Wedding suits for male guests

When men get invited to a wedding they don’t tend to get quite as excited about shopping for a new outfit as women do, but getting their wedding outfit right is still important. Here are three things to think about when deciding on wedding suits for male guests:

Here are three tips on choosing the perfect wedding suit:

How formal will the wedding be?

Deciding on wedding suits for male guests becomes easier once you know how formal the wedding is going to be. You could ask the groom or a male member of the wedding party what they are wearing. The golden rule is that you should aim to dress one step down in formality from the wedding party, so if they are wearing dark suits, you can get away with wearing linen, if they are sporting white wedding tie, you can wear black tie, if they are wearing black tie, you can wear a dark suit.

Alternatively you can ascertain the formality of the wedding from the style of the invitation, even if it doesn’t incorporate a dress code. You can also look for further information about the wedding venue, as this will give you an idea of how much the couple have invested in their big day. No matter how casual the venue might be, it’s never appropriate to turn up in jeans or trainers.

What season and time is the wedding?

Daytime weddings during the spring and summer months are usually a good opportunity to wear a dark blazer with light coloured dress pants, or a linen or twill suit. A wool suit in darker colours can be worn during the day in the winter months.

Evening weddings usually require a bit more formality. You can wear a tuxedo to a wedding that starts after 5pm, and this is particularly appropriate for an evening winter wedding. A navy or grey cotton suit with a light coloured shirt would be best for a summer evening wedding. Even in midsummer, a white suit is definitely not a good choice for an evening wedding.

If the wedding invitation doesn’t provide you with any clues about the style of suit that would be appropriate, consider the time of day the wedding starts and the time of year that it will be held.

What does the invitation say?

Many couples will include a dress code on their invitation and this should give you some inkling about the type of men’s suit that would be acceptable. For example, let’s consider black tie related dress codes. If the invite states ‘black tie optional’ you can wear literally anything you like, and a navy, grey, or even a linen suit for a daytime wedding, won’t look inappropriate. If it says ‘black tie preferred, it will be absolutely fine to wear a charcoal or black suit, and chances are you won’t be on your own. If the invite states ‘black tie only’ then you have to wear a tuxedo, and if you decide not to, you may well be the only one.