Trends come and go within fashion, and the style of suits that men wear to weddings is no different. Once upon a time (and not that long ago), the done thing for groomsmen would be matching top hat and tails, snooker-inspired waistcoats and trousers wide enough to fit two legs in each hole.
The game has changed dramatically in recent years, along with the playing field. It’s now considered acceptable to wear a cropped trouser, apricot coloured, skinny-fit suit to a summer wedding – and there are a host of high-street outlets where you can find one, if one were so inclined.
Choosing the right type of suit for your wedding
Without launching off on a tirade about skinny, tapered or even ‘muscle’ fit suits (please don’t ask, because we don’t know) – a positive thing to come from the apparent loosening of sartorial regulations at weddings is that, whilst some questionable decisions will doubtlessly be made, there will also be some great ones.
Grooms have never had more freedom around which style of suit they’re going to don on their big day. From a tailoring perspective, this is fantastic news. By its very nature, bespoke tailoring lends itself to individuality, so whether you’re thinking of a traditional look or something more contemporary – we can cherry pick from what you like, to create exactly what you want.
Whilst we do like to try and adhere to the styling cues that typify the classic styles of suit worn to weddings; the morning suit, the lounge suit and the dinner suit – we understand that there is always room to take elements from current trends and apply them to bespoke tailoring. Keeping things classic and current can be a fine line, but a line your tailor has walked a thousand times.
Head over to our November post for ways to incorporate current trends into your bespoke commission.
Courtesy of a particular contagion currently doing the rounds – we won’t mention the name – a good number of 2020 grooms have had to postpone or cancel their weddings. And whilst this is undoubtedly a shame, especially for those who already had their bespoke commission ironed out, it has afforded some prospective husbands a little more time to plan their nuptial threads.
So here are some points for consideration, some starting points to pay heed to, before embarking upon your bespoke wedding suit commission.
A guide to Men’s wedding attire
Anyone who is married, is getting married or has had a hand in planning a wedding to some degree, will know that there are decisions, on top of choices, on top of options to be considered at every twist and turn.
The groom’s suit is no different, and there are a multitude of factors that may need to dictate what type of suit you choose for your wedding day. Some are more sartorial than others, some more of a practical nature, some are financial and some are societal – but they’re all as important as the next and can have a big impact on your big day, for better or worse.
Time
What time of year and what time of day is the ceremony taking place? Traditionally, morning ceremonies and early afternoon receptions are saved for morning or lounge suits. Whilst ceremonies and receptions in the afternoon and evening tend to be reserved for, well, evening wear. Though these rules are undoubtedly slackening, you may want to think of styling things slightly differently if you’re planning on breaking them.
For example, a tuxedo or dinner suit worn traditionally throughout the day, could look a little jarring in bright, sunlit photographs from a morning ceremony. Drop the white dress shirt and bow tie for an all black ensemble, and thoughts of casinos or charity benefit events will be the farthest thing from your guests minds.
This might seem fairly obvious, but if you’re getting married in mid-winter, you’re not going to get away with a pale linen suit. Similarly, as well as that herringbone tweed three-piece does fit you – you’re going to melt if your wedding is on even a moderately hot Summer’s day. So, plan ahead, consider how warm or cold you may be, and ask your tailor’s opinion – they’ve probably been to more weddings than you have.
For more winter weddings tips, head to this feature on Belle Bridal magazine
The Bride
This can be a tricky one, depending on how superstitious you are – but if you’re planning to go a little off-piste or inject some of your character into your wedding suit, you might want to have a handle on what style of dress your bride is going to be wearing.
It isn’t the be-all-and-end-all that you and the bride match perfectly, as you’ve both got to be comfortable in what you’re wearing – the camera never lies, and nothing says ‘I wouldn’t normally wear this’ than awkward wedding photos. You want to look back on those photos and reflect on what a good match you both are, not sucking air through your teeth thinking, ‘what was I thinking’.
Knowing whether your bride will be wearing something very contemporary, something classic yet modern or something very traditional, can act as a good barometer for your suit decisions.
Setting a theme
By ‘setting a theme’, we’re not referring to the 80s or a Star Trek theme, what we really mean is a dress code. A dress code can sound a little stuffy in 2020, but there are a myriad of reasons why you might choose to set at least an expectation of what the guests should be wearing on your own big day.
If you’re getting married in the afternoon and having an evening reception, you may want to set black tie or creative black tie as a dress code – in which case, you need to have that tuxedo absolutely on-point and lead by example. There are a million ways to get evening wear wrong and just a handful to get it right, so trust a tailor and heed our words in this article: Black Tie 101.
On the other end of the spectrum, if you’re jet setting off to warmer climes for your I do’s, you might want to make it clear to your guests that reflecting the tropical surroundings was always going to be your modus operandi. Setting a pastel or ‘tropical’ theme – whilst maintaining impeccable tailoring standards – can be a way of embracing your more flamboyant side, whilst staying cool in the heat.
Reach out to the tailoring team here at Norton & Townsend
Knowing what kind of suit to wear at your wedding, picking a style, fabric, colour, pattern and fit – it can be a minefield, but it doesn’t have to be. Heed our advice mentioned above, but beyond all that – pay attention to the details, and enjoy it! Visit our style guide or weddings page to read a little more into the different suits we could base yours on, and if you’ve already heard enough – contact one of the team to book your appointment.