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The groom decides the order of dress and whatever he decides on then all the male members of the wedding party are required to dress in the same manner including the bride and grooms father as well as the best man and ushers.
Although the brides gown is a big secret, find out the general colour scheme as you would not want to clash. Before you decide check with your bride.
Buy or hire. Formal or informal. This will depend on the style of your wedding.
If you are opting for formal, the form of dress is the morning suit – even if the wedding is in the afternoon. A morning suit is a morning coat, worn with striped trousers, shirt tie and waistcoat. Grey being the traditional colour but black is also popular, Hat and gloves are optional. There is no firm rule about the tie colour but avoid loud garish colours and patterns. Stocks and cravats with a pin are an alternative. Morning attire is worn with a plain shirt in white or a pale colour, with double cuffs and cufflinks.
Shoes should be black lace up and socks black or grey.
The top hat grey unless you can get your hands on a blacksilk model which is the ultimate choice are worn on the front of the head and never ever worn indoors when they are carried under the arm.. Pratice doffing your hat to greet your guests. Gloves are usually carried not worn an grey.
Buttonholes match colour theme with the groom’s matching the brides bouquet and the rest of the groom’s party match the bridesmaids.
Morning Suit
The morning suit is usually worn for weddings before 3pm and is still the most popular attire. The cut and style of the coat is very flattering to the majority of figures and consists of a blue, black or grey tailcoat paired with matching or contrasting trousers either, plain or pinstriped. The outfit is completed with a white wing-collar shirt, a waistcoat of any colour, a cravat often called an Ascot, top hat and gloves (not worn).
For a less formal wedding with a modern day slant, opt for a tailored jacket rather than tails and team with a classic white shirt. Knot your cravat as you would a tie and forget the top hat.
For detailed instructions of how to tie an Ascot, click here
Lounge Suit (Day Suit)
A modern day suit can look sharp and sophisticated and is ideal for a register office wedding or for those grooms who prefer a more informal option. The colour and style is entirely up to you. It can be a two or three piece and single or double breasted. The choice of shirt and tie is endless and can easily be matched or contrasted with the bride's attendants to create a more co-ordinated look. The choice of shoes is also personal, although the rule would be not to wear brown shoes with black trousers and vice versa. A good fitting pair of leather shoes is your best choice and the most appropriate but sport shoes are a definite faux pas.
Lightweight summer lounge suits, worn with an open neck shirt, offer a comfortable choice for overseas weddings in hot climates. The lounge suit has the added benefit of being able to be worn afterwards.
Black Tie (Dinner Suit)
Black tie is traditionally worn for weddings later in the day or those to be followed by a formal reception and is ideal for a grand evening reception or summer ball. You should wear a black dinner jacket, either single or double-breasted, with ribbed silk lapels, preferably not satin, with no vents or covered buttons. Trousers should be tapered, suitable for braces and, officially, have one row of braid. The evening shirt, in cotton or silk, with either a Marcella or pleated front has a soft, turn down collar. The bow tie is black and silk. Cummerbunds can be worn (with pleats opening upwards), but waistcoats are still much more acceptable and can be made as individual as you like with a colourful bow tie, matching waistcoat and pocket-handkerchief. Shoes should be black and well polished and socks plain black.
White Tie
White tie is usually only worn at the grandest most formal events and not usually requested for weddings. However, if this is the style of wedding that has been chosen, it is essential that you get it right. Strict etiquette desires that a black evening tailcoat be teamed with matching trousers with two lines of braid. The colour of your shirt is optional but it should have either a detachable or stiff wing collar and is worn with a white bow tie and white evening waistcoat. Black patent shoes with black ribbon laces and black silk socks complete the outfit.
White Tuxedos
A white jacket or tuxedo is an alternative for many 'black tie' events and particularly for wedding in the summer or a hot climate. The white jacket is teamed with black trousers and a white pleated front evening shirt with a black bow tie (hand tied). Black shoes and well polished or patent black shoes are worn with the tuxedo.
Frock Coat
A flamboyant alternative but becoming increasingly popular is the frock coat, which is usually made in beautiful brocades of varying designs and colours. Uusually worn with a pair of plain black trousers and a winged-collar shirt with a traditionally tied cravat called an Ascot.
Highland Dress
Kilts should only worn if there is a Scottish connection. Highland morning or evening dress is the traditional wedding outfit for the Scottish groom however it is acceptable for non-Scottish grooms to don highland dress but they are only allowed to wear the Stewart or Gordon tartans. Highland morning or evening dress kilts are worn with either a short tweed day jacket or a velvet jacket. Alternatively, tarten trews may be worn with a morning coat.
Uniforms
Only active serving members of the armed forces may wear a military uniform for their wedding if permission has been given by the commanding officer. The groom will probably choose his fellow officers to act as his ushers and to form a ceremonial guard of honour which is a wonderful wedding tradition. If the bride's male relations are not in the armed forces they will wear civilian attire even if they part of the wedding party. The military uniform for wedding is the Blues uniform which is a blue jacket with matching blue trousers with a red stripe down the outside of each leg. A white belt and white gloves complete this splendid military uniform. Buttonholes are not worn with a military uniform.
Buttonholes
The groom, best man, ushers and fathers of the bride and groom usually have buttonholes in their left lapel, normally a single flower with a little foliage. The most common choice of flower is a carnation or rose. However, you can be as creative as you like, using themes or colour schemes, for example, a red rose with ivy leaves and holly berries for a Christmas wedding or heather and thistle if you are getting married in Scotland.The flower is passed through the button hole and fixed into place using a pin at the back of the lapel and is positioned upright.
A day suit is a less formal alternative to morning dress and should be carchoal or mid grey or navy blue but not black.
It is unusual for the groom and party to change out of their morning suits for the evening reception.
Black or White tie are becoming popular for evening weddings.
Summer weddings abroad hot a white dinner jacket of linen suit.
Formal: dinner suit, tails or frock coat????? Add colour with a waistcoat and cravat – to complement the bridal party of course.
Very formal cutaway tails, striped trousers, waistcoat, cravat and black shoes. Top hat and gloves – the hat is never never to be worn indoors.
Cufflinks.
For a formal evening wedding. Black jacket, black trousers, white wing coloured shirt and bow tie, black waistcoat, cummerbund and black (patent) shoes. No colour but fun shirts around which look white until you take your jacket off!
Ifhiring, book at least months ahead. Agree with the ushers who will be collecting and returning any hired items.
Dress tips for the groom – correct fitting
Jackets should be able to do up easily
Shirt half of inch of shirt sleeve should show below the jacket
Waistcoat – never do up the bottom button if single breasted. The waistcoat ishould overlap the waistband of the trousers. This is hard to achieve with a belt so braces with buttons will hang better
Trousers – should be comfortable and the lengh should break just over the top of the shoe. Trousers hang better when worn with braces rather than a belt.
Bow tie – you really should tie your own – practice!
Shoes – good comfort – you are going to be in them all day
Socks –
Cufflinks –
Grooms are notorious for forgetting or leaving until the last minutes so very own checklist can be downloaded from our website.
HIRING OR BUYING
If you are of an age when you are likely to attend a number of weddings during the next decade that it is more cost-effective to buy a morning dress than to hire.
Choose a dedicated gentleman’s outfitters who will be happy to give you sound advice. Go with a clear idea of how you or your bride would like you to look.
If you hire, possible to have your party in bespoke waistcoats or cravats. A bespoke suit is an investment which will flatter and will last for many years. Allow at least 4 months to have it made and be prepared for 3 fittings.
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