Selecting
Men's Formalwear
For The Wedding
by
Rose Smith, Copyright 2004
Have
you ever noticed that weddings seem to be all about the bride? There's
information available for the wedding dress, shoes, makeup and accessories.
But...what about the groom and his ushers? After all, they need to
wear something to the wedding too!
So, what
should the groom (and his attendants) be wearing to a wedding? In
most cases, it depends on the time of day that the wedding is to take
place. If the wedding is to be a very formal evening affair, a tuxedo
is required. For a morning or afternoon wedding, the attire of the
men will depend more upon a combination of preferance and the type
of wedding theme you've chosen.
For example,
the groom should not be showing up in a formal black tuxedo for a
wedding on the beach. A lightweight and lighter color suit would be
more appropriate. If you're planning a very casual wedding, then lightweight
dress pants, shirt, tie (optional) and blazer would be appropriate
as well.
The groom,
father-of-the-bride, and groomsmen should all visit a professional
formalwear shop for guidance and information on the type of attire
that is available. Most men don't realize just how many decisions
go into choosing a wedding suit or tuxedo. You'll need to choose from
single-breasted and double-breasted jackets; collars that are peaked,
notched or shawl; cummerbund or vest; bow tie, ascot (these are double-knot
ties with ends folded over) or a casual tie.
Also,
it's very important that everything coordinates with the attire of
the bride and bridesmaids, so make sure you know exactly what they
will be wearing and the colors chosen. (Take a fabric sample or a
picture of the dresses).
Unless
you plan on attending a lot of formal occassions after the marriage,
most men are better off renting their formalwear as opposed to buying
it. There are a lot of men's stores that carry large selections of
wedding attire and they will do alterations on rented suits. However,
before you rent anything, make sure you know what comes with the package.
Do you need to buy the cummerbund and/or vest? Are the shoes included?
What about the tie and shirt? Make sure you get a written receipt
that states what is and is not included in the rental.
The groom
and other gentlemen should be measured for their suits approximately
three months before the wedding. For any groomsmen who live out of
town, they can go to a local shop for measurements, then send the
information to the groom so he can set up the rental. Please make
sure your ushers understand that they are not to make their own rental
arrangements in another city. You will have no way of knowing if they
actually picked the correct suit, color, or accessories until they
show up for the wedding, at which point you will have one very unhappy
bride - not a good thing!
The groom
should look after all the rental arrangements at one store only. Any
groomsmen coming from out of town should arrive at least 2 to 3 days
before the wedding for final measurements in case there needs to be
last minute alterations done.
Most
rentals can be picked up a day or two in advance. Check the suits/tuxedos
over carefully before leaving the store with them. Look for any stains,
rips, snags or possible cigarette burns. Everyone should try their
suit on to be sure it fits properly and the length of the pants and
jacket sleeves are correct. Be sure to wear the shoes you will be
wearing at the wedding for this. Check the cuffs and collar for frayed
material, and make the jackets don't have any buttons missing.
After
the wedding, the bestman usually returns his own and the groom's suit
to the formalwear shop by the next business day. The groomsmen are
responsible for returning their own suits, also within the next business
day to avoid late charges. Small food or beverage stains can usually
be removed easily enough, however if a suit is heavily damaged, be
prepared to pay for it. So fellows, be careful during the wedding!
Rose
Smith is the owner of Wedding Themes and More, a website designed
to help you discover your perfect wedding theme. Find more great ideas,
resources and articles regarding wedding tips for the bride and groom,
visit
http://www.wedthemes.com/bride-groom-tips.shtml
(This
article is from an outside source that is not affiliated with Theblufish.com
and is provide as a service from Theblufish.com. We like to notify
our guests that though we find much of the information helpful, we
do not constitute an endorsement of any outside sources, their views,
or any material or activity that may take place on their website.
The Blufish, Inc. assumes no repsonsibility for any actions, services
or material provided by these companies.)
