Mens Wedding Attire
Editorial Idea - Formal weddings give men a rare opportunity to dress like the lord of the manor they may secretly aspire to be.
Attire For The Men
Men’s wedding attire is dictated by the formality of the wedding and by the style and colour of the bride’s gown. The groom, groomsmen and bride’s father should be dressed in similar suits, although the groom may want to add a few touches that make him stand out from the others; perhaps a colourful waistcoat or tie. He may also wear a boutonniere that’s a different colour from those worn by the ushers.
Formal weddings give men a rare opportunity to dress like the lord of the manor they may secretly aspire to be. The traditional evening outfit includes a full-dress tailcoat with matching trousers, white waistcoat, white bow tie and wing-collared shirt. A black top hat and white gloves can be worn by the dedicated clotheshorse. A daytime formal wedding might call for a cutaway coat, grey-striped trousers, grey waistcoat, wing-collared shirt and ascot or striped tie. A top hat, spats and grey gloves finish off the ensemble for those inclined to finery.
Not every would-be manor lord has a cutaway coat and waistcoat hanging in the closet, but not to worry. In most weddings the groom, best man and even fathers rent their formalwear. There is a wide selection of tuxedos and suits available for rental, so shop around for the store that offers the best quality at a reasonable price. If possible, rent everything from the same shop, and if you can’t, at least get the same type of suit for the groom and attendants. Consider having the groom’s father dress in the same attire as the attendants, since it will make for a more consistent look in the wedding photos. The bride’s father always dresses in the prescribed wedding suit.
At a less formal wedding, the male attendants can wear suits as opposed to tuxedos, but they must be similar to one another in style and colour. For evening or winter weddings, navy, black or dark grey is generally worn. A white or ivory suit can be worn for summer afternoons. If the groom’s suit is white or ivory, it should match the bride’s dress; if she wears ivory, he should not wear stark white.
Informal weddings and theme weddings free the groom to be as fanciful as he likes. I’ve seen men stride down the aisle in Edwardian suits, Scottish kilts, and jeans and cowboy boots. Mountain-bike designer Charlie Cunningham and his bride, bike racer Jacquie Phelan, were wed outdoors in customized cycle gear: black bicycle shorts and tuxedo shirt for him, white bicycle shorts and a frilly lace shirt for her.
Passion and a sense of fun are what make your wedding unique.