With the onset of May comes the new wedding season.
Call me an old romantic, but I do love a good wedding celebration.
The question always arises with what to wear for these affairs. In my honest opinion there are a few main things to consider:
- The wedding venue itself: indoor, outdoor, temperature, humidity, etc.
- How formal the wedding is going to be (don’t be afraid to ask the bride or groom for guidance)
- The time of day
- How close you are to the wedding party
- What is your better half is wearing
- And most importantly, something you can pull off some stellar dance move(s) in!
This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to be part of a wedding party for a good friend. Thus the “main” event was not up for debate, however see my selections below for the rehearsal. Please feel free to comment for any advice from one of the BU team or myself may be able to address! Or even offer up your own advice / recommendations.
The Wedding Rehearsal – Ensemble
The rehearsal itself was being held on a Friday afternoon, in a catholic church. It was going to be a warm day, and I knew that we would be going long into the night for the after dinner party with family and friends. Lastly, we were in rural PA, and further knew that most of the wedding party were not overly formal dressers.
With these points in mind I put together the following ensemble. It incorporated vibrant colors in the shirt and pocket square, paired with the muted linen sports coat to tie the look together. As always I like to add something a little different, this time with a seahorse lapel pin I picked up on Brick Lane during my recent travels to London.
You can see more of the details below…
Sunglasses by Zenni Optical. Pocket Square by Declan; it’s a must innovation for me in the summer being both a pocket square and microfiber cleaning cloth for my glasses and phone if needed.
The sunlight really brought out the fine “wave” face detail of the Omega Seamaster. The blue face really popped well against the bright pink shirt.
To be most comfortable these days I try to wear suspenders as often as I can (one day I shall get most, if not all my trousers custom made, with the correct rise to the waist and suspender buttons. But that’s for another conversation!). Pink box cloth braces by Benson & Clegg, with their traditional black leather ends and brass fittings.
The Wedding – Groomsman Ensemble
The groom was actually gracious enough to invite me to assist him to pick out the grooms and groomsman ensembles. Due to the wedding parties geographic separation, the best option was to rent from one of the “big two” menswear stores.
Overall the fit was fair (especially for me, however some of the other guys were a little unadvised), but in other places the experience was comical. For instance, the pre-tied tie! Ultimately, all that matters is that overall they fit well, everyone looked the same, and the bride and groom had a great time. And I’m glad to report that all three happened.
If money, time, and travel were no issue I would go full custom, to really pick the details and have stellar fit. Although some may not appreciate such sentiment, I believe it’s a very special day for all in the wedding party, and every man should have a great tuxedo in the rotation. So it’s a nice gift / memento of the day.
Taking it one step further, I would even suggest going with the bespoke option (at least for the groom) from the likes of Benson & Clegg. One cannot put a value on working with a heritage brand like this with it’s history, and superior craftsmanship.
With all that being said, I hope you enjoy this wedding season. Cheers!
About the Author: Paul Anthony
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