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all, you don’t want to be wearing a pained expression in the photographs.
There’s a wide choice available so look around, take your time to try clothes on and don’t agree to something just to please other people.
The test is to look in the mirror and like what you see.
So we asked to bespoke suit and wedding expert Adam King from King and Allen a few questions to really get the lowdown on what the men should be wearing on the big day.
What should a groom look for when he's looking for a suit?
Choosing a Wedding suit can be quite complex so expert advice should be sought. To make it harder there are subtleties of colour and design that are affected by certain specifics of the individual wedding, from the location and time of year to his body shape and skin colour. You need sound impartial advice from an expert, so avoid high street retailers who will try and push whatever is on their shelves. The way to solve this is buy going bespoke. However if you're going off the peg you need to find someone who offers a broad range of cloths and styles and serious expertise in wedding attire.
Should the bride be involved or should it be the Grooms choice?
This mainly depends on how much of the wedding you have organised already. Choosing a wedding suit is all about style and colour.
If you've decided on your venue and overall theme (modern, traditional, church, country house etc) then he should be fine to choose his style.
As long as the wedding palate is set in stone, and favours, flowers, cakes and most importantly bridesmaids dresses have been chosen, then he's unlikely to get the colouring wrong. I would advise sending him along with a cutting of the bridesmaids dresses. Don't expect to match the colours but to compliment them.
If in doubt - join him. He'll probably be grateful for you removing the responsibility from his shoulders.
What colour should a groom go for?
Cream should be the secondary colour for a traditional wedding, silver should be the secondary colour (the inside lining of the jacket and the back of the waistcoat) if you're going for a more modern look. The dominant suit colours (ie of the suit itself) are navy blue or mid grey. They are both extremely fashionable at the moment for weddings as they suit most complexions and are a far cry from the dark charcoals or pinstripes that smack of office drudgery.
What are the traditional wedding suits and are there any new suit trends?
Traditional formalwear is ideal for a wedding in a large country house with a large guest list, or a traditional church 'white wedding'. The smartest of all is a Morning Coat, which is black with striped trousers and a patterned waistcoat. A warmer and less formal option is the Morning Suit, which is 'Ascot Grey' - a lovely mid grey which is both stylish and modern.
If the wedding is beginning after 5 (or dusk - whichever comes sooner) Morning dress is not appropriate. The evening equivalent is black tie.
I have noticed, however, that fewer clients are going down the formal route next year. Instead they are opting for a more relaxed, modern event and their suits are reflecting this. Fitted, 1 or 2 button lounge suits (often without ties) are de rigueur, with a little flourish of fun such as coloured stitching on the boutonniere (button-hole) or cuff button.
How should the best man / ushers dress?
Ideally the best man and ushers should be in the same suit as the groom. This is very hard to achieve, however, unless you go bespoke, since different body shapes suit different cuts, and it's very hard to find one suit that fits all.
If you want the groom to stand out, why not put him in a patterned tie, whilst the others wear a plain tie in the same colour? You could do the same with waistcoats, or the buttonhole flowers - it's these subtle differences which balance so well with the uniformity of the suits.
Do not let the ushers wear whatever their own suits without your approval. Inevitably one of them (at least) will end up wearing a badly fitting or ridiculous colour suit that will stand out in all the photos. You have been warned.
What do they do?
Ushers help the wedding run smoothly by directing guests, dealing with any small issues that crop up, and generally helping out in any way they can.
Ushers should stand outside the venue and greet guests on arrival.
If there is a written order of service at the ceremony, the ushers will hand these out as the guests arrive.
Ushers usually ask “bride or groom”, and direct guests to seats on the left or right side of the venue according to tradition - bride’s family and friends on the left, and groom’s on the right.
If there is an imbalance in the seating and large areas are empty, ushers should use their discretion in directing people to the gaps.
Good ushers make sure the front rows are reserved for the bridal party and close family.
At least one usher remains at the back during the ceremony and directs late guests to any available seats.
Ushers should know where the lavatories are, both at the ceremony venue and the reception, to direct people as required.
If the ceremony and the reception are in different locations, the ushers should be able to give guests directions as required.
Some guests will turn up to the reception bearing gifts or cards. The ushers should be responsible for collecting these and keeping them somewhere safe.
Ushers can be a huge help in directing people for any formal photos - if you plan in advance with the photographer then whilst one group of people is being photographed (e.g. the bride and her family), the ushers can be gathering together the next group (e.g. the groom and his family).
The ushers should have a list of local taxi firms to hand, and help to arrange taxis at the end of the evening.
Of course, you need to make sure your ushers know all of this and are properly prepared! On the day, it’s a good idea to have your best man “manage” the ushers, so you can concentrate on the important business of getting married.
Groom to menswear
These days the groom’s outfit doesn’t have to mean an ill-fitting suit. There are plenty to options to suit your personality
It may be called the bride’s big day, but it’s yours too, and it’s likely to be a long day. It’s important that you feel comfortable as well as smart in your wedding outfit. After
