New member, old question - the wedding suit!

[SolidRolledGold]

Hi all,

A new member posting here, so please be gentle!

I'm due to get married next year and now my partner and I are narrowing down what we want the wedding to be like, I've been thinking more about attire.

The wedding will be in Sydney in October, so looking at around 25-30 degrees (Celsius) on the day. The ceremony will be at 3pm, reception (cocktail rather than seated) from 5.30pm. Given the ceremony is still in the afternoon and it will likely be on the warm side, we decided against black tie, and morning dress didn't quite seem 'us'.

So, I'd love a sanity check on what I'm thinking for my getup on the big day!

I've been leaning toward a double breasted, RAF blue suit, similar to this one worn by James Turner.

The idea was inspired by a couple of columns by Simon Crompton on Permanent Style; this one on a RAF blue flannel SB; and this one on a groom's light grey DB suit.

I liked the idea of going the DB over a three-piece, and I'm seeing if my usual go-to for suiting (Henry Bucks, Melbourne) can do a similar blue, but in something more light weight, maybe hopsack or mohair, assuming the texture is right. I imagine I'd match the suit with a solid navy (or maybe with a very subtle pattern) silk tie, over a white shirt, with a white linen square.

Would love to hear what you think of this idea! I'm also weighing up what might work for my groomsmen alongside this - possibly mid-grey or maybe even navy three-piece lounge, or possibly DB as well?

Cheers!

 

[emptym]

All of that sounds good to me. If you wear suits often and have a lot of suits, I'd go with whatever suits the occasion best. If you don't have a lot of suits, you might consider what you'd get more wear out of later.

 

[SolidRolledGold]

Your suggestion looks good. And reusable, so a good investment. As long as you can get over the fact that you're wearing the same colour as crabs do.....

Thanks!

Now you mention it, I am partial to the odd Blue Swimmer.....

 

[Stuart Midgley]

Hi all,
The wedding will be in Sydney in October, so looking at around 25-30 degrees (Celsius) on the day. The ceremony will be at 3pm, reception (cocktail rather than seated) from 5.30pm. Given the ceremony is still in the afternoon and it will likely be on the warm side, we decided against black tie, and morning dress didn't quite seem 'us'.

So, I'd love a sanity check on what I'm thinking for my getup on the big day!

I've been leaning toward a double breasted, RAF blue suit, similar to this one worn by James Turner.

The idea was inspired by a couple of columns by Simon Crompton on Permanent Style; this one on a RAF blue flannel SB; and this one on a groom's light grey DB suit.

I liked the idea of going the DB over a three-piece, and I'm seeing if my usual go-to for suiting (Henry Bucks, Melbourne) can do a similar blue, but in something more light weight, maybe hopsack or mohair, assuming the texture is right. I imagine I'd match the suit with a solid navy (or maybe with a very subtle pattern) silk tie, over a white shirt, with a white linen square.

Would love to hear what you think of this idea! I'm also weighing up what might work for my groomsmen alongside this - possibly mid-grey or maybe even navy three-piece lounge, or possibly DB as well?

Cheers!

Congrats on the upcoming wedding!

I'd be very wary of going with a DB in Sydney at that time of year simply on temperature grounds. October here (right now!) is a changeable month with unsettled weather. Yesterday we had a cool southerly flowing through with a last-little-bit-of-winter feel (although it was definitely not cool by Melbourne standards) in which you could have comfortably worn a light-weight DB; today it's warm westerleys predicted to hit 30C with high humidity and warnings of possibly severe afternoon thunderstorms. You would melt in a DB this afternoon. In fact it's 9am now and while it's only 20C air temp the sun has some serious power. You'd already be feeling uncomfortable out of doors.

The climate is one basic reason that DBs are almost unseen here in Sydney. Even in mid-winter (Jul-Aug) it's often 18-21C at lunch time, so DBs can be hard work. 3-piece SB is the go-to here because you can make layering decisons on the day. You can lose the waistcoat easily at the reception if it's just too hot, for instance.

Also, I would say that Sydney and Melbourne have quite distinct senses of style, and you might like to decide if you want to dress in a typical Sydney wedding style or in a 'transplanted Melbourne' style. If you do a Google image search for 'Sydney wedding groom' and 'Melbourne wedding groom' or similar you'll find a sea of light grey to mid-charcoal suits on grooms in Sydney and endless photos of dark, dark, dark suits (often blue/navy) in Melbourne. (Heck, every time I go to Melbourne and just walk down the street I can't help but notice the dark clothing everywhere. There must be discounts on black the further south one goes.) RAF blue would certainly make you stand out at a Sydney wedding.

That said, it's your wedding - wear what you want! Just... be warned about DB. You might look rather sweaty in the wedding photos.

 

[maxalex]

Looks like a hot day but Edward still appears cool as a cuke in his DB blazer. There is no reason to fear the DB in summer.

 

[Stuart Midgley]

Mad dogs and Englishmen...

 

[SolidRolledGold]

Wrong kind, I'm afraid. These are much smaller, and rather more, well, intimate.....

Vide https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Glossary_of_British_military_slang_and_expressions#C

Ha, I guess I've learned more here than I bargained for!

 

[SolidRolledGold]

Congrats on the upcoming wedding!

I'd be very wary of going with a DB in Sydney at that time of year simply on temperature grounds. October here (right now!) is a changeable month with unsettled weather. Yesterday we had a cool southerly flowing through with a last-little-bit-of-winter feel (although it was definitely not cool by Melbourne standards) in which you could have comfortably worn a light-weight DB; today it's warm westerleys predicted to hit 30C with high humidity and warnings of possibly severe afternoon thunderstorms. You would melt in a DB this afternoon. In fact it's 9am now and while it's only 20C air temp the sun has some serious power. You'd already be feeling uncomfortable out of doors.

The climate is one basic reason that DBs are almost unseen here in Sydney. Even in mid-winter (Jul-Aug) it's often 18-21C at lunch time, so DBs can be hard work. 3-piece SB is the go-to here because you can make layering decisons on the day. You can lose the waistcoat easily at the reception if it's just too hot, for instance.

Also, I would say that Sydney and Melbourne have quite distinct senses of style, and you might like to decide if you want to dress in a typical Sydney wedding style or in a 'transplanted Melbourne' style. If you do a Google image search for 'Sydney wedding groom' and 'Melbourne wedding groom' or similar you'll find a sea of light grey to mid-charcoal suits on grooms in Sydney and endless photos of dark, dark, dark suits (often blue/navy) in Melbourne. (Heck, every time I go to Melbourne and just walk down the street I can't help but notice the dark clothing everywhere. There must be discounts on black the further south one goes.) RAF blue would certainly make you stand out at a Sydney wedding.

That said, it's your wedding - wear what you want! Just... be warned about DB. You might look rather sweaty in the wedding photos.

Thanks for sharing - great to get some local knowledge in the mix vis-a-vis the weather!

Good to have that in mind when thinking about a DB. The MTM SB suits I usually wear for work are unlined, light weight, not too uncomfortable in the height of summer. Will see whether sticking to that formula would work for DB, but will also see what might work for the three piece, nice idea.

Definitely not keen on the typical dark conservative business dress colours! I'm actually warming to the light grey idea....