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Welcome to The Groom’s Guide, our expert-led handbook to help you navigate the proposal, the wedding and everything in between. Find all the stories here.
A potentially scary thought: you’ve got a wedding on the horizon, and you need a suit. A potentially scarier thought: it’s your own.
Even for the style-conscious, cufflink-owning guy, figuring out what to wear for one of life’s defining milestones can be a panic-inducing process. Much like the actual nuptials, there are about a million decisions to make, ranging from big-picture choices about custom versus off-the-rack to small but equally important details concerning silhouette, color and fabric.
Don’t know where to start? You’ve come to the right place. We’ll take you through the types of suits available and elements to consider, and then recommend some of our favorite options depending on the formality of your nuptials and, more importantly, your budget.
Bespoke vs. Made to Measure vs. Off the Rack
When buying a wedding suit, the first question concerns the actual construction of the garment: do you go bespoke, made to measure or off the rack?
Ordering a custom suit is fairly common for this occasion. The process, in which a tailor or team of craftspeople produces a unique-to-you suit, can ensure a perfect fit and allows for intimate customization, but tends to take weeks and can be expensive. Opting for a made-to-measure suit (a preexisting suit pattern that’s tailored to your measurements) can prove a more timely and affordable option, although it sacrifices some of the customization and fit. Off-the-rack suiting is the most economical and accessible choice — you can find a host of options at your local mall — but lacks the tailor-made charms of the other options.
What to Consider When Choosing a Wedding Suit
Beyond the actual construction, there are a number of other considerations unique to the groom that should factor into the picking the perfect suit.
- Formality: Black tie or backyard? Courthouse or courtyard? Your venue (and guest list, and dress code) should strongly factor into your tailoring plans. (More on this below.)
- Season: Getting hitched in the heat of summer? Tying the knot on the winter solstice? Seasonality will play a part in choosing the appropriate suiting, especially when it comes to fabric.
- Palette: A word of advice? It’s important to check in (coordinate, even!) with your soon-to-be-spouse. Black and navy are both versatile and look right at home with a classic white wedding dress or similarly shaded suit, but weddings with a nontraditional palette — a floral-leaning yellow or pink, for instance — might pair better with a lighter shade.
- Budget: There’s no way around it — even the dinkiest of weddings can be incredibly expensive. If purchasing a bespoke suit is out of your budget, know that there are many exceptional off-the-rack options out there to explore. If you can, flexing for an extra bit of adjustment will go a long way. (Alternatively, purchase from a brand that offers complimentary tailoring.)
The Groom’s Guide: Expert Advice for the Proposal, Wedding and Everything in Between
You’ve (hopefully) only got one shot at this. Here’s how to nail it.The Best Wedding Suits for Every Occasion and Budget
For a True Black-Tie Affair
The most formal weddings demand the most formal suiting. A sophisticated and timeless piece of menswear, the tuxedo is at its best when worn conservatively — with a bow tie, tuxedo shirt (which should fit snugger than you think it should) and clean leather footwear. A white jacket is certainly an option for the most adventurous grooms, but seriously, you can’t go wrong with a well-fitting black tux.
For the Buttoned-Up Bash
Just because you’re not marrying an oil heiress (or simply don’t want to wear a bow tie) doesn’t mean you can’t still look refined for the occasion. A formal dress code allows for a dark suit, often in black, navy, grey or chocolate, worn with a tie, but don’t confuse it with your 9-to-5 options. Make sure to skip a soft notch for sharper peak lapels, and pay close attention to the fit — much like the tuxedo, you should land solidly between plastered-on and David Byrne. That is, what’s conventionally referred to as your “classic” or “straight” fit.
For the Semi-Formal Shindig
Even if you want to forego a serious dress code, it’s still worthwhile to get dressed in a way that makes you feel cool and confident. Your wedding can also be a great time to attempt a bit of a swerve — a designer suit you’ve always wanted to wear, for instance, or something a bit more relaxed than a more traditional ceremony might call for. Even an unconventional color can be an acceptable answer.
For the Destination Wedding
What do Umbria, Hanoi and Melbourne have in common? They all demand the groom think outside the box. Destination weddings are their own beast — the sartorial vibe often more akin to a holiday, a fact which your suiting choices should reflect. Looser, loucher tailoring, often in softer colors, is more than just accepted, it’s encouraged.
For the Sweltering Soirée
While a wool or otherwise more substantial fabric is almost always preferred — the weight helps a suit drape and lay much better than lightweight blends — some heat-of-summer weddings can prove simply too sweaty to commit to a seriously solid style. If you feel you have to choose something lighter, tropical wool — an airy, open-weave worsted wool that’s been woven to be lightweight and highly breathable — is an excellent second option. If you’ve been brainwashed by big linen, a silk or cotton blend will help the suit repel wrinkles and generally retain its shape far better than a 100% linen suit.
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