Men's Style Tips for Summer Weddings 2013

Stylish Summer Wedding Ensembles for Every Man's Style

The 2013 wedding season has arrived. Whether you’re getting married yourself or are simply attending a friend’s wedding, you may want to start thinking about what to wear for the event. Finding the perfect outfit, however,  is easier said than done, especially for those who find themselves getting stuck in a routine and wearing the same wedding clothes they’ve worn for years.

The goal with putting together a standout wedding ensemble is to choose elements that are unique, yet still fit into the traditional mold of wedding attire. Fortunately, there are plenty of different options that you can take advantage of when trying to build an effective ensemble, and, what is even better, you don’t have to have deep pocket books to put together an outfit that will help you stand out from the crowd. The more you can do to switch things up, the better your chances of truly making a stylish impression this wedding season.

The following are tips for grooms, groomsmen, and guests to shake things up this summer with a new approach to wedding attire.

Grooms

Photo Credit: Smitten Photography

Needless to say, your wedding day is one of the most important events of your life. So why would you ever want to settle for a cookie cutter look? For us, a poorly fitted rental tux comes to mind here. Rental tuxes are not cheap (expect to pay $100-$200 for the weekend). So why not spend a bit more and have a clothing piece that does not only look better, but can also be worn time and time again? This means that instead of a tux, you may want to consider a suit. It is a piece that is more versatile, but can be (if picked correctly) just as sophisticated and elegant. A charcoal gray, 3-piece suit, for instance, might be the perfect choice here.

While dark colored suits are without doubt elegant choices, keep in mind that summer is all about keeping things light and airy, which is one reason why you might want to consider material above all. Cotton is extremely light, and is the perfect material for a summer wedding ensemble. A seersucker suit, for example, can be perfect for keeping you cool on one of the most nerve-wracking days of your life. The lighter the material, the more comfortable you’re going to be.

Groomsmen
If you are in the midst of wedding planning, then sooner or later it is time to start thinking about dressed the men in your wedding party. While this is certainly easy, compared to shopping for bridesmaids dresses, there are still some factors than can make this a much trickier task than you may expect.

First, think about your guys' budget. Do you really want to burden everyone with having to purchase a full tuxedo that most of them will probably never wear again? Should you have a formal wedding, then a black suit might be a good alternative. Most men already own a suit like this, and for those who don't, it is a good wardrobe investment that will come in handy time and time again.

Second, think about body types. Chances are that not everyone if your wedding party has the same built. Heavy set groomsmen, for instance, would look odd in a fitted suit or skinny tie, just as would shorter men dressed in a double breasted jacket.

Last but not least, think about color. Most wedding parties that we work with want to coordinate the groomsmen's outfits to the bridesmaids dresses. While suits and shirts stay in classic colors, it is the neckwear that literally ties the ensemble to the color theme of the bridesmaids dresses. To make this process of color matching easier, we at Bows-N-Ties have sorted our entire collection to complement all popular wedding hues (see our Wedding Ties page for details). Other good accessories to color coordinate the men's and women's outfits (besides the ties), are pocket squares, boutonnieres, and colored socks.

Attendees
For the most part, summer weddings tend to make use of the outdoors. As a result, they’re usually slightly more casual in nature. This is good news for wedding attendees, as it allows you to experiment with a variety of different options when putting together an ensemble.

If you’re going to a casual outdoor wedding, there’s no better option than a khaki cotton suit. Clean, sophisticated and breathable, this suit will allow to stay comfortable while still striving for excellence. Semi-formal weddings call for a bit of a different type of ensemble, which comes mostly down to color. A dark blue 3-piece suit made from cotton, for example, piece can help you to remain respectful to the dress code without having to wear heavy, uncomfortable materials. Avoid formal wedding ensembles unless absolutely necessary (e.g. the invitation calls for Black Tie), as you’ll likely find yourself in a heavy, uncomfortable tux.

Your Bows-N-Ties.com Team