Decoding the dress code on the wedding invite, can be a difficult task. Here's our take on your next wedding outfit for that special day.
Wedding Guests
As a general rule, if you’re attending a wedding you’re best to opt for a suit. However, the style and colour of suit you choose will depend on the wedding invite. If you're part of the bridal party, its more likely than not the bride and groom will select the wedding suits for you.
Remember, weddings are special and formal events, its always better to be overdressed, then underdressed.
Black Tie
Make sure to be clean shaven for this wedding. Black tie weddings are formal occassions, and are second only to white tie weddings. A dinner suit with satin trim or lapel is a suitable option. Pair it with a white dinner shirt and bow tie, or a plain white shirt and black neck tie. Add a stylish edge to your formal attire with a silver tie clip. Finally, finish it off with a black belt and sharp black dress shoes. It's likely that the wedding party will wear a similar outfit. Most bridal parties settle for a solid colour dress shirt with a floral or paisley tie for the groomsmen.
White Tie / Full Evening Dress
Despite being the most formal evening dress code, white tie events are quite uncommon. White tie events can be a challenge to dress for, because of their extreme formality. We suggest a black dress jacket with a white or grey waistcoat. Compliment your jacket with a white wing collar shirt and matching white bow tie. A small pattern in your bowtie is a nice idea. Tie it all together with a black patent lace up and matching patent leather belt.
Black Tie Preferred/Optional
Perhaps the most common dress code. The bridal party is likely to wear a dark (black, charcoal or navy) suit with white or ivory shirts, and ties to match the bridesmaids.
If this isn't your big day, get yourself into a nicely tailored suit. Colour isn't a major issue here; black, charcoal and navy suits are all safe options. Feel free to experiment with a bold shirt and tie combination. A pale blue shirt and contrasting tie is always a nice safe combination. Add a white pocket square, matching belt and shoes and your done. If you're not a fan of wearing suits, ditch the jacket and get yourself a well fitting vest instead.
The wedding invite doesn’t specify a dress code.
If the wedding invite doesn't specify a dress code, simply refer to the season.
Autumn/Winter weddings stick to a dark colour wool suit; black, charcoal, brown and navy’s are ideal. In most cases its better to be prepared, so wear a tie (remember you can always take it off later).
Select a light suit colour for Spring/Summer weddings. Light blues, greys or taupes are suitable, and compliment the warmer weather. Summer weddings in particular tend to be the most informal, due to the heat. Often the time, a nice pair of dress pants and linen shirt will suffice. Again a lighter coloured dress pant (grey, blue, taupe or cream) will look nice with an open collared linen shirt (which can be worn either tucked in or out). We even suggest trying a pair of slip on shoes or leather drivers.
Bridal Party
Depending on the type of wedding and season, wedding suits for the groom and his best men will vary.
Despite each bridal party having their own unique style or themes, there are a few common elements. Most bridal parties will follow one of two paths.
The first with the groom wearing the same suit and maybe shirt as his groomsmen. Being the grooms big day, it's always nice to differentiate himself with the accessories. This can be done many different ways, such as the inclusion of a waistcoat for the groom, or selecting a different tie, pocket square, cufflinks. This should be enough to tell the groom apart.
Alternatively the groomsmen will wear matching outfits, including suits, shirts, ties, etc. Whilst the groom can opt for a completely different outfit. In this case, the groomsmen generally match their ties and accessories to match the bridesmaids, whilst the groom will opt for a tie to match his bride's dress.