THE groom cut a dash in a finely tailored morning suit and his radiant bride wore… denim? It’s a scenario most bridal wear designers would want to draw a veil over.

But according to a new survey more than two-thirds of women would wear jeans to a wedding if they had the chance. The poll found that most people believe denim is acceptable dress for most occasions – apart from job interviews and funerals.

Whatever next – trainers?

Well actually yes. Bridal wear designer Mojgan of Mojgan Design Studio in Bournemouth says she has come across a few women who wished they could wear their trainers to a wedding.

“I have never come across any woman who wished she could wear her jeans though! I think most women regard it as an opportunity to dress up for a change!”

Sue Slade of La Belle of Winton thinks we have lost the art of dressing up.

“I would say around 60 per cent of women think they would be happier in jeans but once they find a dress that they feel comfortable and confident in then they enjoy dressing up for the occasion. The saddest thing of all is that people dress to fit in with everybody else these days rather than dressing for themselves.

“But I think it will come full circle and the younger generation will feel more confident about dressing up and wearing hats for special occasions because lots of mothers like their children to dress up and wear hats now.” Tracie Beardsley of Fab Frocks of Westbourne who also caters for bridal guests, says she hasn’t come across any women who have actually worn denim to a marriage service.

“I often hear women say they wish they could wear their jeans because they feel comfortable in them and I agree jeans are wonderful – but they have made us all quite lazy about what we wear! And if I were the bride I don’t think I would be too chuffed if someone turned up in jeans!

“But I find that once you help a customer find a dress that suits her she actually enjoys dressing up – in fact this has been our busiest season in wedding wear – we sold out of some collections quite early in the year.”

Sally Allen of Wizard Jeans said jeans had evolved over the last 50 years from work wear and casual clothing to fashionable formal wear for “virtually all occasions”.

“But it seems that some still hesitate to wear them for job interviews and perhaps unsurprisingly to funerals where they are undoubtedly seen as too frivolous and flippant,” she added.

A spokesman for Bournemouth registrars confirmed they had not known any member of a wedding party to wear denim to a ceremony.