The most important rule in selecting the men’s wedding attire is that it should complement and not distract from the bride. Once she has selected how formal her dress and her bridesmaids’ attire will be, you can decide on the gentlemen’s attire. The selection should be completed three to six month’s ahead of time.

Formal wear has evolved in the last few years to include a wide variety of styles and colors.  Black tie is evening wear and includes tuxedos and dinner jackets.  Black tie does not mean that the tie has to be black however whatever color the tie is, when wearing a cummerbund it has to match. When wearing a double breasted jacket never wear a cummerbund.   Tuxedos are standard length coats with one to four buttons or more. Traditionally black or white, colors have become popular including light and dark grey, navy, red, mint, powder blue, yellow and burgundy. Dinner jackets are light colored coats with dark pants. Traditionally dinner jackets are black pants with a white coat however they have expanded to include any light colored jackets with dark pants.

A “morning coat” is daytime formal attire consisting of a black or grey coat with matching grey or black pants, a light gray or pearl gray vest, a grey in black four-in-hand tie or ascot tie. The coat may be a cutaway or a stroller without tails.

If you are having guests from our-of-town who will need to be fitted, they should visit their local men’s store for measurement. This is generally a complimentary service. They should make sure the measurements are exact.

When making your decision on your formalwear, it is important to remember to shop around to find the store that matches your wedding plans since every store has a different flavor in fashion and expertise. 

Everyone has different tastes in clothes as well as formal wear. There is your basic black with over 100 designers to choose from. Achieving looks form conservative to the most high end of fashion. Tuxedo coats come in one, tow, three and four button models. Even up to seven buttons. Different coat lengths from normal to mid-length to knee length. Colors are also being shown this year. Light and dark grey, navy, red, mint, powder blue, yellow and burgundy. your next decision will involve vests and ties. Do you want to use a neutral color or match the bridesmaids gowns? Fathers and ringbearers are something else to consider. If you are using a color vest they should wear something neutral or match the color of the brides dress.

Formal shoes are a very nice addition. They now come in the square toe style.

Start visiting your tuxedo shops three to six months before your wedding. And remember, even if a few things go wrong, at the end of your wedding day you and the love of your life will be husband and wife.