On any wedding day, the bride’s dress, veil, shoes, hair and
makeup are always the main focus. It really is the one day every bride has
dreamt about since a little girl. And while you may become consumed with
finding the perfect wedding dress and accessories to match throughout the planning
process, it is important not to neglect the groom and his groomsmen. What would
a beautiful bride be without her handsome prince charming?
There are dozens of styles, colors and accessories to choose
from when picking out the menswear for your wedding day. Here are a few
pointers on how to find the perfect ensemble for the men in your wedding party.
STYLE
There are numerous styles to choose from, all based on the
type of wedding you plan to have. If you’re wedding is a black tie affair, then
a tuxedo is certainly the way to go. The classic tuxedo jacket is most popular
and can either be single breasted with one to four buttons, or double breasted
with two to six buttons. A tailcoat jacket, also known as full a coat, is
perfect if your wedding is über formal. For a formal daytime wedding, the groom
may wear a cutaway jacket or a stroller coat. Daytime tuxedos should be in either
gray or black, while a wedding after 4 to 6 p.m. should be in black or darker
grays and blues.
For a casual wedding, a traditional, form-fitting suit in
black or charcoal grey is usually most appropriate. According to Rik Ducar,
owner of menswear boutiques in Atlanta and Los Angeles, there is not a great
deal of difference between the different seasons. “The main thing that changes are
the accessories and colors,” says Ducar.
Photo: Silverfox Photography
A destination wedding, perhaps on the beach, would call
for a lightweight suit and a softer color palette works well. Ducar says that
summer weddings often call for cotton or linen suits in a light tan or light
grays. However, destination weddings no longer mean a beachside ceremony, but
are moving to a farm or mountainside location. “This is one of the largest growing
categories for our company,” says Ducar. With a casual wedding such as this,
the suit should be a little dressed down perhaps in an earthy gray or rustic
brown.
Another important distinction when choosing menswear is
looking at what style the bride’s gown exudes. If her dress is long and formal,
a classic tux or formal suit would be best. If her dress is light and short, a
linen or cotton suit may be the better choice.
TIE VS BOW TIE
Choosing to wear a tie, bow tie or neither depends also
on the style of the wedding as well as the suit style. Ducar states that the
lapel style determines whether a bow or long tie is worn. “You never want to
wear a long tie with a peak lapel,” says Ducar. “So the lapel style dictates
the protocol for what kind of tie you are going to wear.” A formal and
semi-casual wedding would call for some sort of tie, while a casual beachside
or country wedding would nix the tie all together. Now, what is a lapel? Lapels
are the folded flaps of cloth on the front of a coat or jacket with three
different styles to choose from. The notched lapel would be the least formal
style, with a triangular groove where the lapel and the collar meet. Peaked is probably
the most formal style, with a wide lapel that points up and out below the
collar. A shawl collar has no notch, but rather a simple smooth and rounded
lapel.
ACCESSORIES
Accessories are just as important for the groom as they
are for the bride. Ducar states that accessory styles are dictated by the
overall style of the wedding, which in turn, is dictated by what the bride is
wearing. Vests, also known as waistcoat, are usually reserved for formal
weddings, either in an elegant white or a color that matches the theme of the
wedding or the bridesmaid’s dresses. Be careful though; do not go overboard
with color. “When you start using a lot of color, it takes your eye away from
the main focus of the wedding: the bride,” says Ducar.
Cummerbunds can be worn formally or casually, depending
on the material they are made of and if they have a pattern. Basic black works
for formal wear and casual wear, while colors matching the wedding theme can be
dressier. Cufflinks are also interchangeable between a formal wedding and a
casual one. Depending on how intricately designed the cufflinks are, they add a
dash of personality to either style.
Do not forget about the groomsmen! Of course the bridal
party should fit in with the theme without outshining the bride and groom. A
good way to set apart the groom from his groomsmen is with a slight difference
in the color of the accessories. “The groom would wear a grogram solid black tie
and cummerbund,” says Ducar. “The groomsmen would wear the same exact pattern
but with a slight difference in color, like a steel gray.”
A basic rule to follow is to use the bride’s style as a
platform for the groom’s. Whatever the bride chooses to wear should dictate
what the groom will wear. “You take what the bride is wearing and transfer the
same style and feel to the groom’s side,” says Ducar.
It is also important for the groom to feel comfortable.
Do not try to force a look just so it flows well with the rest of the wedding.
“Don’t fight your personal style,” says Ducar. The worst thing for a wedding
would be a poorly fitting suit and a groom who felt out of lace. Without a
confident groom at the end of the aisle, the bride’s mood could quickly go
down. The key to menswear is choosing a good fitting suit that exudes the groom’s
individual fashion.
When searching for the perfect tux for your groom, Ducar
says there are three important rules to follow. First, make sure to budget your
wedding look. Whether it is a tux or a suit, it can be worn again, so do not
cut corners or go over the top. Second, do not be “matchy-matchy” with the
accessories. The bride, groom, bridesmaids and groomsmen do not have to match
perfectly. Rather, they should complement one another and stand out on their
own without overshadowing the bride. Finally, keep it simple. Do not try to
choose a suit or tux that has different fabrics, colors and accessories all in
one. Choosing something classic and simple will work well with any wedding. “And
you won’t be cringing when you look at your wedding pictures in 20 years,” says
Ducar.
