ErinThe groomsmen attire for the wedding is just as vital as the bridesmaids. Although some may think finding groomsmen outfit ideas for the men to wear is not hard, it can be challenging when navigating different wedding situations.
How the groomsmen dress is all part of wedding planning, and the style will come through in a wedding photo.
What Should Groomsmen Wear?
So what do groomsmen wear? The groomsmen attire in a wedding party can be as formal or as casual as necessary.
It may not be a formal suit and tie day that many have come to recognize in a wedding from years ago.
From tuxedos to casual wedding attire, the choices for the groom and groomsmen styles are diverse. Often accessories, including suspenders, boutonnieres, and bow ties, can bring a look together for the wedding day.
Some wedding parties will have all the men dressing in matching outfits, while others will have the groom in a different color or style from his groomsmen. Pop culture has made wedding planning fun as the bride and groom try to determine their sense of style and personality for their big day.
Traditionally, the groomsmen wear formal wear, including suit jackets with ties, but that is not always the case. There are many ways to break free from the traditional dress outfit and look sharp at a wedding.
How To Choose Groomsmen Attire
Deciding on some groomsmen outfit ideas can be easy to do when doing wedding planning. Some external factors that can help determine groomsmen attire for the wedding style include:
- Season
- Setting and Venue
- Formality
By examining these elements beforehand, choosing the groomsmen attire can be less stressful after narrowing the selections.
Season
The season of the wedding is a helpful way to find style inspiration. How the guys dress should be stylish enough for the big day.
The groomsmen should also be comfortable as they go through the day in style. Sometimes a formal suit and tie is not the best outfit for the season.
Naturally, a warm summer day wedding can be challenging for a wedding party if they want traditional groomsmen attire. However, thick suit jackets with cummerbunds and ties can make the men overheat quickly in an outdoor wedding, making them the wrong choice.
Alternatively, fall or winter weddings may call for thick wool blazers or warm jackets for a stylish touch. The season is a great starting point when figuring out groomsmen outfit ideas for the wedding style and how to dress for the event.
Setting and Venue
Not all weddings happen in a church. Events in a barn for a rustic wedding, family property, or beach can all call for entirely different attire.
Real weddings that include friends and family will call for more planning, whereas eloping can be a more casual event for the bride and groom’s big day.
For any wedding that happens outside of a church, there are endless possibilities for groomsmen outfits. Think of cowboy boots for a country setting or sandals and shorts for a beach wedding.
Imagine the guys wearing a floral tie with a soft color palette and light grey pants for their attire when the wedding is at an outdoor venue.
However, large church weddings can call for traditional tuxedo attire for the groom and groomsmen.
Formality
How formal the wedding party dresses will help determine what guys wear on this special day. Many couples break down the traditional barriers of suit jackets and ties of the past and branch out to less formal attire.
Traditionally, formal wear includes black suits or a tux where all the groomsmen match the groom. Taking this event and making it into a formal situation is still quite common and is typical for early morning or late evening weddings.
Leather suspenders, boutonnieres, and other formal accessories like bow ties can help bring the outfit together.
Ideas for Groomsmen Outfits
We have some terrific groomsmen outfits ideas for any wedding setting. Take a look at some of these choices for some inspiration on groomsmen attire.
Casual Groomsmen Attire
Casual groomsmen attire does not mean that they cannot look sharp and stand out. On the contrary, simple pieces like crisp white shirts and grey slacks can be as dashing as a tux and make the groomsmen stand out in a wedding photo.
When it comes to beach weddings, casual groomsmen’s attire can fit the setting better than formal suits. Try khaki slacks or shorts and sandals with a short-sleeved dress shirt for a relaxed and fun outfit.
Wedding style does not always have to include suits and ties. You cannot go wrong with fun accessories like hats, sunglasses, suspenders, or other eye-catching pieces.
Think of pairing dress jeans with plaid dress shirts for that country wedding. Use items like boots and hats to complete the outfit.
Casual dress does not have to include a tie at all. Some weddings may be relaxed enough to have the groomsmen dress in simple slacks and suspenders with a dress shirt.
Formal Groomsmen Attire
For a more traditional wedding day, groomsmen in formal suits will look dashing for the special day. This type of attire will typically include dress pants with a suit jacket and tie.
Groomsmen may be wearing tuxedos or a tailored suit vest for an added touch. Navy suits, bow ties, and leather suspenders are just some style choices for a more formal look.
With formal groomsmen attire, the tie colors will ideally be the same as the bridesmaids’ dresses. This continuity will make any wedding photo pop with color.
Formal groomsmen attire does not mean that all the men will be identical, though. Some weddings will have each groomsmen’s tie alternate colors to sync with a bridesmaid of a similar style.
The groom’s outfit does not have to be the same color as the groomsmen, even with formal wear. However, some wedding parties will have the groom in an alternative color to stand out among his groomsmen in the photos.
Black Tie Groomsmen Outfits
Black tie weddings are incredibly formal events. They can happen in a church or other large venue of the couple’s choosing.
These weddings will typically happen in the early morning or later in the evening. Therefore, you will not usually see black-tie events in casual venues like beachside weddings or in the country.
On the big event day, the groom will often wear a full black tux with tails and sometimes a coordinating hat for a nice added touch.
The groomsmen will be wearing similar tuxedos, matching pleated white shirts, vests, and bow ties. Imagine how terrific the wedding photo would be with a group of men in black tuxedos.
Groomsmen Attire Etiquette
Not everyone can participate in a wedding party. If you have never been a groomsman before, you may have some questions regarding groomsmen’s attire and etiquette.
It is critical to know the proper etiquette when you are a groomsman for an upcoming wedding of a friend or family member.
Do groomsmen pay for their suits?
Generally, the groomsmen will pay for their suits for the upcoming wedding. This cost can be the nominal price of a suit rental or purchasing the entire outfit beforehand.
The type of groomsmen attire that the wedding requires can also determine if it will be a rental or purchase. For example, some men will not want to purchase a full tuxedo each time a friend gets married and will rent it instead.
Do groomsmen have to match?
Traditionally, the groomsmen will match one another in the wedding, including the best man, but that is not a hard rule. As a result, many wedding parties will have mismatched suits, but they will still fall within a style and theme.
Not all groomsmen will have the same body shape making choosing an identical outfit for everyone challenging. Also, by matching colors and accessories rather than similar cuts, many guests may not notice how different the outfits are by glancing.
There are also occasions where each groomsman will be wearing an identical suit and tie style but of alternating colors. This eclectic style can be a fantastic way to show personality in a wedding photo.
The father of the bride and groom may want to match as well, but they can vary slightly from the groomsmen.
Do the groomsmen match the groom?
Typically, the groomsmen should match the groom in his sense of style. Often, the men in the wedding party will wear identical black suits and ties, but that does not always have to be the case.
On some occasions, the groom will stand out among the groomsmen with an alternative color, like light grey. This deviation is relatively standard and can look smashing in group wedding photos.
When should groomsmen order their outfits?
The answer to this question can have various timelines depending on the style and formality of the groom and groomsmen’s outfits. For example, some formal suits or tailor-made outfits will require four to six months’ advance notice for ordering before the big day.
Other more common casual groomsmen attire should be acceptable to order six weeks before the wedding to ensure proper fit and give the groomsmen plenty of time to be ready.
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