Congratulations on your engagement! This is a really exciting time in your life. It’s also probably going to be a bit stressful.
During this next year, I want to walk through this process with you. I’ll give you a 12 Month Guide to planning your wedding and explain things along the way. You can start from the beginning here (click). Come back to this blog each week for the next installment.
Week 11 – Groomsmen Attire
Hope you’re week of planning who will provide music has gone well! This week we’ll look at groom and groomsmen attire.
Be sure to talk through this topic with your groom (after all, he will be wearing it). Please don’t make a decision on it without him. He may not care, but you never know until you ask. I’ve heard about so many guys who cared about a random detail. Maybe it’s the cufflinks, perhaps they really like bow ties or pocket squares. One of my grooms made a rose knot with his tie. Because this is a unique occasion, don’t make an assumption based on their normal attire.
So, here are the things you’ll want to talk about:
1. Formality
Look at the date and time of the wedding. If it’s a morning or afternoon wedding, there’s no need for a tux and you may not even want blazers. If the wedding is after five o’clock, it will be more formal and the groom and groomsmen need to wear at least a nice suit. When your fiancé looks at this, it may change the plan for the wedding time. Please be as open as possible to his suggestions. You’re in this together, and in the end the formality of the suits is not a deal breaker.
2. Styles
There are many styles within the various formalities. There is a traditional tux, a tux with the traditional coat tails, a modern version that’s rounded, a mandarin collar, etc. That’s just the tuxes. Suits have different jacket lengths, different collars, can be single or double-breasted, etc. There are lots of extras to consider as well. These include pocket squares, ties, bow ties, ascots, cummerbunds, vests and suspenders. This might be overwhelming, but once you select the formality it will eliminate some options. Your groom will also have some preferences that will help bring it down to a few options.
3. Colors
While we’ll talk about bridesmaids dresses next week, you already know the wedding colors. The formality and colors you choose will help you decide on what to incorporate in the groom and groomsmen attire. If it’s a formal wedding and you are using bright or bold colors, it will probably be best to use a neutral/traditional suit or tux and use the boutonnieres to tie in your wedding colors. If you are having an informal wedding, you can use colored shirts, ties, vests, socks, etc. Places that sell/rent suits and bridesmaids dresses will have color swatches that you can take between stores so you can make sure everything is complimentary.
4. Prices
Part 1 – It can be surprising how expensive it is to buy or rent a suit. However, it is usually not as expensive as getting bridesmaids dresses. Several stores that rent suits and tuxes will have special pricing like “rent 4 get the 5th free” or something along those lines. Some even have special pricing if you use a certain store to purchase bridesmaid dresses. Ask around and figure out what will work for your wedding.
Part 2 – The other thing to consider is who pays for the tuxes. Are you asking groomsmen and bridesmaids to purchase their attire, are you gifting it to them or is somebody providing for these expenses as a wedding gift? If you are asking them to provide their attire, you may want to consider letting them choose where to get it as long as it falls within the color scheme and desired styles (example: traditional grey suit with a pink tie). This will give them the option to use something they already own, borrow it or find a price that works with their budget.
This week, decide what colors and styles you want to look at for your groom and groomsmen attire. Look at the costs and figure out who is paying for what. Don’t forget to tell us what style you’re most excited about.
Next week we’ll talk about bridesmaid dresses!
Katelyn is a certified wedding planner. She is available for consultations.
She will even meet with you on Skype to help you work through part of your wedding planning.
Click here for more information.