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Wedding Wear Style Guide

Men's Wedding Wear Style Guide

The Home of the New Standard of Modern Tailoring

Men's Wedding Wear Style Guide

Weddings are a celebration of love, and here at Zebel, we think your attire should reflect the joyous, sophisticated, and fun nature of the event.

This guide will navigate you through the do’s and don’ts of men’s wedding wear, ensuring you look your best (we’ll see to that), whether you’re the groom, a groomsman, or a guest.

Understanding the Dress Code

Before diving into specific styles, it’s crucial to understand the dress code indicated on the invitation.

This can change the way we look to help style you and can dissuade from certain styles and stylings that we’d offer you:

  • White Tie: The most formal. Requires a black tailcoat, matching trousers, a white waistcoat, a white bow tie, and black patent leather shoes.
  • Black Tie: Formal. Typically a black tuxedo, black bow tie, white dress shirt, and black patent leather shoes.
  • Daywear: Formal.  Usually either a formal suit and tie, or occasionally a set of morning tails, striped trousers and a waistcoat.
  • Black Tie Optional/Formal: Suggests a tuxedo, but a dark suit is also acceptable.
  • Cocktail Attire: A suit and tie are expected. Offers more flexibility with colours and patterns.
  • Semi-Formal/Dressy Casual: A suit or sport coat with dress pants. A tie is optional.
  • Casual: Often implies an outdoor or less traditional wedding. However, avoid jeans, shorts, and t-shirts. Opt for dress pants or chinos with a button-down shirt.

Suits and Jackets

We offer an extraordinary range of suit and jacket styles and fits, but these are what we would recommend to a customer looking for weddingwear with no specific aesthetic style going into a made-to-measure consultation.

To see our other Made-to-Measure styles, click here.

  1. Suit Styles:
    • Single-Breasted: The most common and versatile style. Features one to three buttons and is suitable for most body types.
    • Double-Breasted: More formal and structured. Features two columns of buttons and is best suited for taller and slimmer builds.
    • Tailcoat: Less regularly chosen for weddingwear in 2024 but still a viable option, structured similarly to a traditional single breasted suit but with the addition of a train or tail that drops below the waist.
    • Three-Piece Suit: Adds a waistcoat (vest) for extra formality and visual interest.
  2. Jacket Styles:
    • Notch Lapel: The most common and versatile lapel style.
    • Peak Lapel: More formal and stylish, often seen on double-breasted jackets and tuxedos.
    • Shawl Lapel: A rounded lapel, typically found on tuxedos.

Suit Colours

Your suit’s colour should always be appropriate to the wedding aesthetic and dress code; there is quite a lot of leniency here, and Zebel has literally thousands of individual cloths in every colour imaginable, so we’ve got you covered whatever you’re looking for, but here’s a guide on what you should go for if you’re stuck for a palette.

  • Black: The most formal and classic choice, especially for black-tie events.
  • Navy: A versatile and flattering option for various dress codes.
  • Charcoal Gray: A sophisticated and timeless choice, suitable for formal and semi-formal weddings.
  • Light Gray/Blue: Suitable for daytime or less formal weddings, especially in warmer months.
  • Green: The Colour of the Season; versatile and eye-catching.
  • Anything you like: It’s important to be comfortable when you’re dressed up.  Most colours will work in most scenarios as long as you’re happy, comfortable and sharply dressed.
  • Dress Appropriately:  Use your judgement!  Once you get the gist of the event, e.g. Black-tie, garden party, summer wedding, destination wedding, you can dress in colours that suit the theme; for example; turning upt to a summer wedding in Greece wearing a black suit is probably best avoided, simply because Black absorbs heat… you get the picture.

Shirts

As important as the suit itself, the shirt is the first layer of your outfit and could end up being the last piece you’re wearing, once the jacket is on the back of your chair and you’re heading for the dancefloor. 

To ensure perfect fit and co-ordination with the rest of your outfit, we’d always recommend having a shirt made in one of the following colours, if not for your wedding, for general use.

  • White: The most classic and versatile choice, especially for formal events.
  • Light Blue: A good alternative to white, offering a subtle touch of colour.
  • Pink: A bolder alternative to white, and not necessarily a colour that goes with everything, but with the right suit, this can really pop.
  • Patterned Shirts: Can add personality but should be subtle and complement the suit and tie.
  • Pastels: A New trend we’re predicting will soar, pastel shirts provide a pop of vibrant colour which can set off any outfit when styled correctly.  We’ve seen a lot of tonal dressing recently, which is to say, matching the colour of your suit to your shirt, in different shades.

Ties and Accessories

A compliment to any good suit, the ties and accessories you choose to wear on your big day play a pivotal role in bringing the outfit for your special day together.

  • Neckties:
    • Silk: The most common and versatile material.
    • Knit: Offers a more casual texture.
    • Patterned Ties: Add visual interest but should be chosen carefully to avoid clashing with the suit and shirt.
    • Tieless?: They’re not 100% a necessity in some cases.  An outdoor garden party or a relaxed, casual wedding?  Maybe a jacket and trousers with a well ironed, open collar shirt would suffice.
  • Bow Ties:
    • Silk: The classic choice for formal events.
    • Velvet: Adds a touch of luxury.
    • Big vs. Small: We’ve always been a big fan of a big bow; they’re striking, scream luxury, and look cool.  Smaller ones are more understated and easier to pick up pre-tied, for the efficient dresser.
  • Pocket Squares: Add a pop of colour and personality. Coordinate with the tie or other accessories.
  • Cufflinks: Add a touch of elegance, especially with French cuff shirts.  We usually recommend pairing these to any other metallic accessories you’re wearing, or a colour to compliment your tie.
  • Belts: Should match the colour of your shoes.
  • Shoes:
    • Oxfords: The most formal and classic choice.
    • Derby Shoes: A versatile option suitable for various dress codes.
    • Monk Straps: Offer a stylish alternative to traditional lace-ups.
    • Loafers: Suitable for more casual weddings.
  • Watches: A classic timepiece adds a touch of sophistication; just remember, its usually a good idea to co-ordinate all of the metallic pieces of your outfit (Belt buckle, shoes, jewellery).

Groom vs. Groomsmen

The groom should stand out while maintaining a cohesive or contrasting look with the groomsmen. Here are some ways to differentiate the Groom:

  • Different Suit Colour or Fabric: The groom could wear a different colour suit or a higher-quality fabric. We’ve worked with grooms going a shade lighter or darker than their groomsmen, adding a pattern in a similar shade, changing the stitching or lining; we can provide advice on this during the consultation process.
  • Different Tie or Bow Tie: The groom could wear a different colour, pattern, or material tie.
  • Waistcoat: The groom could wear a waistcoat while the groomsmen do not.  Alternatively, you could provide your groomsmen a waistcoat that contrasts with yours.
  • Boutonniere: The groom’s boutonniere could be larger or feature different flowers.
  • Shoes: The groom could wear more formal or unique shoes.  We can craft many different styles of custom shoes, with more information found here.

Do's and Dont's

Do’s:

  • Do ensure your clothes fit well.
  • Do consider the venue and time of year when choosing your attire.
  • Do coordinate with your partner’s and groomsmen’s outfit.
  • Do accessorize thoughtfully.
  • Do polish your shoes.

Don’ts:

  • Don’t wear jeans, shorts, or t-shirts.
  • Don’t wear overly casual shoes like sneakers or sandals.
  • Don’t wear a tie that clashes with your suit and shirt.
  • Don’t forget to remove the basting stitches from your suit.
  • Don’t upstage the groom (unless you are the groom!).
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