Wedding rumor has it that the only person people notice is
the lady in the white dress. Not true! Grooms get noticed, too
-- especially if they´re dressed like high school prom
refugees circa 1985. We know you´re used to dressing yourself
in casual clothes -- but what about formal? Read on for tips
and advice.
GETTING STARTED
What´s the "right" tux? Bernard Toll, a spokesman
for Lord West Formalwear (they make Lord West, Perry Ellis,
Chaps Ralph Lauren, and Pierre Cardin tuxedos), advises clueless
grooms-to-be to enlist the help of a formalwear expert -- the
salesperson at the formalwear store -- to find the right style
for your wedding. "He has dressed hundreds of grooms and
groomsmen," says Toll. "He knows his business."
Tell him what time of day you´re getting married and how
formal the wedding will be (describing where it is and what´s
in store will tell him all he needs to know). Then, get ready
to try on lots of styles: "The key is to see what looks
and feels best, because the truth is you never know."
WHAT´S YOUR WEDDING TYPE?
Different types of weddings call for different versions of formalwear.
Know these guidelines and you´ll impress everyone with
your overarching fashion knowledge:
Semiformal, daytime
The groom and groomsmen wear suits (navy or charcoal are great
year-round; reserve khaki or white for warm seasons) with nice
shirts and four-in-hand ties (like the neckties worn with business
suits). The groom can sport a unique boutonniere. Fathers, the
ring bearer, and ushers also wear dark suits.
Semiformal, evening
The groom can choose a dark tuxedo with a bow tie and a cummerbund
or vest (alternatively, he can wear a nice dark suit). His shirt
should be white with a wing-tipped or turned-down collar. The
groomsmen, fathers, and the ring bearer should wear similar
formalwear, perhaps with cummerbunds that match the bridesmaid
dresses, although this look can be a bit too precious. For summer
weddings or tropical locales, white dinner jackets are an acceptable
alternative.
Formal, daytime
Grooms have many choices for a formal daytime wedding: tuxedos,
tailcoats, or gray strollers (less formal versions of the tuxedo
jacket, worn with pinstriped trousers) are all appropriate.
The groomsmen and ring bearer should wear similar outfits, and
the fathers of the bride and groom can wear formalwear of their
own choice (if Dad owns a tux, have him break it out).
Formal, evening
In the evening, formal usually means black-tie. The groom and
groomsmen wear black or navy blue tuxedos with white, pleated
formal shirts and black bow ties, cummerbunds, or vests. The
groom may wear a vest while his groomsmen wear cummerbunds,
and the groomsmen should sport different boutonnieres than the
groom. Fathers and ring bearers should wear tuxes identical
to the groomsmen´s. If the wedding takes place during
the summer or in the tropics, a white dinner jacket with formal
trousers offers a cooler option.
Ultra-formal, daytime
The groom traditionally wears a cutaway coat, gray striped trousers,
gray or black vest, ascot or striped four-in-hand tie, and patent
leather shoes. If you want to go all out, you can also add a
top hat, spats, and gray gloves. The groomsmen, fathers, and
ring bearers should wear a similar style, but can sport a different
boutonniere and a slightly different shirt and tie.
Ultra-formal, evening
Break out the white tie. The groom and groomsmen should wear
black tailcoats with white pique waistcoats, white pique wing-collared
shirts, and bow ties. The guys can also wear fancy studs and
cufflinks, and should stick with black patent leather shoes
(you can skip the top hats and canes!). The groom distinguishes
himself with different shirt studs or a special boutonniere,
usually a sprig from the bride´s bouquet. Fathers and
ring bearers wear outfits that are identical to the groomsmen´s.
by - Sara Fiedelholtz
at The Knot
