Bridal Club Magazine

The Groom: Choosing a Jacket Style

The groom should select his formal wear based on the formality of the wedding. For a semi-formal or formal wedding, the groom will need a tuxedo. A tuxedo is the formal jacket worn by men on special or formal occasions. The most popular colors are black, white, and gray. Options: Use the following guidelines to select customary attire for the groom:

Things to Consider: In selecting your formal wear, keep in mind the formality of your wedding, the time of day, and the bride's gown. Consider darker colors for a fall or winter wedding and lighter colors for a spring or summer wedding. When selecting a place to rent your tuxedo, check the reputation of the shop. Make sure they have a wide variety of makes and styles to choose from. Reserve tuxedos for yourself and your ushers several weeks before the wedding to insure a wide selection and to allow enough time for alterations. Plan to pick up the tuxedos a few days before the wedding to allow time for last minute alterations in case they don't fit properly. Out-of-town men in your wedding party can be sized at any tuxedo shop. They can send their measurements to you or directly to the shop where you are going to rent your tuxedos. Ask about the store's return policy and be sure you delegate to the appropriate person (usually your best man) the responsibility of returning all tuxedos within he time alotted. Ushers customarily pay for their own tuxedos.

Informal wedding: Business suit, White dress shirt and tie

Semi-formal daytime: Formal suit, White dress shirt, Cummerbund or vest
Four-in-hand or bow tie

Formal daytime: Cutaway or stroller jacket, Waistcoat, Striped trousers
White wing-collared shirt, Striped tie, Studs and cufflinks

Formal evening: Black dinner jacket, Matching trousers, Waistcoat
White tuxedo shirt, Bow tie, Cufflinks
Cummerbund or vest

Very formal daytime: Cutaway coat, Wing-collared shirt, Ascot,
Striped trousers, Cufflinks, Gloves

Very formal evening: Black tailcoat, Matching striped trousers
White wing-collared shirt, Waistcoat
Patent leather shoes, Studs and cufflinks, Gloves

Choosing a Jacket Style

Before your wedding day can be complete, there is one last accessory that you need to consider, your groom! it is important that your groom complements your look in both style and formality. just like you, your groom has many options when it comes to putting together his wedding day look.

Regardless of your groom's decision to rent or purchase his tuxedo, make sure he keeps the formality of your wedding in mind. He will look his best if he is dressed appropriately for the occasion. You can give your groom swatches from your dress and the bridesmaid's dresses that he can show the salesperson at the tuxedo shop. This will allow him to select a tux that complements both you and your attendants.

If your groom is renting his tuxedo, he should do so approximately three months before the wedding. Also, he and his groomsmen should all rent from the same store to ensure a coordinated look. Your groom should pick up his tux the day before the wedding. he should try everything on, including the shoes he is going to wear, to make sure everything fits.

Tailcoat

The tailcoat is a very formal jacket that can either be single or double-breasted, with two or six buttons, respectively. The front of the jacket is short and the back features two long tails. A tailcoat can come in either black or white, and is best suited for elegant evening weddings. This coat is traditionally worn with a vest and bow tie, and can be further dressed up with gloves and a top hat.

Cutaway Jacket

The cutaway is a formal daytime jacket that is short in the front and tapers to one long tail in the back. This coat comes in black or dark grey, and is traditionally paired with matching trousers.

Tuxedo Jacket

There are many options with the tuxedo jacket. It can be single or double-breasted with anywhere from one to six buttons. There are also three different lapel styles to choose from. The peaked lapel forms a "V" at the collar and points upward. The notched lapel has an indentation at the collar in the shape of a triangle. The shawl lapel has no indentation and smoothly curves around the neck.

Dinner Jacket

This white or ivory jacket resembles a tuxedo jacket, and is best suited for warmer weather weddings. A dinner jacket can accommodate both formal and semi-formal evening weddings, and is one way your groom can set himself apart from his groomsmen.

Mandarin

This modern jacket has no lapel, a stand-up collar, and six buttons extending from the neck down to the waist. The mandarin jacket is worn with a mandarin-collared shirt, and does not require any type of tie.

Long Coat

The long jacket is a variation of the tuxedo jacket that extends down beyond the man's fingertips. since this coast has more length than the other styles, it is best worn by tall, broad-shouldered men. the long jacket is best suited for weddings held in colder weather.

Under-Jacket Wear

Your groom has several choices when it comes to what he puts on under his jacket. Though this piece of apparel can vary based on the formality and style of the wedding, your groom should choose what he is most comfortable wearing while still complimenting the rest of the wedding party.