The 5 Steps You Need to Take to Get Your Perfect Wedding Suit
Buckets of cash, fraught groomsmen and endless sartorial decisions: shopping for a wedding suit can be a hassle. You know that your wedding suit is probably the most important outfit that you’ll ever purchase. You want a suit that will not only wow your bride and your guests, but also stand up to the test of time so that you don’t look silly in your wedding pictures in years to come. There’s a lot hanging on it and this makes every decision stressful.
But don’t despair. If you’re set to get married, we’ve got you covered. Here are our five fail-safe steps to nailing your wedding day look.
Step One: Opt to Buy Your Suit
When choosing your wedding day suit, the first thing to consider is whether you want to rent one or buy one. There are many different factors that will affect your decision, but if you’re thinking of renting your suit, you’re probably thinking about saving some pennies. No one can blame you, weddings are expensive — the venue, flowers, food and booze all add up — and renting a suit is technically cheaper than buying one. But before you do, it’s worth doing the maths.
Rented suits don’t always work out as the most economical option. When you rent a suit, you’re essentially borrowing an outfit from a retailer to wear on the big day, which you’ll send back once it’s over. Sounds good, right? But then imagine that you’re in high spirits, you’ve just said the “I dos” and you decide to break out some of your old school dance moves. You’re really getting into it and then, lo and behold, your trousers split or your jacket tears. Now, you’re going to have to dole out the cash to pay for its repair or, if the damage is really bad, you’re going to have to buy a ruined suit. When it comes to renting, the “you break it, you buy it” rule applies. Even if you aren’t much a dancer, damaging the suit is easier than you think. When you’re feeling merry, spilling your wine or champagne is easy to do. Rented suits are also normally poorly fitted, made from cheap fabrics and over-worn, so rips and tears are bound to happen.
When you buy your suit, not only do you get the benefit of making one payment, but your suit is also yours for a lifetime. We’re not mathematicians, but it’s clear that a lifetime of wear versus one-off wear is the savvier choice. The key is to buy a suit you’ll wear time and again. After all, we’ve moved a long way from the days when a wedding suit was a flamboyant affair. Today, purchasing your wedding suit is an investment in a well-made formal outfit — perfect for fancy dinners, renewing your vows or taking your wife out for a special anniversary dinner.
Step Two: Go Tailored for the Best Fit
Your wedding day is special, so go the extra mile and get a well-tailored suit to mark the occasion. You may normally be content to head down to your high street, browse in a shop and purchase a ready-to-wear suit, but your wedding demands something with a bit more care.
Ready-to-wear suits may be convenient, but they’re rarely a good option. Made with general measurements in mind, it’s almost impossible to find one that perfectly fits and accentuates your natural build. The initial ease of buying your suit in one fell swoop quickly falls apart when you find yourself toing and froing between different tailors to take up the seam of the trousers or readjust the shoulders. These trips cost time and money — scarce commodities when planning a wedding.
On the other hand, tailored suits are made for you. Expert tailors are trained to craft your perfect silhouette to give you a taller, slimmer and more muscular frame. The result is a better fit and more comfortable suit to dance the night away in.
If you’re nervous about visiting a tailor, and the thought of getting measured up by a stranger makes you break out in a cold sweat, why not try an affordable online tailor? Online tailors can deliver exquisite hand-made suits for a reasonable price and all you need to do is send your measurements off and wait for your suit to be delivered to your door. It doesn’t get easier than that!
Step Three: Cover Yourself with a Three-piece
There’s not much difference between a two-piece and a three-piece and yet many grooms are stumped by the decision. As a general rule of thumb, a three-piece includes a waistcoat and is suited to more formal affairs, while a two-piece doesn’t have a waistcoat and is more informal.
Even if your wedding is a casual affair, we’d always recommend going for a three-piece. There’s typically not much difference in the price between a two and three-piece, so the waistcoat is effectively a bonus. If you don’t end up wearing it on the big day, you’ve got yourself a full three-piece suit for any formal occasions that may arise in the future, or you can always wear your waistcoat with jeans or chinos to upgrade a casual look to something more smart and sophisticated.
Step Four: Choose Breathable Fabrics
However good it looks on, a suit is only as good as the fabric it’s cut from. Making sure you choose the right fabric is essential for any occasion, but no more so than on your wedding day. Swapping your vows, making a speech, the first dance and, not to mention, last-minute nerves can get even the most cool-headed gent breaking out in a sweat. So do yourself a favour and choose a breathable fabric.
You can’t go wrong with worsted wool. It works well in all temperatures and has a sharp, stylish air. If you’re looking for something a bit more unique, tweed is a great choice. Robust yet elegant, tweed, like worsted wool, is both flexible and breathable and will keep you cool all day long.
Step Five: Get Creative and Add a Flair of Your Personality
Each of the steps on this list will ensure that you find a great suit for your wedding day, but there’s one part of the process that has no hard and fast rules — your own style. Grooms tend to opt for the most generic suit they can find in fear that their personal stylings aren’t up to scratch. But your partner is marrying you for you and they’ll appreciate the touches of personality in your look.
There are plenty of ways to add character to your look: a bold tie, fun socks or special jewellery can all help you showcase who you are. Once you’ve got the perfect base of your outfit, these little extras are totally up to you. So get creative, have fun and enjoy the chance to take centre stage on your wedding day.
Anthony Horner is the director of Empire Outlet: a luxury menswear company that provides high-quality suits and accessories for affordable prices that won’t break the bank. Empire Outlet operates online and serves customers around the world.
