The Science of Wedding Party Styling

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, so you’ll want to make sure that you look and feel amazing as you say “I Do.” As exciting as the planning phase for this magical moment can be, the options for styling your wedding party can be overwhelming. So whether you want something that makes you stand out on your wedding day or you want a single look for your whole party, we’ve got you covered!

No matter the suit you choose for your wedding, always keep in mind the theme of the event and how formal it will be. Wedding themes may change, but these two factors will likely have the most influence on the suit you’ll wear as a groom. You should also reflect on how much you’d like to stand out from your groomsmen. To keep the guesswork out of the equation, we will delve deeper into the most common styles, with options from traditional to adventurous and from uniform to eye-catching.

Understanding the Mood and Theme of Your Wedding

The suit is one of the most important parts of your wedding because it frames the overall look and sets the tone for the rest of the wedding style. It’s also one of the hardest things to get right, so you need to make sure that it’s comfortable and flattering. This blog will help you find the perfect suit for your big day, whether it’s for a beach wedding or an elaborate black-tie affair.

You will also learn how to choose the right suit based on your body type and what styles are best suited for different circumstances. We’ve also got tips and tricks on finding the perfect fit and choosing the right accessories to complete the look. They may be an afterthought, but they can make or break your entire outfit.

As mentioned, your wedding location will play an important role in choosing your ideal suit. For example, if you’re getting married in a traditional setting, like a church, you’ll want to stick with a more traditional suit style. That means no wild patterns or colours. You’ll also want to keep it simple—no crazy details on the jacket or pants that might distract from the ceremony itself. A plain white shirt will work just fine here!

Traditional or Adventurous?

There are three categories of suit styling for wedding parties: traditional, statement, and adventurous. These spectrums are not about the style of suits; rather, it’s how much the groom’s styling differs from the rest of the party. Think of it as criteria wherein the groom and groomsmen’s outfits are judged based on other wedding elements.

Traditional wedding suits

tend to be more standard in design. It will exude classic vibes, and it’s one of the most common options adopted worldwide. So if you’re looking for something that will feel familiar and comfortable, this is the level for you.

But if you want to add “oomph” and be out of the box, then it’s perfectly okay to throw some flair into your look! This will fall under the statement suit category. This spectrum is all about being bold and confident. It says to everyone around you that you’re going to be having an awesome time today!

Adventurous wedding suits

are flashier. They are typically made out of brighter colours that pop, such as red or white. They also tend to have more unique patterns or designs on them that make them stand out from other wedding suits. Adventurer suits are usually only worn by grooms and groomsmen who want their attire to reflect their personal style and tastes for this special day.

Matching or Eye-catching?

Once you’ve chosen how traditional or adventurous you’d like your suits to be, the next step is to consider how similar you want your outfit to be to your wedding party. Whether you want a simple point of difference in a larger boutonniere or want even strangers to know you as the groom on sight will need to be worked out in order to choose suits and style your wedding party.

Uniform: everyone, the groom and groomsmen, wear the same or very similar suits

Varied: the groom is a step apart from the groomsmen in suit, but still very cohesive

Stand-out: the groom is unmistakable!

Putting It into Practice

One golden rule of wedding parties that we haven’t examined yet is the rule of cohesion. Wedding photos are an opportunity to carefully curate the images by which you’ll remember your special day, so you want to have a well-dressed group that looks like they belong together!

We have broken down the many options across the two spectra discussed above into three groups, based on how difficult it is to achieve a cohesive look for your wedding party. Group 1 is where you will find all the more traditional style suits, simple to style in a pleasing way. Group 2 is the more tricky category, with more elements to consider, and you may wish to consult a stylist for recommendations on how to have these options work for you. Lastly, there are groom suits in Group 3, which are more unusual options that can be very effective but can also go wrong very easily. We strongly recommend consulting a stylist for options in Group 3, to maintain cohesion across your party and ensure you love how everything comes together!

Group 1

The groom and groomsmen wear the same suit colour and style.

100% Match

The groom and groomsmen wear the exact same suit and accessories. The groom’s boutonnière can be different from his groomsmen as a popular point of difference.

