Bridal Club Magazine
Top Ten Tips to Hiring Formal Menswear
Before you decide on a menswear hire
company
1. Bride and
groom need to discuss style, theme and look for the menswear.
Chances are the bride already has strong views and ideas concerning
how the men will complement the bridesmaids' outfits and the
wedding decoration. Issues of comfort and climate should be
considered as well as just matching thematically the rest of the
wedding ( a tropical wedding requires different attire than a
formal English winter wedding). The groom, best man and men
involved need to be happy with these choices.
2. Make sure you have a firm knowledge of the colour scheme. Take a
swatch or pantone colour card of any
signature colour you intend to use.
Perhaps the ties or cravats could incorporate this colour.
3. Decide upon a budget. If you're armed with only a vague idea
of what you want then a salesperson could
push you towards more and more expensive options. Set yourself a
realistic budget that matches your spending in other areas.
4. In order to establish your budget, draw up a definitive list
of the number of complete outfits you will need to hire. Have a
look at your wedding guest list for help.
Choosing a menswear hire company
5. Ideally take the advice of friends and family regarding local
suppliers. Nothing beats a word of mouth recommendation.
6. Read reviews and ask for a look round their showroom. Make
sure you are happy with the
quality of their garments and you trust them to not let
you down on the big day. They should appear organised and advice you
on schedules of fitting as well as styles etc. Service should be
professional and friendly.
7. Consider the range of menswear available to hire. Morning
suits (top hat and tails), dinner jackets (aka tuxedos) and lounge
suits are fairly standard, but you may need to go further afield
for highland garb, kilts, or exotic national dress.
8. A good hire company will also hire shoes, cufflinks, cravats,
ties etc. They should be happy to advise you on the available
options. To ensure everyone in the men's party match you should
seriously consider this option. When the photographs show the odd
man out with brown shoes you'll wish you hired the full
ensemble.
Arranging fittings and getting organised
9. Arrange fittings for every suit hired, months before the
wedding day. Make sure that shoes, cufflinks, ties, hats and any
other accessories fit. A week before your wedding get everyone
involved in a dress rehearsal, in case there have been any weight
fluctuations. You can't expect last minute alterations on the day
of your wedding.
Looking after your outfit
10. Keep your suit in its protective garment carrier and hang it
up as soon as you get home. Leave the jacket in its
protective carrier if you have to travel far to the wedding.
Particularly if you are riding in a car - morning suits in
particular tend to crease easily.