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5 Steps to Determining the Formality of your Wedding

What grooms should wear, according to the formality of their wedding
Deciding what to wear on one of the most important days of your life is sometimes a daunting task. The purpose of this article is to get you started!

Follow the 5 easy steps below to determine whether you should be dressed to the nines in traditional formal wear, or if you can get away with a slightly more casual look. You can also follow this link for more general information regarding classic men’s suits.

Deciding what to wear on the the biggest day of your life, can be an extremely daunting task – especially for those men that are not confident in their “styling” skills. Luckily, the task at hand isn’t as intimidating as it first appears. All you have to do (or ask your stylishly challenged fiance to do) is follow the five steps below to begin narrowing down the wedding attire choices to the one that fits your particular event.

Before we get started, let’s clearly define the options available. Formal dress is “full dress”, including top hat,
ascot, tails, etc. When you hear the term ‘formal dress’, think old school formal (as pictured). This probably isn’t the option most men would choose, since formal dress is rarely used in the United States anymore. Next, we have semi-formal. Semi-formal is what most of us consider formal today. This includes the classic tuxedo, bow tie, patent leather oxfords, etc. Finally, you may choose an informal look for your wedding. The ‘informal’ category encompasses all other options available to you, including donning a classic suit, Hawaiian shirt and linen pants, or slacks with a classic dress shirt; the possibilities are endless!

Before we get started, let’s clearly define the options available. Formal dress is “full dress”, including top hate, ascot, tails, etc. When you hear the term ‘formal dress’, think old school formal (as pictured). This probably isn’t the option most men would choose, since formal dress is rarely used in the United States anymore. Next, we have semi-formal. Semi-formal is what most of us consider formal today. This includes the classic tuxedo, bow tie, patent leather oxfords, etc. Finally, you may choose an informal look for your wedding. The ‘informal’ category encompasses all other options available to you, including donning a classic suit, Hawaiian shirt and linen pants, or slacks with a classic dress shirt; the possibilities are endless!

To decide which of the three looks would be best for you and your event, ask yourself these questions:

1. Where is the wedding going to take place?
Generally, outdoor weddings tend to be less formal than indoor weddings. If you are planning an outdoor wedding, you probably do not want to opt for formal or semi-formal dress. Instead, go a little more casual. If you are getting married on the beach, a linen shirt and pants would work great! You can also consider wearing slacks with a traditional dress shirt, sans tie. This way, you are still keeping the mood of your ceremony casual, but look the part of the groom.

If you are planning an indoor wedding, particularly at a gothic or ornate church/building, you may consider formal or semi-formal dress. If you tend to be up-to-date on current fashion trends, and consider yourself a “fashionable” kind of guy, formal dress may be an option for you. But, if you are more of a classical man, you may want to opt for semi-formal dress. A tuxedo will never go out of style (it hasn’t yet in over a hundred years!), so you can’t go wrong.

2. When is the wedding taking place?
Traditionally, if your wedding is taking place before sun down (or 6 p.m., whichever comes first) it is considered a daytime event, and therefore less formal; tuxedos are probably inappropriate for a daytime event. Instead, opt for a more casual option like a suit. When you wear a black suit that fits well, the appearance can be as stunning as a tuxedo, while remaining appropriate for the event. Weddings after sundown (or 6 p.m.) are considered more formal, nighttime events and are more conducive to tuxedos.

If your event straddles the day/evening timeframes, go with the option that suits your event most closely. For example, if your ceremony is being held at 1 p.m., but your reception will not be until the evening, you may want to opt for the slightly more casual suit. However, if your ceremony is being held at 4 p.m. with the dinner and reception immediately following, you may be able to bend the rules and wear a tuxedo. Go with your gut!

Courtesy of ATailoredSuit.com
3. What is the general “feel” of the event?
Talk to your bride about this one! Ask her to share her vision for the event. Has she always wanted a romantic, fairytale wedding complete with top hats and tuxedos? Or is she dreaming of a casual ceremony at sunset on your favorite beach? Depending on her ideas and the theme of the event, you may be able to determine which style is best suited.

You should also ask yourself if you are you going for a trendy look, or would you rather keep your look classic? Think about it – brides from the 80s are probably kicking themselves every time they look at their wedding albums and see the sky high, teased bangs and puffy sleeves (no offense brides of the 80s!). Just be sure to be mindful of being too trendy. The nature of fads is that they fade in and out. You don’t want to be left with “trendy” wedding photos long after the fad has faded.

4. What are you expecting your guests to wear?
Again, this is probably a great topic to discuss with your bride. Let’s say one of your close friends showed up wearing slacks and a dress shirt (sans tie). Would your first thought be ‘Wow, I’m glad he’s comfortable!’ or would you think ‘how inappropriate for my wedding!’? Be sure to consider your bride’s feelings. Some brides are comfortable with their guests wearing clothes that they feel comfortable in, while other brides require their guests to attend in accordance with black tie dress code.

Whatever you decide, be sure that what you’re wearing coincides with the formality that you’d like your guests to adhere to. Communication is key!

5. What is your bride going to wear?
Even if you are a traditional couple and the groom will not know what the bride’s dress looks like until the wedding day, having an idea of the style and formality will help the groom to decide what he should look like.

Is your bride going to wear a short, cocktail length dress? Or will she be wearing a traditional gown with a train and veil? Knowing these details will help to determine the level of formality required by the groom. Think about it – if you opt to wear a linen shirt and pants while your bride is wearing a gown with chapel train and veil, you may look a little odd – to say the least.