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On any wedding day, the bride’s dress, veil, shoes, hair and
makeup are always the main focus. It really is the one day every bride has
dreamt about since a little girl. And while you may become consumed with
finding the perfect wedding dress and accessories to match throughout the planning
process, it is important not to neglect the groom and his groomsmen. What would
a beautiful bride be without her handsome prince charming?
There are dozens of styles, colors and accessories to choose
from when picking out the menswear for your wedding day. Here are a few
pointers on how to find the perfect ensemble for the men in your wedding party.
STYLE
There are numerous styles to choose from, all based on the
type of wedding you plan to have. If you’re wedding is a black tie affair, then
a tuxedo is certainly the way to go. The classic tuxedo jacket is most popular
and can either be single breasted with one to four buttons, or double breasted
with two to six buttons. A tailcoat jacket, also known as full a coat, is
perfect if your wedding is über formal. For a formal daytime wedding, the groom
may wear a cutaway jacket or a stroller coat. Daytime tuxedos should be in either
gray or black, while a wedding after 4 to 6 p.m. should be in black or darker
grays and blues.
For a casual wedding, a traditional, form-fitting suit in
black or charcoal grey is usually most appropriate. According to Rik Ducar,
owner of menswear boutiques in Atlanta and Los Angeles, there is not a great
deal of difference between the different seasons. “The main thing that changes are
the accessories and colors,” says Ducar.
Photo: Silverfox Photography
A destination wedding, perhaps on the beach, would call
for a lightweight suit and a softer color palette works well. Ducar says that
summer weddings often call for cotton or linen suits in a light tan or light
grays. However, destination weddings no longer mean a beachside ceremony, but
are moving to a farm or mountainside location. “This is one of the largest growing
categories for our company,” says Ducar. With a casual wedding such as this,
the suit should be a little dressed down perhaps in an earthy gray or rustic
brown.
Another important distinction when choosing menswear is
looking at what style the bride’s gown exudes. If her dress is long and formal,
a classic tux or formal suit would be best. If her dress is light and short, a
linen or cotton suit may be the better choice.
TIE VS BOW TIE
Choosing to wear a tie, bow tie or neither depends also
on the style of the wedding as well as the suit style. Ducar states that the
lapel style determines whether a bow or long tie is worn. “You never want to
wear a long tie with a peak lapel,” says Ducar. “So the lapel style dictates
the protocol for what kind of tie you are going to wear.” A formal and
semi-casual wedding would call for some sort of tie, while a casual beachside
or country wedding would nix the tie all together. Now, what is a lapel? Lapels
are the folded flaps of cloth on the front of a coat or jacket with three
different styles to choose from. The notched lapel would be the least formal
style, with a triangular groove where the lapel and the collar meet. Peaked is probably
the most formal style, with a wide lapel that points up and out below the
collar. A shawl collar has no notch, but rather a simple smooth and rounded
lapel.
ACCESSORIES
Accessories are just as important for the groom as they
are for the bride. Ducar states that accessory styles are dictated by the
overall style of the wedding, which in turn, is dictated by what the bride is
wearing. Vests, also known as waistcoat, are usually reserved for formal
weddings, either in an elegant white or a color that matches the theme of the
wedding or the bridesmaid’s dresses. Be careful though; do not go overboard
with color. “When you start using a lot of color, it takes your eye away from
the main focus of the wedding: the bride,” says Ducar.
Cummerbunds can be worn formally or casually, depending
on the material they are made of and if they have a pattern. Basic black works
for formal wear and casual wear, while colors matching the wedding theme can be
dressier. Cufflinks are also interchangeable between a formal wedding and a
casual one. Depending on how intricately designed the cufflinks are, they add a
dash of personality to either style.
Do not forget about the groomsmen! Of course the bridal
party should fit in with the theme without outshining the bride and groom. A
good way to set apart the groom from his groomsmen is with a slight difference
in the color of the accessories. “The groom would wear a grogram solid black tie
and cummerbund,” says Ducar. “The groomsmen would wear the same exact pattern
but with a slight difference in color, like a steel gray.”
A basic rule to follow is to use the bride’s style as a
platform for the groom’s. Whatever the bride chooses to wear should dictate
what the groom will wear. “You take what the bride is wearing and transfer the
same style and feel to the groom’s side,” says Ducar.
It is also important for the groom to feel comfortable.
Do not try to force a look just so it flows well with the rest of the wedding.
“Don’t fight your personal style,” says Ducar. The worst thing for a wedding
would be a poorly fitting suit and a groom who felt out of lace. Without a
confident groom at the end of the aisle, the bride’s mood could quickly go
down. The key to menswear is choosing a good fitting suit that exudes the groom’s
individual fashion.
When searching for the perfect tux for your groom, Ducar
says there are three important rules to follow. First, make sure to budget your
wedding look. Whether it is a tux or a suit, it can be worn again, so do not
cut corners or go over the top. Second, do not be “matchy-matchy” with the
accessories. The bride, groom, bridesmaids and groomsmen do not have to match
perfectly. Rather, they should complement one another and stand out on their
own without overshadowing the bride. Finally, keep it simple. Do not try to
choose a suit or tux that has different fabrics, colors and accessories all in
one. Choosing something classic and simple will work well with any wedding. “And
you won’t be cringing when you look at your wedding pictures in 20 years,” says
Ducar.