Gorgeous Grooms: How To Find The Perfect Men’s Wedding Suit
By
3 days ago
Make your wedding wardrobe your strong suit
It might not come with all the pageantry and pomp of bridal gown shopping, but finding the right suit is an equally important part of wedding prep. And with dress codes, themes and seasonal weather to navigate, it’s not always easy to know where to start. Fear not: we’ve put together the ultimate guide to finding the perfect men’s wedding suit (and rounded up our favourite tailoring picks for the groom).
The Edit: Tailoring For The Groom
How To Shop For A Men’s Wedding Suit
Consider The Suit Style
The first thing to think about is the style of you wedding suit. Depending on the formalness, location and season, you might want change your go-to style for something a little more occasion-appropriate. Some styles you might want to consider include:
Formal Weddings
- Morning suits feature a long, formal jacket with tails, and are worn with a waistcoat and striped trousers. This style hails from the mid 19th century and is favoured by the British royal family for special occasions.
- Evening tailcoats (or dress coats) are similar to the morning suit, but where the latter is single-breasted and fastens, the former is double-breasted with a sharply cut-away skirt and silk-faced lapels so that it doesn’t fasten.
- Tuxedos are a popular choice for grooms (and a certain famous British spy who likes his martini shaken, not stirred). This is a timeless style that can be worn at multiple other formal occasions and is typically paired with a black tie, although this can be updated to fit a specific colour theme if you so wish.
- Dinner suits are a sleek and minimal choice, usually worn in black by grooms on their wedding day. There’s a lot of flexibility with styling here, with options for single- and double-breasted blazers available.
Semi-Formal
- A blazer or suit jacket usually takes the place of tuxedos and dinner jackets at less formal affairs. Whether single- or double-breasted, worn with a shirt and slacks or as a three-piece with a waistcoat, these can look sleek and elegant without being too dressy.
- Wedding suits, funnily enough, are also a popular choice for the big day. Again, these are less formal than the likes of the tux, but still feature the all-important tailored jacket and suit trousers. There are many variations of the wedding suit, meaning they also tend to work for other semi-formal occasions later down the line.
Casual
- Two-piece suits are ideal for more relaxed ceremonies or a quick change at the reception. Anything goes with this suit, from colourful styles and patterns to mix-and-matching of the blazer, waistcoat, trousers and shirt combo.
- A shirt and slacks can also work for the groom, especially for beach weddings where multiple layers aren’t really required. (Just make sure to steam or iron out any creases before the ceremony, as they’re more likely to show up on your shirt.)
Thom Sweeney
Think About Colour, Texture & Pattern
While tradition may insist on a black tux, a grey morning suit or a navy two-piece, grooms these days are keen to try something new. As with a wedding dress, a suit should reflect the person wearing it and give some insight on their personality – and colour, pattern and texture play a big part in this.
Grooms that want the best of both worlds can opt for a more traditional jacket for the ceremony and something more casual for the reception, such as a smoking jacket or a colourful tuxedo. Shades of green and blue are always popular in this case, but don’t be afraid to push the boat out and try something more vibrant.
You could even go matchy-matchy with the bride-to-be and try out a white suit for the occasion, or a light pair of trousers and white shirt if the weather is warm enough. Just make sure to coordinate with the bride properly; if her dress is ivory, your suit should also be ivory (not white).
There’s also nothing wrong with staying wholly traditional (a black tux is a classic for a reason, after all) or contemporary (stay true to what you like, rather than what everyone else wants). As long as you’re happy with the overall look and nothing clashes with any colour schemes going on in the background, you’re good to go.
Dress Seasonally
In the colder months, you might find yourself drawn to heavier fabrics that will keep you warm and toasty throughout the ceremony. With velvet, for example, you can find jackets and trousers in rich jewel tones that really complement autumnal or wintery themes, and with wool you can play with check and texture in various shades.
Summer or destination weddings can even be an even bigger opportunity to try new suit styles. More casual styles in fabrics like linen will be much more comfortable compared to the likes of wool or velvet, and are usually available in much lighter colours like beige, peach, sage and stone.
Anderson & Sheppard
Tap Into Your Roots
A wedding is also the perfect time to honour your ancestry and background, tapping into modes of dress that are typically reserved for special ceremonies. Think sherwanis, asookes, agbadas, jodhpuri suits and more.
A common choice in the UK is the humble kilt; the knee-length, skirt-like garment dates back as far as 16th century Scotland and comes in a tartan fabric that corresponds to the colour, check and weight of a certain family clan. Almost every country in the world has some tartan link, but the most common are connected to Scottish, Irish, Welsh and English names. Kilts are usually reserved for special occasions, so a wedding is as good a time as any to crack one out. As per tradition, it’s recommended to pair a kilt with a Prince Charlie jacket and waistcoat or an Argyll kilt jacket, as well as hose, garter flashes and a sporran.
Match The Theme
It’s also worth noting that if you already know the theme for your wedding (think flowers, place settings, bridesmaid dresses), then you’ll want to opt for a suit that complements, rather than clashes, with the setup. When trying on suits in shops or at home, you can always grab a swatch of your colour theme to hold up against the fabric and see what works.