Added Piece*

A 3-piece suit can be a great way for the groom to stand out from a party in 2-piece suits, even when the jackets come off. In summer, and for less formal ceremonies, a 2-piece for the groom and shirt and trousers only for the groomsmen is a popular look, especially paired with suspenders.

 Varied Accessories*

This is the most daring out of all the options under Group 1. You can either vary the style of neckwear – tie vs. bow tie – or the colour in order to stand out.

So how do you know which accessories are right for which occasions? It’s simple! Just think about the aesthetic of the wedding event and the colour palette of your outfit, then find something that matches both!

Group 2

In this group, the groom wears a different suit than that of his groomsmen. This is still considered more inherently cohesive than Group 3, but is trickier to style than in Group 1. This group is great for large wedding parties as it saves money on buying the same suits for the whole gang.

Varying Shade*

In a tonal wedding party, the suits are all the same colour but go for varying shades of that colour, so there’s still some contrast between them. You can use gradients of blue or purple if that works with your wedding theme, for example—just make sure it all ties together by keeping the style of the suit the same!

If the groomsmen are wearing ties, make sure they’re all different colours so that they won’t clash with each other (or with the groom). A simple pattern in white or cream would work well here; something like stripes or checks would be too much for this kind of look.

 Varying Piece*

If you’re looking for a way to make your wedding day outfits more unique, consider swapping out one piece of clothing for something different. For example, if the groom is wearing a jacket and trousers, consider swapping out the jacket for a vest for the groomsmen. This can be especially fun if you’re having a more casual wedding—it’s a great way to add some flair without taking away from your overall look.

Varying Lapel*

The groom and groomsmen should wear suits of the same fabric but with varying lapels to create a sense of unity. For example, you can have the groom in a two-point lapel and his groomsmen in peak lapels.

Group 3

Group 3 is the opposite of Group 1. If Group 1 dominates the upper left quadrant, Group 3 dominates the lower-right one. As expected, you will not see any uniformity in this group.

Statement Jacket

The groom wears a statement jacket, with his pants most often matching his groomsmen’s suits.

Odd Vest

An odd vest can be worn by either the groom or the groomsmen. The key is that it doesn’t match the fabric of the suits! It’s just another way to add some interest and flair to the outfit. But if you’d like something extra special—why not try the next subgroup?

Statement Suit

With a completely mismatched suit, you’ll instantly stand out from the crowd! This way, it’s pretty easy to tell the groom and groomsmen apart compared to when they’re all wearing navy or black suits. One of the most striking statement suit options is the Inverse Groom, in which the groom’s suit is the complementary colour from his groomsmen, usually a white/ivory suit with black groomsmen suits.

The most important thing to remember with any suit is that you should always be comfortable. You don’t want to be fidgeting with your clothes and wondering whether they’re too tight or too loose. You also don’t want to be stuck in suits that are so worn out they’re falling apart at the seams!

If you’re not sure what kind of clothing looks good on you or your groomsmen, we suggest trying on different things before you buy them. This way, if something doesn’t fit right, then you know it’s not going to work for your body type. A custom suit will always be a better choice as it’s made specifically for you rather than being a generic copy of someone else’s measurements.

Also, keep in mind that fashion can change over time, but a good suit can last decades. Sometimes, it’s best to choose something timeless and classic over current trends rather than risk looking outdated in your special moment!

Conclusion

There are so many ways & styles of suits to choose from for your wedding day. It all depends on the theme, venue, and colour scheme you’re going for. If you don’t have an idea or would like to speak to a professional, contactBriggins today!

We can help you pick out the perfect outfits for you and your groomsmen. We can also style you in a way that suits your personality and makes you stand out from the crowd. Our store carries a vast range of wedding suits and accessories, including:

• Tailoring suits to fit any body type
• Bespoke suits that are custom-made just for you
• Wedding accessories such as belts, pocket squares, cufflinks, ties, and shoes

To book a consultation for a made-to-measure suit or ready-to-wear suit, call us during our showroom hours on 1300 452 251. You can also email us at info@briggins.com.au for any concerns and questions.