needs on, but if I wear one, I'll have to take it off to get on him, then put it back on for the dancing etc, could be a faff and means the bridemaids will spend plenty of time looking at my bum! :eek: :D
 
Get someone to lead you that would lesson the risk considerably - its what a friend did who leant her horse to a friend for her wedding. Also do make sure your horse is comfortable with voluminous skirts. When I did a sponsored ride as a pink fairy I practiced beforehand wearing a skirt and fairy wings even going for a short hack (got some funny looks ;D ) He really didn't like the feather boa wrapped around my hat so I used to put it on whilst grooming him etc. until he got used to it.

Look forward to seeing the pics! :)
 
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