If you’re a groom who’s getting married in the near future, you’ll want to look your very best on your big day, and feel confident that the suit you’re wearing is perfect for you, your partner and your whole occasion.
To help you achieve all this, we’ve put together seven essential rules for you to follow. Guidance from our expert team that’ll help you get it 100% right on your wedding day.
Rule 1 – Your look needs to fit the vibe of your wedding
The most fundamental rule to follow when dressing for your wedding is to make sure your outfit is in harmony with the overall vibe of your wedding and your venue.
If you’re having a traditional wedding at a place of worship or luxury venue, we recommend you go for a classic dark suit that’s matched with a lighter shirt and tie.
Alternatively, you could go for a wedding tuxedo with a white dress shirt and bow tie. This look can work extremely well for the day and evening, and especially if your night-time event is going to be held at a glitzy hotel or ballroom.
In contrast, you and your partner may decide you want to have a much more relaxed wedding. The whole theme could be casual, or you may choose to have your ceremony outdoors, for example, in a picturesque garden or on the beach.
If that’s the case, you could easily go for something a bit more casual, such as a lighter colored suit made from a lightweight fabric.
Or how about having the best of both worlds? A light colored jacket matched with darker colored pants is becoming an increasingly popular choice for grooms. It can deliver a great fresh look that’s a little bit different from the norm.
Rule 2 – Coordinate your look with your partner’s
Marriage is all about teamwork, which is a sentiment that certainly starts on your wedding day.
Because to look your best as a couple, and to get those amazing photos you’ll treasure forever, you need to make sure your look and your partner’s complement each other.
This doesn’t mean you need to know exactly what your partner is going to be wearing when they walk down the aisle.
But it is important that you talk about some key elements of your wedding outfits so you achieve harmony and avoid clashes that could ruin your overall look as a couple.
So if your bride is going to be wearing a traditional lace wedding dress, it’s maybe best you don’t go for a casual, lightweight suit. A sharp-fitting bespoke suit or tux is a much better choice instead.
Maybe also talk about the color of your bride’s bouquet, or another key color from your wedding. Your vest, tie or even your socks could pick up on this tone.
Carefully considered touches like this are key to marrying your outfits together and lifting your style as a couple to a higher level.
Rule 3 – Dress for your body type
It’s always important to dress for your body type if you want to achieve a look that works really well for you.
If you don’t know what type of body you have, this is something we can help you with at HKT and create a suit that works perfectly for your unique shape.
Very basically, though, guys who are tall and slim look good in most types of suits and tuxes.
However, if your shoulders are roughly the same width as your waist and hips, you may want to think about using your suit to widen your shoulders and create a nipped-in silhouette across the middle of your body. Something our master tailors can easily do for you.
If you’re a bigger guy, and the center of your torso is wider than your shoulders and hips, you probably want a suit that’s going to slim you down and create a flattering silhouette.
To do this, we always recommend you go with a dark, solid color for your wedding outfit.
It’s also important you go for a fit that isn’t too roomy or too tight. Because a roomy look can may you appear sloppy, and a too small fit can add bulk to your body.
Instead, you want a well-tailored single breasted jacket that tapers in a little to help create a long, lean line that narrows your waist and streamlines your torso.
You’re also best going for wider, straight-legged pants that are the right length for you, rather than skinny or tapered trousers that will draw attention to your middle.
Rule 4 – Get the fit of your suit 100% right
The reality is that any suit you pick off the rack is not going to fit you perfectly, no matter how expensive it is.
This is why we always recommend you think about having a bespoke or made to measure suit created for you for your big day.
Bespoke means that around 25 to 30 unique measurements are taken from your body to create a suit completely from scratch that’s perfect for you in every detail.
With a made to measure suit, fewer body measurements and fittings are involved, but you still end up with a fantastic suit that’s a far better fit than any off-the-peg suit.
Of course, going for a bespoke or made to measure suit is not always an option for everyone’s budget.
