Ask the Milies: Wedding Uniform Confusion

by Kerry-Ann Ellington, Ask the Milies

Dear Milies,

My fiancé and I are planning our military wedding for June of 2011. He'll be wearing his dress blues, as will 3 of our groomsmen. I've seen photos of some men wearing white pants instead of the ones with the blood stripe... can any Marine wear the white pants, or is this for a certain rank or MOS? I'd love for my fiancé to wear the white pants! Thanks for the help ladies! ~USMC Bride

Dear USMC Bride,

First let me say a big congratulations on your upcoming wedding and of course welcome to the "Military Wives" club. Planning a military wedding can be exciting and overwhelming with all these little details.

To answer your question, your fiance will get the option of wearing the dress whites uniform depending on his rank or duty station. If he's a Staff NCO he gets to wear it no matter where he's stationed because only Staff NCOs are authorized to wear them. Lucky for you, your wedding is during the summer time because the white pants are supposed to be worn only during the summer as a way to stay cool.

If your fiance is not a Staff NCO but is stationed on I & I duty (Inspector & Instructor Staff) then he'll be able to wear the white pants because I & I bases are prepped for funeral details. During the summer time ALL Marines stationed on I & I duty are required to wear white pants for funeral details no matter what rank they area.

It's funny because I had the same concern when I was getting married to my husband. I preferred the white pants and luckily he was able to wear the white pants because he was on I & I duty. I hope your hubby gets the same option too.

Best of luck with planning your wedding.

Kerry-Ann