I got married recently and one of the most frustrating parts was finding the right suit. The one I got eventually was far from my initial plan; therefore I wanted to share my experiences, tips and advice for anyone about to go through a similar process.
Tailor Made Vs Off The Shelf
So let’s quickly discuss this, as I know a lot of people have that image of going to a tailors and getting it custom made. I certainly had that image in my head.
But when I went to the tailors, I was shocked to hear the price. I had initially planned on spending £300, while that price was floating up around £500. But when I went to the tailors, he stated prices start at £1,000, but realistically it would be more like £1,300.
That is just for the suit and jacket. We’re not even getting to the added cost of shoes, shirt, tie etc.
If you can fit that into your budget, then you should absolutely go for this experience, but considering how much we were blowing on the wedding, I just couldn’t quantify spending that much on a suit.
Also, even though my suit was ‘off the shelf’, I got it from a decent independent men’s luxury clothing store, where the staff were highly trained and put pins everywhere I needed it to be adjusted, so they could send it off for those changes. The adjustments cost me an extra £125.
Seasonality
Something I wasn’t warned about is how the colours are seasonal. I initially wanted a burgundy suit, so I started looking in October and found some great options. However, my best men needed a cream colour and they didn’t have them anywhere.
I decided to wait 6 months, then when I went looking for the burgundy suit, it was nowhere to be found. I’m not talking about being sold out in your local Next or M&S, I mean it literally isn’t sold anywhere, online or offline.
I therefore hadn’t contemplated how they simply won’t save the stock, it is sold in that season and you can’t buy it out of season unless you get it tailor made.
During the summer, you can expect light colours, such as a cream or a baby blue, whereas the tend to get darker later towards the winter it gets.
How It Works With Groomsmen
You might think ‘who cares, it’s about me’. I get that. But your significant other won’t be as happy without some form of colour co-ordination. Start by finding out a colour you like for yourself. After this, you can Google what colours work well with this.
So if you type in for example ‘blue wedding suit groomsmen’, or something along those lines, you can find images of a blue wedding suit and then what the groomsmen are wearing alongside.
This is great for inspiration, while you will equally learn more about what you don’t want.
How It Works With Bridesmaids
Again, you can’t match or contrast too much with the bridesmaid’s colours, so this is another consideration. Initially I went for burgundy, which meant the groomsmen wearing cream and the bridesmaids in a champagne colour.
This idea changed multiple times, especially as my suit colour changed, but the idea carried through and helped us to shape our plans.
What About Rentals?
Some people do opt for rentals. In my head, it didn’t make sense, as the prices were so high, I felt ripped off if I didn’t own a suit at the end of it.
But if you want something extravagant or a big name brand, then this can make it more achievable. Just the same, sometimes people go more unique, such as a kilt, which you might not use again, therefore a rental can be a great option.
If you get something you could wear to job interviews or future weddings then it’s definitely not worth renting.
Waistcoat Or Braces
This caught me for a long time. I think a waistcoat is amazing at creating a luxurious and dashing look. It can look very grand, while most people do opt for a waistcoat, taking it from a 2 to a 3 piece suit.
However, braces are a rarity that you don’t really see outside of weddings. I have a pair, but I’m yet to EVER wear them.
If you can’t decide, you can go for both, start in a waistcoat and change to braces once going to the dance floor, as this will be a lot cooler.
Speaking of the heat, that will play a factor. If you’re in a hot country, you might want to opt for braces, as the waistcoat will be tight and cause some sweat to build, trust me.
