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Non-tux (groomsmen) wedding wear suggestions?

ballines

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I have a friend getting married in the coming year who has asked me for suggestions for attire for the groomsmen.

The obvious and safe answer is to go with matching (rented) tuxedos, but he finds this a bit dull and overly traditional.

Possibly considering having everyone wear their best navy suits, but having matching accessories (vests, ties, handkerchiefs, hats, canes, umbrellas, etc.)

Any one have any other ideas? Daytime/outdoor wedding.
 

LA Guy

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Just choose a color, decide on formality, and let everyone go to town. I'm doing that for my wedding. All groomsmen in black tie, hollywood (i.e. black suit instead of a tux - I know one of them is going for this) or otherwise (I'll be wearing a black shawl lapel single breasted one button, probably with a skinnier bowtie.) I'm secretly hoping that my groomsmen will all look slightly different, show their own distinctive style (or lack thereof - which will probably be cooler in the long run.) My fiancee has all her bridesmaids choose their own cut of dress (she chose the color.) I agree with your friend. A wedding party isn't an army. Don't dress them all up in uniforms.
 

ken

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My fiancee has all her bridesmaids choose their own cut of dress (she chose the color.)
Agree completely. Why the hell would you choose one dress to fit four different body types? Make the choice of color something they can wear again (like black), and you're halfway to having a non-nonsensical wedding. At least, that's how I'm gonna do it w/my bridesmaids.
 

ken

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Possibly considering having everyone wear their best navy suits, but having matching accessories (vests, ties, handkerchiefs, hats, canes, umbrellas, etc.)
Oof. No hats, canes, or umbrellas. I'm begging you.
 

montecristo#4

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(ballines @ 06 Jan. 2005, 3:38) Possibly considering having everyone wear their best navy suits, but having matching accessories (vests, ties, handkerchiefs, hats, canes, umbrellas, etc.)
Oof. No hats, canes, or umbrellas. I'm begging you.
Monocles for everyone.
 

ballines

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(ballines @ 06 Jan. 2005, 3:38) Possibly considering having everyone wear their best navy suits, but having matching accessories (vests, ties, handkerchiefs, hats, canes, umbrellas, etc.)
Oof. No hats, canes, or umbrellas. I'm begging you.
Yes, those were mostly jokes. Just wanted to get the suggestion ball rolling...
 

TCN

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I went to an outdoor summer resort type of wedding last summer where the groomsmen wore navy blazers, khakis, and matching rep ties. While admittedly casual, it worked for the venue, and for the wedding couple, who were outdoorsy, horsey, Social Register types.

I like the Navy suit idea too.
 

AlanC

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Agree completely. Why the hell would you choose one dress to fit four different body types? Make the choice of color something they can wear again (like black), and you're halfway to having a non-nonsensical wedding. At least, that's how I'm gonna do it w/my bridesmaids.
Hmm, I understand that we're talking of breaking out and all, but having the bridesmaids wear black is not an appropriate choice for a wedding. Neither, of course, is white.
 

Manton

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Solid grey or blue suits, white shirts, and black-and-white woven ties (i.e., shepherd's check or glen plaid patterns). Or maybe soild silver grenadine ties. And black shoes. And white carnations.
 

globetrotter

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I was just at a wedding wear everybody in the wedding party, everybody except the bride, wore black. the bride wore a white traditional dress. the visual effect was stunning. it was, aside from that, probrably the most tasteful wedding that i have ever been at. (although it was not where near as wild as mine, so it is a trade off).

aside from that, I like letting the groomsmen wear their own, dark suits.
 

Bradford

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Ah - clearly your friend has not yet learned the difference between being married and being single
biggrin.gif
He still thinks he can decide what the groomsman will wear. The best advice you can give him is to consult with his fiance and find out how she wants the groomsman to look. Practically every woman on the planet has a picture in mind of how she wants her wedding to look - and it's not wise to mess with that. Bradford
 

johnnynorman3

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Unfortunately, black (and possibly navy) are the only colors that will match perfectly. That leaves the prospect of creativity a bit difficult if you want "matching" suits. I agree with LA Guy that a wedding shouldn't be treated like dressing an army, if group pictures are planning on being taken, then you will want some coordination. What do I think is best? Solid color suit, let them make choices in styling (three button v. two, vent options, pick stitching, silhouette, etc.). For shirts, solid color (preferably white -- more formal), and let them make choices in cuffs and collars. For ties, you could either use the same tie, or pick a tie pattern that has multiple colors in the same line (see Polo website for instance, which has the same type of tie in many different color options).

BTW, rented tuxes are awful, just awful.
 

johnnynorman3

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BTW, at my wedding, the males wore black suits and white shirts. The groomsmen has green ties that matched the shirts of the ring bearers. The fathers had ties in the same color but a different pattern. The women were wearing rose pink dresses that matched my tie, which was in the same pattern as the groomsmen ties. The flower girl was wearing a pink dress in the same shade, accented with a green flower that matched the greens in the groomsmen/father ties.
 

Fabienne

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Ah - clearly your friend has not yet learned the difference between being married and being single Â
biggrin.gif
 He still thinks he can decide what the groomsman will wear. The best advice you can give him is to consult with his fiance and find out how she wants the groomsman to look. Practically every woman on the planet has a picture in mind of how she wants her wedding to look - and it's not wise to mess with that. Bradford
What, give up this early? There are two people in a marriage.
 

globetrotter

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(Bradford @ 07 Jan. 2005, 11:52) Ah - clearly your friend has not yet learned the difference between being married and being single Â
biggrin.gif
 He still thinks he can decide what the groomsman will wear. The best advice you can give him is to consult with his fiance and find out how she wants the groomsman to look. Practically every woman on the planet has a picture in mind of how she wants her wedding to look - and it's not wise to mess with that. Bradford
What, give up this early? There are two people in a marriage.
but only one in a wedding.....
 

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