WEDDING Guide
Today’s grooms take their weddings seriously and whilst they wouldn’t want to outshine the bride, they understand the importance of getting the right look to reflect their personality and embrace the style and theme of the happy occasion.
Here at Universal Tailors, we take your wedding as seriously as you do. Being aware of how daunting it can be to make the right choices and create an ensemble befitting the groom, we recommend you take a little time to think about what kind of look you
want to achieve on the day.
There is much to consider when creating an ensemble befitting a groom and with a multitude of cloths, linings and style options, getting the finer details just right can be somewhat daunting. So, it’s advisable to start the process by taking time to think about what kind of look you want to achieve on the day.
If you wish to continue your sartorial journey after the wedding is over, then all time and effort put into learning the finer points of formal wear will pay high dividends. Even if you’re not interested in the topic of how to dress, you won’t regret looking good in your clothes—especially when your wedding photos are displayed on the mantle, the piano, or on the wall for years to come.
Full formal – Strictly white tie (evening tails at night or morning coat during the day)
Semi-Formal – Black tie (tuxedo or smoking jacket) Conventional – Wedding suit (aka lounge suit, single or double-breasted)
FORMAL
The morning coat is worn mostly in the UK and considered a staple of full formal day dress which has been propelled into worldwide popularity by the Royal Ascot horse race meeting, a major event in the British social calendar where press coverage of the attendees and what they are wearing often exceeds coverage of the actual races.
When worn with a grey coat, grey vest, and grey trousers, the morning dress is referred to as “Morning Grey” instead of a morning suit.
Morning dress has been adopted around the world for any formal day event, wedding, and important civic occasion or
ceremony–as well as being deemed appropriate to wear
when arguing in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.
The morning suit is a one-button black cutaway coat (which can be unbuttoned or latched) with tails stopping just behind the knees, and includes a buff or dove gray vest–with a double-breasted vest being particularly elegant. The morning coat is paired with stripped or checked gray-toned trousers.
Accessories that can be include are genuine carnation boutonnière, a white folded pocket square, gloves, black patent leather or highly polished calf skin oxfords. A top hat can ‘top off’ the look, but is optional.
The necktie is usually a solid color but may be a patterned tie made of woven silk in grey, black or silver in houndstooth, shepherd’s check, glen plaid, or a Macclesfield tie.
Very British in flavor, the ensemble is worn with a standard white shirt, with shirt collar edges which are long enough to tuck under the vest.
SEMI FORMAL
The semi-formal tuxedo (aka the dinner suit in the UK), and lately the smoking jacket, are referred to as “black tie”. Worn in the evening after 6 p.m., black tie is likely the most popular choice for evening formal wear at a wedding.
Typically black but also midnight blue (or other colors for smoking jackets), black tie is usually worn with a pleated plissé shirt or dimpled marcella bibbed shirt, and a black silk bow tie. The cummerbund is optional, but when worn, is usually worn with a jacket with a shawl lapel.
The trousers and jacket are of matching colors and the jacket usually has a shawl or peaked lapel.
Have the neck measured for a bow tie and make sure to hand tie the bow, avoiding cheap pre- tied bows. Make sure the width of the bow tie does not extend past the width of your face.
We strongly suggest that the four aspect of tuxedo should be made of either high-quality satin or all silk (preferably grosgrain or barathea silk): the lapels, the bow tie, the cummerbund, and the braids on the trousers.
For jacket pocket design, opt for a jetted besom–also called slit pockets.
If your tuxedo is single-breasted, choose either (1) a peaked lapel, or (2) a shawl collar. However, for a double-breasted tuxedo, stay with a peaked lapel since a double-breasted jacket with a shawl lapel can look like a bathrobe.
If opting for vest, go for single-breasted tuxedo with peaked lapels, and if opting for cummerbunds go with shawl lapel tuxedo, but you’re not obliged to wear a vest or cummerbund unless you want to do so.
Grosgrain is a more forgiving facing for the lapel, bow tie, cummerbund and braids on the trousers, since it has more texture, which results in fewer problems with matching shades of black.
Shoes should be (plain or cap toe) black Oxfords of either patent leather or highly polished calfskin.
Do not wear a belt. No flap pockets. Do not wear cummerbunds or a vest with double-breasted jackets. Avoid notch lapels and do not have more than one working button on your jacket. No wingtips or broguing on your shoes.
A handkerchief in silk, or cotton is usually worn in the breast pocket.
Conventional
Also known as the lounge suit, the wedding suit is a traditional business-appropriate ensemble of a matching jacket and trousers.
The jacket style can be single-breasted with two buttons or a double-breasted 6 on 2 or even 6 on 1.
Lapels should be at least 2.5 inches wide or wider, as super skinny lapels look trendy and cheap. Ties should either be a bow tie or a standard tie, typically tied in a four-in- hand knot.
A three-piece suit can be dashing and can be made more formal by adding a mismatched waistcoat of dove gray or buff beige.
Blue and grey are the perennial choices for the classic lounge suit. If the wedding time is between 4 and 6 o’clock, then darker shades of blue or grey can look good. The wedding suit is the most versatile option for groom clothing as it can be worn again and again throughout the years.
Stay away from patterns like pinstripes and windowpanes, as patterns weaken the seriousness of the occasion. Black suits can be viewed as somber (i.e., for funerals), instead of a celebratory color. If you are set on wearing black, then by all means have an evening wedding and wear a tuxedo.
When it comes to ties, the options are endless, you can go for silk, wool or tweed, opt for a bright hue, a pin stripe or a co-ordinating colour to your shirt, your jacket, or even the bridesmaids.
We love a skinny tie for a cool, modern look.
Add on a Pocket square. They are a really slick and effortless way to add a pop of colour and a stylish finish to your suit. You can choose a pattern to match your tie or a contrasting colour for your handkerchief.