If you do decide to go for a ready to wear suit, the good news is we can adjust it so a far better fit is achieved.
Plus, all the off the peg suits we stock at out store are from leading designers whose jackets and pants are of an exceptional quality.
Read our What’s the difference between bespoke, made to measure and ready to wear? blog to find out more.
Rule 5 – Remember to focus on fabric
One of the most important elements of a new wedding suit is the weight of the cloth.
Lighter weight materials such as linen and flannel are fantastic for summer months because they sit lighter on the body and the weave of them allows for more airflow, which keeps the wearer cooler.
Wool is also still an option for the warmer months if it’s been woven to create a light weight fabric which is around 310 grams per square meter or below.
This all may sound a little technical, but don’t worry, we can talk you through all the different options available to you with regards to fabrics for the spring and summer.
Also, there’s nothing quite like coming into our store and feeling fabrics in your hands to get a better understanding of them and how they will feel next to your skin.
If you’re attending a wedding in the fall or winter months, you should be looking for a heavier cloth which weighs between 310 and 400 grams per square meter.
Cloths that typically fall in this range are heavier wools and flannels and tweeds, of which we have a fantastic range for you to choose from. Although, of course, your choice will totally depend on what the average fall or winter is like in the area your wedding is taking place – December in Hawaii is very different to December in Seattle.
As well as keeping you warm, a fall/winter fabric is much better at maintaining its structure than cloths suitable for warmer months. As a result, a handmade suit in a heavier fabric is excellent at retaining its shape throughout a wedding day and treating wrinkles with disdain.
What we also love about heavier fabrics is that they offer more texture than light weight cloths. This simply adds a tactile level to your suit which allows you to express your personality and individual style in an additional way.
Rule 6 – Don’t forget about your groomsmen
Although the bride and her bridesmaids are likely to be the main focus of your big day, it’s still very important that you consider the attire of your groomsmen too.
Traditionally, the outfits of the groomsmen are either the same or similar to what the groom is wearing. But that is entirely up to you.
Sometimes it works really well if all the groomsmen are in one color and the groom is another that contrasts with that color.
The main thing to focus on is that the style and feel of your groomsmen’s suits match yours. If you’re going for a tux and black tie, then they certainly don’t want to be in anything too casual.
On top of this, you should also think about the style of your whole wedding party. You, your partner, their bridesmaids and your groomsmen should all work as one.
To achieve this, make sure you choose at least one matching element that helps to create a consistent look throughout your whole wedding party.
This could be a particular color, pattern or print. For example, the color of the bridesmaids’ dresses could match the color of your tie and those of your groomsmen.
Rule 7 – Let your accessories add some extra wow factor
The accessories you choose for your wedding day look can be just as important as the suit itself when it comes to injecting some personality into your outfit. For that reason, it’s extremely important you take your time selecting your accessories and choosing high-quality products that do you and your bespoke wedding suit justice.
For your wedding day, the main accessories you should spend some time considering are your:
- necktie, bow tie or cravat
- vest / waistcoat
- belt or cummerbund
- cuff links
- socks
- shoes
For one or some of these items, you could choose something that complements what your bride and her bridesmaids are wearing.
You and your groomsmen could all wear the same accessory to unite your look even further, such as the same colored or patterned socks.
Or you could choose an accessory that says something about you and your partner, such as cufflinks with both your initials on.
If this area is something you’re likely to struggle with, please don’t hesitate to book an appointment with one of our style consultants at HKT.
They can talk you through a wide range of accessories which could help to add some extra wow factor to your look and that of your whole wedding party.
Are you a groom who needs help with their suit? We can help you make the right choices
So there you have it, our seven essentials rules for grooms for their wedding day. We hope it inspires you and helps you make the right choices for your big day.
But if you’re still unsure about what will work best for you and would like some expert guidance, please get in touch with HKT. We’d love to hear from you and help you look a million dollars on your big occasion.
